But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Galatians 5:22

Self discipline is a fruit of The Spirit and fruit is always a result, not a first cause; a harvest, not a planting. Self discipline is all about our choices—a battle in our thought life—an inner battle between our “new man/woman” and the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

We can NOT allow ourselves a secret pleasure or a hidden sin that we hold dear. Self-mastery, through abiding in Christ, is our constant goal (Gal 2:20). This means struggling against our temptations and striving to never give in to them. Does that mean that if we stumble we fail? No, but it does mean that God desires us to repent and stop giving in. 

Winners Develop and Maintain Self-Discipline. 
No matter how hard it is, how long it takes, or how many times we fail, we must fight against fleshly, self-indulgent temptations. Even things that others are free to use may not be God’s best for us and He never just looks the other way. Only we and God know the secret things we war against: lusts, selfish pride, envy, bitter anger, and excesses in areas that should be approached with moderation or avoidance. (I Corinthians 6:12) 

God knows our struggles. Christ died to overcome them. If we’re to finish well, we will finish with these areas having been defeated or still being resisted and pushed back. We must resist! If we do, and never give in, we will win, our fellowship with Christ will be enriched, and God’s purposes will be served. Christ in us will have won!

Daily Reflections and Questions; So, what has come to mind as we have moved through this topic?