Deny Yourself

Luke 9:23 (NIV) Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me….”

As I was preparing the message for this past Sunday, the Lord said to me “If you’re not willing to deny yourself, you won’t take up your cross, and you’ll follow from afar.”

He pointed out that “denying myself” was not asceticism or a “vow of poverty” done towards attaining greater spirituality, but it was making choices with the idea of doing what is “right” rather than what I want.

- When God wants something you have, you have a choice.
- When you want something that’s wrong, and you know it.
- When you choose to serve, when you’d rather be served.
- When you choose trust God’s goodness in the midst of an unanswered prayer or calamity.

Self-control is as much a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) as love is.

More on this in my 6/20 sermon audio.

Doug