Proverbs 25.28
“A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
In biblical times, a city whose walls were broken down had no defense against an enemy. In the same way, a person who has no discipline, willpower, or self-restraint has no defense against temptation, false teaching, or impulsive emotions. Without self-control, we are defenseless when the Enemy attacks. Without self-control, we are wide-open to sin.
A proverb earlier in the book also addressed self-discipline: “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” (Proverbs 16.32)
Again the focus is self-control, which is what is meant by “he who rules his spirit.” The importance of self-control cannot be overstated. It is the final fruit of the Spirit that the apostle Paul gives in the book of Galatians: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5.22-23)
Self-control is the critical factor in Paul’s list of characteristics. It is the virtue that determines how effectively we build all other virtues into our life. Without self-control (or self-discipline), we will not operate with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.
Self-control in Galatians 5 is the Greek word egkrateia. It comes from the root krat, which denotes power or lordship. Self-control means exercising power over yourself. It is keeping yourself under control. It is self-mastery over your inner desires, thoughts, actions, and words. In the language of Proverbs 16.32, it is “he who rules his spirit.”
Egkrateia is the control you must exercise over your life, and it is the cornerstone spiritual virtue in your battle against the old nature.
I believe this is one of the great spiritual issues of our generation. Again, in the worlds of Proverbs 25.28, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” Without self-discipline we are left wide open to the attacks of the enemy and the impulses of our sin nature. Without self-discipline we are vulnerable and at great risk of defeat. Without self-discipline we are easily “broken into.”
Every Christian has discovered the painful reality that the works of the flesh—the impulses of the old nature—come to us easily and relentlessly. It you fail to “rule your spirit” and you let your guard down just a bit, the impulses of the old nature will take over. It is for this very reason that self-discipline is the final fruit of the Spirit in Paul’s list in Galatians 5.
Walking in the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the Spirit requires trusting God, and it also requires discipline. It requires faith and effort. Obviously, there is self-discipline that is disconnected from the Spirit, which we could call “self-driven self-discipline.” That is not what Paul is talking about here. Paul is calling us to Spirit-empowered self-discipline, which is what happens when a Christian trusts God, seeks to obey scripture, asks for the Spirit’s power, recognizes and rejects the impulses of the sin nature, and exercises the spiritual virtue of self-control.
The fruit of the Spirit is produced when we respond to God working in our lives. It is a choice—a decision—that we must repeatedly make. This is the message of Galatians 5: “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:16-17)
Here is what the scripture is saying: Recognize the impulses of the old nature and reject them. Recognize the fruit of the Spirit and walk in them. Make the choice!
Spiritual growth is largely determined by our commitment to faith-driven self-discipline. Without this foundational virtue, there can be no sustainable growth in grace. Before other disciplines can be applied, whether in the home, business, community, or church, there first must be Spirit-empowered self-discipline.
Do a self-assessment. What is the status of the “walls” of your “city?” Are you walking in the Spirit, and have you developed the fruit of self-discipline? If not, in what areas of your life do you need to trust God and do work?
