Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (NIV)

Genesis 1:26-28, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (NIV)

Proverbs 25:28, “Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.” (NIV)

Proverbs 2:2, “Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.” (NLT)

1 Peter 5:5-8, “So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with goodness, and to goodness add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately.” (TPT)

Why is it important to understand that in your call to follow Jesus, you were also created to be powerful?

Why do you think self-control is a fruit of the Spirit?

Self-governance is necessary to remain positioned for dominion and fruitfulness. What are some areas where you have allowed external pressure to govern you causing you to surrender your power to something or someone else?

What are the two things we were created to govern?

Asking God to move while we are inactive is entitlement, not partnership! Ask the Holy Spirit if there are situations in your life where you’ve been waiting on Him to move, but have not aligned your power to His purpose. In these areas, ask for forgiveness and for Him to correct your course so that you can move forward in power.

“If my private world is in order, it will be because I see myself as Christ’s steward and not as master of my purpose, my role, and my identity.” Gordon MacDonald In your own words, what does it mean to co-labor with Christ?

Father, Your Spirit is one of power, love, and self-control. It is only by Your Spirit that I can walk powerfully. You have put Your spirit in me and created me in Your likeness to be powerful. I ask You to forgive me when I have surrendered my internal authority over to external circumstances. I take back the power that You’ve given me. I now choose to walk in the fullness of Your call upon my life. I know that where the Spirit is Lord, there is freedom. I choose to follow you!