Fruit of the Spirit – Self Control

John 15:5 – “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Gaining a deeper understanding of the ‘Fruit of The Spirit’ happens as you intentionally study the Tanakh alongside others over time.

Yeshua said to them, “Isn’t this the reason that you go astray, because you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God?” Mark 12:24 (CJB)

When we lack Fruit, it is because we do not understand the things of His Ruach.

BE the student you are called to be, because the things of this world are growing darker.

The Hebrew word for ‘disciples’ is talmidim.   Talmidim comes from the root word lamad that means ‘to learn’.

Frustration is rooted in fruitlessness, and unresolved anger in deep disconnectedness.

Baruch HaSHEM!

As I dive deeper into a study of the Fruit of the Ruach (and encourage YOU to join me), these are some thoughts that flooded my spirit about HER, about HIM in this day and age:

For HER:

ONLY THREE in the Tanakh and B’rit Chadashah are referred to as EZER (Help, Surround, Protection, Aid):

1) G-d

2) Ruach HaKodesh…and

3) Woman.

WOMEN FOLLOWERS of The Messiah must check their lives for FRUIT of His Ruach, understand who they are, what their role is, and see if they are HELPING…or destroying (this is the Adversary’s will for you).

Satan hasn’t left the side of WOMAN since the Garden.  She has too much anointing in the power of His Ruach.  It’s not good for his cause.  I give the following admonishment respectfully: A Woman will either march in futility or WALK IN HER ANOINTING.  

For HIM:

The Husband‘s (Ish) directive is to live with understanding (1 Peter 3:7) with his Ishah SO THAT his prayers – that is, his examination of his true self, which leads to ONENESS with His Ruach, as well as all intercessions – are not hindered [blocked, prevented].

ISH needs to diligently seek to know and more deeply understand who ISHAH is – what her foreordained role [Rx] is – so that he can better understand who he is.  And accordingly, walk with G-d more fully.

READ the book of Galatians. STUDY more specifically 5:22-26.  

The first word we will look at is SELF-CONTROL (we’re going to work backwards). The Greek word is engkráteia meaning to ‘master’. Does this remind you of a certain Genesis passage (4:7)?  The root literally means ‘inner strength, power, force’.  This is the Power of His Ruach! This is the Ruach governed life.

As you know, the B’rit Chadasha was written in Greek. But the inspired writers were Hebrew, so they had Hebrew thoughts, training (TNK!) in mind as they recorded their thoughts under the inspiration of the Holy Ruach.   In our last fellowship, I asked you to take a new look at the Fruit of the Ruach in Galatians with Hebrew light.

Some Hebrew enthusiasts have chosen a few different Hebrew words to correlate to the Greek Text. I’ve looked at, studied and agree with most of these scholarly conclusions (like ahavah, simchah, shalom).   However, my choice for SELF-CONTROL I’ve not found as an option chosen by other Hebrew scholars of the Text.  That’s okay.  I’m still learning.  I have chosen the word MASHAL for a few reasons (mostly, because of its association with Genesis 4:7).

Some versions translate as (1) tzeniut or (2) shlita atzmi.

Holy Mastery of Self, imbued by the Ruach HaKodesh, ALWAYS means, and is rooted in ‘agreement with and submission to G-d’.  Always.  Not sometimes.  This is indisputably so. Understand that MASTERY OF SELF means submission to the Ruach HaKodesh. As His Holy Ruach governs our lives, we will no longer attempt to MASTER others by means of the flesh.

Mashal is also the word used in Genesis 3:16 to describe what will be as a result of not choosing ONENESS with ADONAI Eloheinu:

‘he will mashal (rule over, master) you’.

This Revelation is steadfast: when we choose to NOT master ourselves, we will attempt to master others (and we know how well this method works out for our relationships).

When the Ruach HaKodesh governs our life, ‘all our ways’ will produce eternal Fruit without end.

No longer will we be known by the temporal, fruitless, self-serving and powerless works of our own hands. The latter happens as religious people attempt to do HOLY WORKS without the HOLY RUACH. This is the story of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 9-10).

We can do NOTHING (that matters eternally and communally) apart from Yeshua, the Source of our FRUIT.

To whose instructions will I pledge allegiance?  One thing is as certain as His Emet (Truth) is Eternal, Ezer Kenegdo, Ishah cannot ride the fence on this one.   Choose wisely.

(1) ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ – Hebrew4Christians.com

(2) OJB Translation of Galatians 5:22-23