“Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 ESV
If we desire to enter into Life Himself and receive Eternal Life within, then we must be willing to die to self.
The road to Life is through death. If we desire to enter into Life Himself and receive Eternal Life within, then we must be willing to die to self. This death is painful. It cuts to the inner most parts. It discerns all vileness and wickedness within us. From the heart, through the soul, and across the mind, we must die. For the hidden leeches of sin have infected and latched onto us. Without a desire to humble ourselves, we will never deny ourselves and recognize our frailty, weakness, and sin.
Sin is that which is placed above or goes against God. Sin is selfish at the core. It desires nothing but to fulfill the lusts, desires, and passions of self.
What is sin? Sin is simply self. Whatever consists of self is sin. For sin is that which is placed above or goes against God. Sin is selfish at the core. It desires nothing but to fulfill the lusts, desires, and passions of self. Even in the good things, it desires to be seen, heard, known, and acknowledged. Sin is damning and it is the infinite mountain that weighs down the soul. Without Thee Omnipotent One to cast the mountain of sin into the Lake of Fire, we too will join that mountain. We will be partakers in the flame that never dies, if we do not learn to die now.
Sin is damning and it is the infinite mountain that weighs down the soul.
This death is pure in its disposition and cleansing in its automation. This death is a denial of self. It looks at the entirety of oneself (body, soul, spirit) and sees that it is in need. Once the true acknowledgement of oneself has taken place, it then seeks refuge and help. It sees its insufficiencies and seeks to cling to something that can save it!
It is here at this denial of self, where death begins. It is in realizing that we are nothing, that we may enter into all things. For everything can be found in The One Who died for our sins and rose again on the Third Day. It is Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior Who defeated the grave and conquered death.
Life is Him Who resides around, within, and above.
We can enter into His victory only through His Blood. By acknowledging we are sinners in need of a Savior, we then turn to Christ as Lord and Savior. From here, we begin our glorious journey of dying daily. For in dying, we receive life. We take up our cross and see that Life is Him Who resides around, within, and above.
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63 NKJV). It is the Holy Spirit Whom we receive when we believe in Christ and repent. From then on, the Holy Spirit is the seal that marks the reality that we have found Life. For Life has entered into our soul and filled us with the presence of God. As we die to self through the regenerative, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, we will bear more fruits of the Spirit.
As self dies daily, we become the branches that bear fruit from the Victorious, Glorious Vine.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23 NKJV). As self dies daily, we become the branches that bear fruit from the Victorious, Glorious Vine. ““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing”” (John 15:5 NKJV).
Only by Christ can we bear fruit that will follow us into the afterlife. Only through Him can we have all things, hope for all things, endure all things, and do all things.
Only by Christ can we bear fruit that will follow us into the afterlife. Only through Him can we have all things, hope for all things, endure all things, and do all things. For Christ is our strength. It is through our acknowledgement that we are weak, where we are made strong in His strength. It is through our recognition that God is in Heaven and we are on earth that we may be filled. For the greatest act is love, and we cannot love until we fulfill the greatest virtue: humility.
Love is the Gateway between humility and holiness. Without love, we are nothing and lack Life. Without humility, we have not Love.
Let us request of God the humility to continue to deny ourselves daily, in order that God may rule on the throne of our hearts. For humility is the path that leads to love. It is then love that leads down the path of holiness. For Love is Pure. Love is the Gateway between humility and holiness. Without love, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2) and lack Life. Without humility, we have not Love.
If we desire to live in newness of life and as a new vessel, we must die to self and sin.
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live” (Romans 8:13 ESV). If we desire to live in newness of life and as a new vessel, we must die to self and sin. If we neglect to do so, we will be led by the flesh.
The flesh leads to eternal death. Humility leads to a temporal death. The flesh damns. Humility saves, if its end is God.
The flesh leads to eternal death. Humility leads to a temporal death. The flesh damns. Humility saves, if its end is God. For humility requires us to die daily and seek the things of God. So long as the Holy Spirit enters and lives in us, we may be confident in the reality that we will one day gather as brothers and sisters in Christ on that Glorious Day.
Be not bound by the chains of sin. Die to self, that you may receive salvation. For it is only in and by Christ that we are saved. Repent and believe.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your Truth, Your Grace, and Your Mercy. We thank You that You are a God Who desires mercy and desires to save. Lord, we know that none are too far gone from You, for You are long-suffering. You desire that none should perish, but that all would come to genuine repentance. O Lord, draw us into Thy Love. By Your supernatural power, grant us the desires of our hearts as we desire humility. God, give us the strength to see You as You truly are. Help us to place You as Thee Essential. For we live and move and have our being in You. We live because of You. We are offered salvation because of You. O God, may the Holy Spirit’s Light shine brightly within and expose our sin. Forgive us of where we have fallen. We repent and ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to equip us to press on in the good fight of faith. Through humility, we deny ourselves and enter into Your Love. Save us from our sins and damnation, as we profess Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. Build us up in the bedrock of Truth, and keep us on the straight and narrow path. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine
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