Introduction
• This morning I want to further explore laying down our will as we discussed a couple of weeks ago.
• I want to give some practical steps we can take to dying to our flesh.
• Dying to self or to the flesh is a conscience decision. It is an act of obedience to God.
• When we die to self, people’s words and actions cannot harm us. Circumstances don’t veer us off course with God.
• When we lay down our life for God (will), we are exchanging our life with His.
• Let us look to the scriptures this morning and study the benefits to dying to the flesh.
A. Our desires and interest must die in order for God to increase in our life.
(AMP) John 3 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. [He must grow more prominent; I must grow less so.]
1. Let me ask you a question… why is it so hard for us to set aside our self (our agenda, our will, our desires, our interest, our flesh cravings)?
a. It is because we are afraid of losing the life we have planned and that we control because we are not sure that dying to our flesh and doing things God’s way will work out for us.
b. Satan has placed fear in our minds that what God says won’t come to pass. When we are in fear, we are not in faith.
c. God must increase and we must decrease in order for us to be mightily used of God.
2. We must get rid of fear and believe God loves us enough that when we die to our desires, we will receive a harvest.
a. Example … Peter
(NKJV) John 13 36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
i. Peter said he would lay down his life for Jesus, but when the pressure was on, he denied Jesus three times.
ii. When we are afraid, we inadvertently make our self god instead of trusting and casting our cares on Jesus.
iii. Peter’s Word level was not where it should have been.
b. Example … the rich young leader.
(NKJV) Mark 10 17 Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” 18 So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” 20 And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.” 21 Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.” 22 But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
i. This rich, young ruler viewed giving up his material things as a great loss.
ii. It is not all about works, we must die in all areas of our flesh. How? Word, Meditation, Prayer.
c. Every day, you will have opportunities to die to yourself.
(AMP) 1 Corinthians 15 31[I assure you] by the pride which I have in you in [your fellowship and union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, that I die daily [I face death every day and die to self].
i. Every day we must die to sin, bad habits, having a critical spirit, complaining, etc.
3. View dying to self as an act of love for God.
4. God wants evidence of our love for him.
a. Evidence of our love is to deny those things that contradict the Word of God.
b. To love God is to say no to feelings, desires and emotions that oppose His Word.
5. What is the purpose of our Christian life?
a. To empty our life and to be filled with God’s life.
b. To be a reflection of God and all His attributes.
c. To be a genuine bold witness for God.
B. How do I die to self?
1. Take up your cross and follow Jesus.
(AMP) Mark 8 34And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. 35For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. 36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [in the eternal kingdom of God]?
2. A greater life will come out of dying to self.
3. Many people suffer because of our selfishness.
4. We must set our course on Jesus and stick to it. (Example of compass on a boat … being off course from your destination)
5. We must always forgive. Jesus forgave us of all our sins.
a. Unforgiveness causes us to be tied to the person we have not forgiven. When we are dead to the flesh, forgiveness comes easy.
6. Let’s learn to die to feelings & desires that take us out of the will of God.
7. Desire to be like Jesus, He was compassionate toward people.
8. Continue to set your desires aside.
(AMP) Matthew 16 24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple, let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests] and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also]. 25For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here] shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here] for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].
Conclusion
• This morning, we must die to our flesh in order to position ourselves to be used of God in a mighty way.
• God must increase and we must decrease. We must be about the Word of God.
• Jesus talked about dying to self throughout the Word, and then He puts the Word in action.
• Dying to self opens up new possibilities to be used of God.
o When we are obedient, then God can trust us with the big plans He has for us.
o A greater life will come out of dying to self.
• We die to self when we take up the cross of Jesus Christ.
• Let us pray!
Salvation Call / Altar Call
