Self Denial Is Key

Focus: Luke 9:23 - KJV

23. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Matthew 10:37-39

Unless a corn of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone. It is when it falls to the ground and dies that it sprouts and brings forth much of its kind. In the same manner, every one that would be a disciple of Christ must first die to himself otherwise he would be fruitless. He must of necessity lose his life before he can again find the same in abundance. Losing one’s life is about putting our totality in Christ, and loving Him above and beyond any other. Until we attain that level in Him, we cannot pass the test to be His disciples. We must daily die to self and live by Him, to please Him.

Saul of Tarsus was a doctor of laws. He was a free born and a member of the Jewish Council called the Sanhedrin. He was equally a citizen of Rome aside being a teacher of the laws of Moses. When he was arrested by the Spirit of God and was converted to Paul, he forgot about his status in Council, his doctorate and what have you. He readily subsumed himself under Christ to gain all. To the Jews, he became a Jew so that he may gain them for Christ; and to the Roman he identified as Roman to gain them. He bore his cross always that he may follow Christ. and by his personal testimony, he put his body under always that he may gain Christ. This fellow made himself of no reputation for the sake of Christ. That is what the Lord demands for discipleship.

The question from the Lord is: “how are you in the scheme of things towards being Jesus’ disciple?” Are we really denying ourselves to gain Christ or we are full of ourselves in what we do and call ministry? The Lord wants that we be disciples of Christ indeed, but we can only be when we deny ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him. Following Him connotes doing only those things that He would do or approve. Doing otherwise is inimical to life and He is averse to that.

Please receive this:

From today, you are blessed with the grace to die to the flesh and live by the Spirit of God that you may gain eternal life in the end in Jesus’ name. You shall not die a physical death but live through Christ to declare the good works of the Lord in the land of the living in Jesus’ name. The cross you are called to bear shall be made light for you by the Spirit of God in Jesus’ name.

Please share with others. God bless you.