Temperance is a fruit of the Spirit. If one has no self-control or does not surrender self-will to the will of God, one is working against the Holy Spirit. This is sin. This is not having Christ’s righteousness. It is self-indulgence, self-righteousness.
God calls those who are His faithful ones to be temperate in all things. That means being temperate in appetite, in eating and drinking, in work, play, entertainment, dress, exercise, sleep, rest—in everything. Overcoming intemperance will be like overcoming most of the battle; for self is our worst enemy. If we have the love of God, we will be temperate, overcome by faith.
No one can compel or force us to sin. We choose to sin. We choose to not sin. Even Satan can only tempt us. The temptation itself, overwhelming as it may seem, is not sin. Sin is when we give in. It is sin when we yield to the temptation.
Why must we overcome intemperance and be temperate in all things?
Intemperance is all about pleasing self, which is the spirit of Satan. Intemperance is his character. When we choose to be intemperate in all we eat, drink, do, or think, we worship Satan—not Je’sus. Satan becomes our choice.
Temperance in all things is a fruit of the Spirit of God. It is departing from evil, turning to God, loving the truth. Temperance is when self-will is completely surrendered to the will of God. Temperance is when our very existence is all about God. That is the key!
When self is dead, our eyes will stay fixed on Je’sus Christ. He becomes the prize. We will focus on running the race for the incorruptible crown.
When we give up self to live solely in harmony with the Spirit of God, which He puts in us—causing us to live by His every word, keeping and doing His statutes and His judgments—then we have the mind of Christ. Then Christ is in us and is our hope of glory. It is only then that we are truly born of God and choose never to sin. More importantly, we cannot sin! (Read 1 John 3:9.)
The sinner, the wicked, the evil, the heathen, children of darkness, children of the night, the self-righteous: these commit to sin. These do not slip up and fall. They deliberately choose to do what they want to do; for pleasing self is their goal.
The people of God purpose to do only that which is pleasing in the sight of God—not by our might, but by the power of God. Period.
We choose to worship God in spirit and in truth. We choose to love the truth. We choose to confess and repent. We choose to be converted. We choose to cooperate with the Holy Spirit.
We do not fight against the Holy Spirit. We humble ourselves before God.