For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. —2 Timothy 1:7

“Every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things” (1 Corinthians 9:25, emphasis mine). That word all is a difficult concept for us to grasp.

We need to live a disciplined life, physically, spiritually, and emotionally, if we want to enjoy God’s plan for us. The fruit of the Spirit is self-control, and the fruit of the flesh is no control.

Paul said, “I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become un.t [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit]” (1 Corinthians 9:27).