阅读经文 

今天我们在总结思考圣灵的果子时，我们把重点放在节制上。使徒保罗在这里的讨论，让我们看到，节制对于帮助我们远离“肉体的情欲”是非常重要的。

但我们可能会想，我们如何才能真正地操练节制呢？我们怎样才能远离这里列出的所有罪状和 “情欲的事”？我们有足够的力量靠自己来控制罪欲吗？不，我们需要圣灵的能力来引导我们。

保罗所说的节制不是靠我们有罪的老我的自身力量完成的。我们只能藉着耶稣基督已经完成的工作，接受更新自我的力量来完成——也就是藉着圣灵所赐的新生命。

有了圣灵在我们里面的新生命，我们就有了一个被圣灵带领的新我。因为我们被圣灵带领，所以我们才能“靠圣灵行事”。就像一棵树或一根葡萄枝子，有了圣灵的生命在我们里面，我们就可以结出“圣灵的果子”，如“仁爱、喜乐、和平、忍耐、恩慈、良善、信实、温柔、节制”。

这就是圣灵在我们身上的工作，我们每天都要撇弃自己旧有的、自私的、罪恶的本性，使我们能在圣灵的掌管下生活。

As we wrap up our reflections on the fruit of the Spirit today, we focus on self-control. In the apostle Paul's discussion here, we can see that self-control is very important for helping us turn away from "the desires of the flesh."

But we may wonder, How can we actually practice self-control? How can we turn away from all the sins and "actions of the flesh" that are listed here? Are we strong enough to control our sinful desires on our own? No. We need the power of God the Holy Spirit to guide us.

The self-control that Paul is talking about is not accomplished by the power of our old, sinful self. It can only be accomplished in the power of the new self that we receive through the finished work of Jesus Christ—that is, the new life that comes to us by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

With the new life of the Spirit in us, we have a new self that is led by the Spirit. And because we are led by the Spirit, we can "keep in step with the Spirit." Like a tree or a vine with the life of the Spirit in us, we can bear "the fruit of the Spirit" such as "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

This is the Spirit's work in us, and we need to surrender our old, selfish, sinful nature each day so that we can live by the control of the Holy Spirit.