A Word

The Anointed Word

By Evangelist Walita Jones "Salvation is Free, But there is a Price for Discipleship"

Denying ourselves and taking up our cross isn't a little side issue - it is absolutely necessary to becoming or continuing to be a disciple of Jesus. If we don't practice self-denial, we aren't His disciples. It's useless to try to follow the One who was crucified without taking up our own cross daily.

What does it mean for a man to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily"? This is something which is so, so important to understand, because many powerful enemies oppose this Christian doctrine stronger than they oppose any other aspect of our spiritual lives. All of our natural feelings rise up against any kind of self-denial, and we immediately look for reasons to excuse ourselves from it. Those who love the world hate the very sound of it. And the great enemy of our souls (the devil), tries to every stumbling block in our way to key us from denying ourselves. Everything that hold us back from being right with God or growing in the Lord can be narrowed down to this: either we won't deny ourselves or we won't take up our cross.

I. Self-Denial

A. What is self-denial? How do we deny ourselves? Why do we have to? Self-denial is simply denying or refusing to follow our own will, from a conviction that the will of God is the only right way.

1.The first reason that God should be totally in charge of our lives, instead of us, is because He made us. "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." (Psalm 100:3) It's only a natural result of the relationship between man and his Creator. If God's way is the right way in everything, big and small, then it should come naturally, that we shouldn't go our own way in anything. Prov.3;6

2. The second reason that God should be totally in charge of our lives is because of the condition that all men are in since the fall. Our own will leans toward indulging our natural desires. But it's God's plan and desire that we resist and overcome that temptation, not at some times or in some things only, but in all times and in all things.

3. Matt. 7:13-14 - The will of God is like a road leading straight to God. The will of man, which once ran parallel with it, is now another road, which runs in the opposite way. It leads away from God. If we walk on one, we have to leave the other. We can't walk on both at the same time. It's impossible for a man to follow his own will and follow the will of God. You have to choose one or the other - either denying God's will to follow your own, or denying yourself to follow the will of God. Matt. 6:24

4. To deny ourselves, is to give up our own will, no matter how much we may want our own way, whenever it doesn't fall in line with the will of God. It's to deny ourselves any pleasure which doesn't come from, or lead to, God.

II. Taking Up Your Cross

A. In our daily lives what does it mean to take up your cross? We need to find out, because everyone that wants to follow Christ must not only deny himself, but take up his cross as well. Taking up our cross means doing anything that goes against what we would choose to do. So taking up our cross is a little harder than denying ourselves. It rises a little higher, and is more difficult to flesh and blood. Even though it may sometimes be hard to give up our own pleasure, it's easier to do that than to take up hardship and endure pain.

B. Heb. 12; 1 - In running "the race that is set before us" according to the will of God, many times there's a cross lying in the way. That cross is something which will not only bring no pleasure, but something that is a burden or a pain. Picking up our cross is not just denying ourselves something that is pleasurable, it is allowing something that don’t feel good to enter into our lives. What do we do when we are faced with this? The choice is plain: either we take up our cross, or we turn aside from the way of God.

C. I Peter 4:12- 19 In order to bring our lives back in line with what the Lord originally intended us to be, it's often necessary to go through some hard trials. We're so attached to some habits of sin that we can never be separated from them without intense pain. The Lord then purifies the soul like a refiner's fire, to burn up all the impurity. It's painful all right, and it have to be, because the soul cannot pass through the fire without pain.

D. It means embracing the will of God, even though it may be totally different from what we want. It means choosing the good, though it may be a hard road to travel. It means freely accepting hardships, trials, and temporary pain of whatever kind, as we walk the path of eternal life.

Five Kinds Of People

1. The first kind of man hears the word which is able to save his soul. He likes what he hears, acknowledges the truth, and his heart is touched, yet he remains dead in sin, senseless and spiritually asleep. Why is this? Because he won't separate himself from the sin he loves, though he now knows it is utterly hated by the Lord. He came to hear the Word, full of lust and unholy desire, and he leaves the same way because he will not deny himself these things. .

2. The second kind of person begins to wake up, and his eyes even open a little. He's convicted by the Spirit of God and receives the truth. But soon the conviction wears off and his eyes are closed again. Why does he again sink into the sleep of death? Because he continues to yield to the sin he loves. Although he begins to wake up, he has no deep conviction. It's impossible that any lasting work can be done in his life because he will not deny himself.

3. The third type of man has really woken up. The things God has shown him don't fade away. But, he never feels at peace with God, although he really desires it. Why is this? It's because he doesn't bring forth fruit that testifies to repentance. He doesn't "cease to do evil" and "learn to do good" according to the grace he has received. Isa. 1:16-17 This person don't completely let go of their sinful habits, and never become complete in Christ, because he won't deny himself, or take up his cross.

4. 2 Peter 2: 20-22 : The fourth person is someone who has tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the age to come. The peace which passes all understanding ruled his heart and mind; and the love of God was poured out in his heart by the Holy Spirit - yet now he is weak. He again loves the things of the world and desires them more than the things that are of God. The eye of his understanding is closed again, so that he can't see God anymore. His love has grown cold, and the peace of God no longer rules in his heart. This person has again given a place to the devil in his life, and grieved the Holy Spirit of God. He has turned again to his own vomit (, if not in some outward act, yet in his heart. He has given a place to pride, or anger, or lust, to self-will, or stubbornness.
He didn't stir up the gift of God which was in him - he gave way to spiritual laziness and wouldn't be bothered to "pray at all times" (Eph 6:18). He has made shipwreck of his faith, for lack of self-denial and taking up his cross daily.

5. Heb. 6:1 The fifth kind of man hasn't made a total ship-wreck of his faith. He still has a witness in his spirit that he is a child of God. However, he's not "going on to perfection." He isn't, as he once was, hungering and thirsting after righteousness.. Instead he's grown tired and weary, wavering between serving God or returning to the world..
Why is he this way? Because has forgotten the Word of God. He isn't diligent in working the works of God. He doesn't continue in prayer, either personal or group prayer, in communicating with Jesus, meditating on the Word of God, fasting, and in staying in fellowship. And why doesn't he continue in prayer? Because in times of dryness it's a pain and bother to him. He doesn’t have a desire or zeal for helping others. He doesn't continue to yield to God in opportunities to do good to others, because he'd rather go to sleep, or it's just too cold outside, or dark, or rainy. Why can't he feed the hungry or clothe the naked? Because he might have to do it at the expense of his own clothes or food. Visiting the sick or those in prison could be very uncomfortable and not fit into his plans. He won't help his brother by correcting him because of shame and fear. He may be rejected or ridiculed so it is more convenient and comfortable for him not to say anything. Because of this attitude, his faith is not perfected , and he can't mature in his faith, because he won't deny himself, and take up his cross daily.

Conclusion

We can see that it's always because a man will not deny himself or take up his cross that he doesn't completely follow the Lord. This is the reason that he's cannot not fully become a disciple of Christ. This is the real reason why so many people who were once on fire for God and shining lights have now lost both their light and fire. They didn't value or practice self-denial.