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Sobriety or soberess is a quality that is expected to be manifested by those who claim to walk with
the Lord. However, it seems to be a scarcity in the lives of
so many believers today. Now, there are several specific scriptures in the New Testament which we should look at to
see just exactly what God desires to communicate to us on this subject of sobriety. Please note that it is
particularly emphasized in the book of Titus (occurring 5 times), where
believers of all ages are addressed as to how they should conduct themselves
in a worthy manner.
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For I say, through the grace given unto me,
to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly
than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as
God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
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Romans 12 : 3
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For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to
God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause.
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2 Corinthians 5 : 13
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Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but
let us watch and be sober.
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1 Thessalonians 5 : 6
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But let us, who are of the day, be sober,
putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet,
the hope of salvation.
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1 Thessalonians 5 : 8
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A bishop then must be blameless, the husband
of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to
hospitality, apt to teach;
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1 Timothy 3 : 2
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Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers,
sober, faithful in all things.
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1 Timothy 3 : 11
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But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good
men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
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Titus 1 : 8
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That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate,
sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
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Titus 2 : 2
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That they may teach the young women to be sober,
to love their husbands, to love their children,
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Titus 2 : 4
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Young men likewise exhort to be sober
minded.
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Titus 2 : 6
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Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly
lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in
this present world;
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Titus 2 : 12
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Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be
sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
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1 Peter 1 : 13
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But the end of all things is at hand: be ye
therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
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1 Peter 4 : 7
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Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom
he may devour:
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1 Peter 5 : 8
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Now,
sober does not mean somber or gloomy.The opposite of sober is
not, “joy.” We are called to be people of joy
and yet people who are serious and self-controlled also. The
opposite of being sober is frivolous which also means lacking serious
purpose and loving pleasure.“Lack of self-control” is another way to
describe one who is not sober. So one can be sober and filled with “joy
unspeakable” simultaneously. Both are commands, which instead of being mutually
exclusive, are rather complementary for true Christian living.
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith …Galatians 5 :
22
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The Spirit
of God is grieved when we do not control our bodies, especially our “thought-life”
and the manifestation of that, “heart-life” via the tongue. “Out
of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks”, the Lord, declared
in Matthew 12:34. We are supposed to be alert to the enemy’s strategy
and attacks. We must be watching and praying because the, "End
of all things is at hand." We simply cannot be sober, if we are not self-controlled in every area of our lives.
No, we will grow careless if we are surfeiting and drunken! (Luke 21:34)
We are supposed to edify one another. However, when we place a premium
on, “looking good” or “sounding good” or on “lightening up the moment” with foolishness
at the expense of maintaining a godly sobriety in our walk and talk,
then we falter. How many of us are guilty of this to our shame? To be
sober means to consistently make choices that are godly. Let’s remember that we cannot
be holy without being sober.
With
that said, shall we lift our voices to Heaven for Divine assistance
right now for this vital need? A prayer of the following kind is certainly
appropriate for all of us today:
“Holy
Father, please help us to put away our foolish pride and frivolous ways. We
want to walk soberly as you have commanded us to, so that we may shine
as lights in this crooked and perverse generation among
which we live. Yes Lord, we want to walk in holiness so that we can glorify You and not be caught unawares by that Day. Thank you, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.”
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