Several scriptures tell us we are to be sober, but what does it mean to be sober in the Bible? It might help to define it by describing what it feels like when you are not sober-minded.
Have you ever been jarred out of sleep by a disturbing nightmare that you couldn’t shake? Maybe of someone you love dying and it just felt so real, that you were obsessively thinking about it all day long?
How about this scenario: You get into an argument with a loved one, go on an emotional tirade, and spew a lot of things you deeply regret later? Maybe you’re unapologetically unfiltered. And you have no problem letting people know exactly what’s on your mind!
Do you struggle with:
- Obsessive worrying
- Obstinate pride
- Overbearing anger
- Overwhelming grief
- Irrational fear
- Insatiable lust
- Incessant envy
If any of these characterize your life, you need to learn to be sober-minded.
What Does it Mean to Be Sober in the Bible?
Being sober is the first thing that aged women are to teach younger women in the KJV version of Titus 2:3-5. It’s first because it’s so very important. Without this sober mind, she can’t properly do all that she’s instructed to do in the rest of the passage, because her thinking is carnal, and tainted by the world, the flesh, and the devil.
In Titus 2:4 -The word “sober” is the Greek word sophronizo, meaning to make of a sound mind, discipline, or correct. This word comes from the Greek word sophron, which means safe, sound in mind, self-controlled, moderate as to opinion or passion, and temperate.
The aged women have to correct the younger women’s thinking because a sober mind is not something a woman naturally possesses. Ephesians 4:23 and Romans 12:2 both speak to renewing our minds. If our minds were okay with God, then he wouldn’t have given us these commands!
The Bible defines sober as having a disciplined, controlled, sound mind.
We have to filter our trials, temptations, tests, and every thought through scripture. Click To Tweet
Either Foolish or Sober, You Choose
A sober-minded woman is in control of her thoughts, emotions, and actions. She is circumspect, aware, and alert to the enemy. But an unsober woman is foolish and caught up in her feelings.
The Bible characterizes a foolish woman as:
- Contentious and angry. Proverbs 21:19
- Shameful. Proverbs 12:4
- Loud and stubborn. Proverbs 7:11
- Thoughtless. Proverbs 11:22
- Destructive. Proverbs 14:1
A foolish woman is unstable, unfaithful, and emotional. You don’t want to be this woman!
Being sober-minded is thinking biblically
A sober-minded woman isn’t without feelings, she doesn’t suppress her emotions. She renews her mind with the truth of scripture. That changes her emotional responses to be in line with God’s will and word, thereby making her a sober-minded woman.
God gave us emotions so that we can experience life and be empathetic in ministry. Without emotions, we’d be robots, so they’re necessary, but we have to be taught how to control them so that they don’t control us.
Whatever we allow to dominate our mind will dictate our mouth, manners, and ministry. Click To Tweet
A Sober Mind is Filtered and Focused
Sometimes there are physical reasons our emotions get all out of whack, like hormones, lack of sleep, sickness, and chronic pain. It is harder to be sober-minded under circumstances like that.
Being sober is learning how to renew your mind so that you can be emotionally stable and spiritually strong. It’s a moment-by-moment, day-by-day way of thinking. A state of mind that can change based on how much time you spend in the word, and how surrendered to the Spirit you are.
Even if we are foolish, unfiltered, and driven by our feelings right now, that doesn’t mean we’re destined to be this way forever. I was that foolish woman. If God can transform me and give me a sober mind, He can do the same for you!
Romans 12:2 KJV~ And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
How to be a sober-minded woman
Any woman can learn what it means to be sober. But it’s an entirely different thing to apply what you know. In my post 6 Steps to a Sober Mind, I cover action steps you can take to become a discreet and wise woman who brings God glory. Check it out, and these other posts I wrote to help you be sober-minded:
Renew Your Mind and Revive Your Heart with ‘It is Written’
How to Have a Sober Mind Daily
4 Examples of Sober-minded Women in the Bible
16 Scriptures for a Sober Mind
The Importance of a Sober Mind for Spiritual Stability
How to be Sober in Stressful Times
The Importance of a Sober Mind in Times of Transition
18 Psalms for a Sober Mind in Suffering
What the Bible Says About Being Sober-Minded
Get a Jesus Journal to Be Sober-Minded!
Jesus was sober-minded, and the more we learn about Him, the more we will be like Him! I designed and published a tool to help Christian women do just that. My Jesus Journal focuses your time in the word on learning more about the Lord and cultivating a closer relationship with Christ.
Intended to be used alongside your daily Bible reading, My Jesus Journal has space to record the date, the scriptures you read, and lined spaces to write your observations about Jesus you saw in the text. At the bottom of that page is a verse from the KJV Bible about Jesus. The next page is for writing your prayers related to what you discovered in your reading. And there are extra prayer pages in the back.
Beautiful, portable, and affordable!
If you are looking for a tool to help you grow in your knowledge of Jesus, build intimacy in your relationship with Him, and deepen your love for the Lord, then My Jesus Journal is just what you need!
Beautifully designed with your spiritual growth in mind, My Jesus Journal is just the right size to fit into your purse, backpack, or diaper bag. You can grow on the go when you use wait times in the Doctor’s office, the carpool line, etc. for Bible study.
Priced at just $8.99, you can purchase one for yourself and a friend, or consider buying one for your entire ministry, to begin a season of seeking Jesus together. It makes an excellent gift for any Christian woman in your life!
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FREE Resources for Spiritual Growth
I created a resource library with FREE tools for spiritual growth here at Daily His Disciple. It includes a 17-page guide to How to Study the Bible, and my devotional bundle titled 7 Days to More Peace of Mind. There are also scripture lists for topical study and memorization (including 14 Scriptures for a Sober Mind). Simply enter your email address and hit subscribe to get the link to the resource library and the password.
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Pray With Confidence
Prayer helps us to be in our right minds as sober-minded women. If you would like to grow in your prayer life, then check out Pray with Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the regular contributors. Here are a few links I think will be a blessing to you:
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability
19 Bible Verses that Reveal the Will of God
Check out the prayer resources, Bible verses, and tough questions tabs. There are many great options to boost your spiritual growth!
This is WONDERFUL! Thank you for this information and application with scripture. LUV IT
Praise the Lord, thank you for reading and commenting, I appreciate your feedback! 🙂
This really spoke to my heart. It’s definitely something I need to work on as I heal from postpartum anxiety and walk through a difficult season in my life.
A sound mind will never slip and can resist temptations. I have been very encouraged by this Biblically sound post 🙂 I have tweeted it as well. Blessings
Praise the Lord, I’m glad it was a blessing to ya! Thank you for sharing it! I pray that many women read it and sober up, for the sake of their marriages, motherhood, and ministries. It’s vital to our spiritual maturity and stability.:-)
I completely agree! We can’t think wisely or make good decisions when our emotions reign. When we feel weak, the power of the pause is so important! ❤
Amen! Thank you for reading and commenting, I appreciate ya! Blessings! 🙂
You make an excellent point. We can act more wisely when we have a sober mind. It will help the overall outcome to remove our feelings from our decision making. So good!
Thank you for reading and commenting, I appreciate your feedback! Blessings to ya! 🙂
Almost daily, I pray Lord, let the words I speak be words of you and not me, words led by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s so important that I don’t speak the first thing that comes into my mind.
That’s a great prayer! If we could all just be that intentional with every person, in every situation, every day, we’d have alot less emotionally charged conflict. Being sober minded is definitely a product of intentionality in prayer and putting the word in. Blessings to ya! 🙂
Love this and love you for teaching us. This is sometimes a struggle for me, but I am working on it!
Me too! We’re all a work in progress!! Thank you for being so sweet, and a faithful student with an eager heart to learn, live out, and invest truth into other women. Love you and thank God for you! 😊
wow this is an awesome post! I’m going to share this too!
Thank you, I appreciate it! 🙂