We live in a worldly system that promotes the idea that you must put yourself first and focus on your own happiness and desires.  Do whatever it takes to make yourself happy and live only to please yourself.  Yet, the truth we find in the Bible is completely opposite to this idea. So what does it mean to die to yourself?

Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

When we turn from our sins and put our faith in Jesus it’s the start of a brand new life for us in Christ.  One of the most fundamental things we need to remember is that we need to actively follow Jesus everyday.  To do this we need to die to ourselves.  This means that we choose not to give in to the ungodly desires of our flesh and instead choose to walk in God’s ways.

WE NEED TO FOLLOW AND OBEY JESUS

Matthew 16:24 says, “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

Let’s remember every day that the choices we make count.  Either we follow the world’s system or we follow Jesus through the choices we make.  None of us is perfect and we all mess up daily.  But, we have the Holy Spirit who strengthens us and helps us want to obey and follow Jesus.

While we are on this earth there’s always going to be a struggle between our spirit which wants to follow God and our flesh.  It’s never going to be easy to choose God’s way in the situations we face and that’s why we need to die to ourselves.  It’s all about Lordship and obedience to Jesus.

But always remember that when we follow God’s way it leads to life! Gratifying the flesh leads to death and destruction, but following God (no matter how difficult) will bring life! 

Let’s choose to die to ourselves, follow God’s ways and reap a bountiful harvest of life!