We are called to die to self. Paul says I count the things I left behind as dung so that I may gain Christ(Phil 3:8). The Lord gives us commands that we are to follow however we need to rely on the Spirit to do so. Many are defeated by sin due to relying on themselves. The Holy Spirit is called the Helper for a reason. Paul says to the Galatians; You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh ( Gal 3:1-3)This is the reality of many. We want to overcome without ever leaning on the Spirit thus we weary ourselves and wallow in sin, feeling utterly defeated.
Dying to self includes dying to our own will, ways and desires. The Lord places a demand on us to leave what is misaligned with His will for us. This is challenging as we have our own will and desires however, we are to permit the Lord to actually be our Lord, which means owner.What do we do when we are enamored with what He demands we relinquish?
- We can ask Him to give us the desire to let it go
- We can ask Him to take away the love we have for the item or person
- We can ask to be fortified to obey His command
- We can ask Him to show us the truth about what we love
We are to plant ourselves in His presence, lean on Him so that we receive His strength and obey. We are then to count that item as “dung” and cease yearning for it. If we keep looking at it, our affection will never die. We are to stand with the Lord in agreement and not with our hearts. When we stand with the Lord,our will, will die. This is also a helpful strategy in overcoming sin. We can never overcome what we yearn for.
Dying to self is a daily choice, an unceasing commitment. The Apostle Paul said I die daily(1Cor 15:31) When we stop dying, we commence to live in sin.
Amy Klutinoty: Die to self.
Die to your ego. Die to what you think you deserve. Die to the fear that holds you back. Die to materialism. Die to greed. Die to worldly accolades. Die to the addiction of seeking attention and validation. Die to fleshly lusts and addictions. Die to the desire to always be understood and accepted. Die to false expectations. Die to worldly reputation. Die to your vanity, your pride…Die to self and live for Christ
Benefits of dying to self
Dying to self empowers our christian walk. It ensures our forward movement and loosens the grip of entanglements that hold us back. We are liberated to be consumed by the will of the Father. Jesus, who had no sin was born for the sole purpose of living for the Father’s will. He even said “ the prince of this world is coming but he has nothing in Me. He has nothing in common with Me”(John 14:30). He had nothing in common with the enemy and thus He proceeded to make strides and progress in His personal growth, growing in favor with God and with people(Luke 2:52) and fulfilling His ultimate purpose of dying for our sin.
Additionally, He was unnerved by people’s rejection, preferences, mockings, hatred and when He was misunderstood. We stand to gain this and more when we die to self.
King Saul was not dead to self and this caused a plethora of issues that disqualified him as a king. He was controlled by people, lived to please his followers and sought their approval more than God’s. The Bible says fear of man brings a snare but those that trust in the Lord shall be kept safe(Prov 29:25). Everything that serves as oxygen and a necessity for the survival of self will serve as a chain and a hindrance to us. It is an unnecessary weight we don’t require.
Other things that inflate self that are required to die are
- Our timing
- Our preference and how we think our lives should be
- How we feel the Lord should speak to us
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)
Because we were crucified with Christ, there should be a marked difference in how we live now. The old us was living without any faith in the Lord. We could face life without Him however, now that we are saved, we should not be able to do life without Him. Even the Lord said He lived because of the Father(John 6:57