THEME: THE CHRISTIAN WALK
TEXT: Matthew 16:24
The Christian walk is a choice and it is a three-fold mission journey.
From our text in Matthew 16:24, Jesus said
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.(KJV)
The “if” there signifies a choice, or an option (check also, Deuteronomy 30:17)
Therefore, the first and most important step in the Christian faith for an effective Christian walk with Jesus is self denial.
Secondly, taking up of your cross
Thirdly, following Him
There
are step to step movements for an effective walk with God and they have
to be orderly followed one after the other. That is to say if you don’t
deny yourself, taking up of your cross and following him is useless.
That’s why in this series of our teaching we shall be talking on the topic SELF DENIAL. First of all, what is self denial? Self denial is not a religious practice and is not performed for personal spiritual benefit.
Self is simply flesh and deny from the Greek word is translated “to say no”. I rate this as “a must-have” key for spiritual growth.
In
the Winners’ family, it is our season with encounter with power; but
you can never grow to realm of power without a successful and effective
Christian walk and that can only start from a self denial.
Now what is self denial? From our breakdown we understand that self is flesh and deny is to say no. so simply put self denial is to say no to the flesh. Why are we saying no the flesh you may ask, it is because the self itself profited nothing, John 6:63
so will you rather partner with what will profit you nothing? My pastor
said to me recently pastor George Opia “the greatest obstacle to man’s
growth spiritually is the flesh." Why, is because to be carnally minded
is death and to be spiritually minded is life and peace (Roman. 8:6).
Now
why will Jesus ask you to deny your flesh, was He not the one that gave
it to you? The flesh is to help in our existence on earth not in our
dependence. That is why Paul said in Philippians 3:3 “…and have no confidence in the flesh”.
Why? Because they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the
flesh Roman.8:5. And the work of the flesh are manifest: adultery,
fornication, uncleanliness etc Gal. 5:19-21. God wants us to live in the
flesh Ezk. 37:6 but not to mind the things of the flesh. Since God is a
spirit, and we are the Children of God, we are to mind the things of
the spirit Roman.8:5, John 4:24 “For as many that are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God Roman. 8:14”
This is because the carnal mind is enmity against God because it is not
subject to the Law of God. So if you want to be a friend with God and
to walk with Him you must be spiritual rather than carnal.
Reading an article of Tom Terry: The Buddhist Error of self denial: What does the Bible teach?
11/24/10
These
were the great points I got which I like also to share with you “True
self – denial put down our own hopes, desires and goals to submit to
God’s will, or the desire, hope and goals of others”. Luke 22:24, “saying, father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me;
nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. Also Paul in Act 20:24,
Paul was a man that denied himself totally for Jesus and His that work,
and that was why highly efficient and effective “ But none of this things move me neither count I my life dear unto me”
Also in Philippians 1:21 he said “for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." It
takes a man that has truly denied self to say that. As Christian we
should die to our flesh daily, when nothing means anything to you except
Christ.
“Self denial is
not an end unto itself; it indicates we are therefore growing in love
for God and for others. Denying oneself for oneself is not an expression
of selflessness rather a misguided expression of selfishness 1Cor
10:23-33, 1John 3:16” selfishness is what brings about self-foolishness,
but selflessness brings about self-fullness in Christ and when you are
full in Christ, you are out of crisis into a realm of surprises. That is
you become a wonder to your world. Matthew 19:29, 6:33.
“Self denial reveals
and tests our love for God and it must cost you something. Genesis
22:1-13, 1samual 23:17-18, 1corin 9:11-23, exodus 34:28, 2samual 24:24
and psalms 132v3-5”. Although scriptures every man that was truly
selfless were all refer to as friends of God e.g Abraham, David, Paul
and even Jesus. Why? “Because no man having put his hand in the plough
and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God” Luke 9:62 Jesus had to
deny himself and his throne just to come down and die for us. Peter had
to denied is master is sworn to behold even in the face of a little
girl just because he had not first deny himself. Matthew 26;69 but he
was baptize with the Holy Ghost he was able to stood up in the midst and
declared boldly that same Christ in the face of many Acts 2:14-41.
You
can never love God or others as Jesus commanded Matthew 22:37-39
without first denying yourself. So love is all about self denial. “As a
manifestation of love, self denial has certain conditions, which is, it
must be selfless. Self denial exercised to gain some king of spiritual
standing is merely the replacing of one’s personal desire or goal with
another. It is nothing more than a “trade” as oppose to a true self
denial. Self denial without love is a self denial without substance and
is meaningless, therefore self denial is a loving expression and benefit
for others in obedience to God. And it is truly impossible to express
love for another person without denying oneself in deference to the
other person. And to do this who must also say no to the flesh “he that
fineth his life his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for
my sake shall find it”. For what shall it profit a man if he gain the
world and lose his soul. Matthew 16:26
Hints: To
truly denial yourself you must embrace the Holy Ghost. Paul said “but
by the grace of God I am what I am” 1 cor 15:10. Cry always for a fresh out-pour, Isaiah 32:15
Before
I say goodbye on this series I will love to say this; should in case
you have not made that choice of making Jesus your friend, what are you
waiting for? Do that now, turn to Jesus and be saved. But for you all
who are believers, the Holy Spirit is our helper for a victorious
living, so embrace Him. He is the one that makes Christianity a divinity
through spirituality. Roman 8:26 “ likewise the spirit helpeth in our
infirmities”. What you need to say no to the flesh is to walk in the
spirit. Galatians 5:16
Till we meet again, it’s a goodbye from me.
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