“Spiritual leaders are self-controlled. By ‘self-controlled’ I do not mean prim and proper and unemotional, but rather master of our drives. If we are to lead others toward God, we cannot be led ourselves toward the world.
According to Galatians 5:23, self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. It is not mere willpower. It is appropriating the power of God to get mastery over our emotions and our appetites that could lead us astray or cause us to occupy our time with fruitless endeavors.
In 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul says, ‘“All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything.’ The Christian leader must ruthlessly examine his life to see whether he is the least enslaved by television, alcohol, coffee, golf, computer games, fishing, Playboy, masturbation, good food. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:25–27, ‘Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.’ And he says in Galatians 5:24, ‘Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.’
Spiritual leaders ruthlessly track down bad habits and break them by the power of the Spirit. They hear and follow Romans 8:13, ‘If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.’ Spiritual leaders long to be free from everything that hinders their fullest delight in God and service of others.”