The Daily Walk | 07.23.2026 | Dan Stephens | 2 Timothy 1:7

7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Transcript

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Let's talk about self-control for a moment. If I were to ask you to quote a Bible verse about self-control, I'll bet most of you would go straight to Galatians 5, 22, and 23 and start quoting the fruit of the Spirit because you remember that self-control is one of them. But the Bible has a lot to say about self-control. I actually searched online and found a website called Bible Verses About Self-Control, where 27 scripture passages were listed. Another way of saying self-control is to say self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1.7 mentions this when it says, the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. Isn't that great news? And immediately when I think of verses on self-discipline, I think of temptation and the fact that it takes self-control to fight against it. The longer you live, the more temptations you will face in this life. But when you've read and meditated on Scripture, it's amazing how God brings to mind just the right verses to give you strength when you're tempted. I know this from personal experience and it keeps me from giving in. But it does more than that. It convicts me to the core. The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, it says in Hebrews. And that's the honest to goodness truth. The word never feels more sharp than when it is convicting me of sin. But self-control is a good thing. It keeps me from harm. But temptation is so hard, you might say. And I hear you. But just think of the promise at the end to 1 Corinthians 10 13 when it says that God will provide a way of escape so that you will be able to endure it. I'm Dan Stevens, and I want to thank you for joining me for this devotional thought on self control. Have a great day.