Lack of Self-Control

From "Respectable Sins":

"A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls" (Prov. 25:28).

"In the same way that a city without walls was vulnerable to an invading army, so a person without self-control is vulnerable to all kinds of temptations" (Bridges 109).

"What is self-control? It is a governance or prudent control of one's desires, cravings, impulses, emotions, and passions. It is saying no when we should say no. It is moderation in legitimate desires and activities, and absolute restraint in areas that are clearly sinful. It would, for example, involved moderation in watching television and absolute restraint in viewing internet pornography. [It] is not a product of one's own natural will-power. We know there are plenty of unbelievers who exercise self-control in specific areas of life for the purpose of achieving some goal. But in other areas, they may life with little or no self-control. An athlete may be strict in his diet while totally lacking in control of his temper. Biblical self-control, however, covers every area of life and requires an unceasing conflict with the passions of the flesh that wage war against our souls (1 Peter 2:11) . This self-control is dependent on the influence and enablement of the Holy Spirit. It requires continual exposure or our mind to the words of God and continual prayer for the Holy Spirit to give us both the desire and power to exercise self-control" (Bridges 111).