Are You In Denial

"Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." - Matthew 16:24-25

I am certain you are familiar with that verse. Have you thought much about what it means to deny yourself or why Jesus said we would have to do it if we had any hope of following Him? Well first, let's think about what following Him means. Jesus was all about doing the will of the Father and not His own. In fact, He so synchronized His will with the Father that he said in John 17 that He and the Father were one. 

"that they [disciples and those who will believe in Him] may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me" - John 17:21

Did you catch that? We are to follow Jesus' example so that the world will know that God the Father sent Jesus the Son. The Way and Truth and Life. Our lives and the way we live and life choices we make should shout out that Jesus is our Lord. That we are so closely identified with Jesus that we are indistinguishable from Him. That we have denied our old - natural self and are walking in obedience to God's revelation for mankind by the power of the Spirit. Denying yourself also means that you no longer love the world or the things of the world.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." - 1 John 2:15-16

If a choice must be made between God or the things that the world has to offer, we should and must choose God. That is denying your old nature and what it wants in favor of God's revealed will looks like. The source of the power to do that is spiritual not a product of our natural will. Being like Jesus is a result of relationship not effort. 

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone