Dying Daily

DENY SELF DAILY FOR CHRIST

23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Luke 9:23-24

I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 1 Corinthians 15:31

OUR TESTIMONY

24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, let him follow me; and where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, him my Father will honor. John 12:24-26

8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, [that] I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:8-11

SANCTIFIED THROUGH SUFFERING

FOR THE CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren. Hebrews 2:10-11

APPLICATION FOR ME TODAY

I will endure suffering in my flesh in order to cease from sin. Jesus endured the cross to set us free from the power of sin and death. Therefore, when I suffer because I am denying my flesh what it seeks to have, I should press on and remember what Jesus endured for me. The pain won't last forever and, just as Jesus walked out of that tomb and is now seated at the right hand of the Father, so can I emerge victorious over my sinful behaviors and victorious in the end. It’s good for us to be reminded that we will endure suffering, but it is deeper than just a physical thing we are feeling. I will remember that Jesus suffered but was made perfect through the process. So when I am suffering in my flesh I will remember that God is perfecting the work he started in me.

Jesus Christ suffered greatly in His flesh, for us. We, too, must suffer in our flesh to cease from sin. So let us not think it strange when we feel pain in our flesh but, rather, let us accept and embrace the cross. Let us trace the steps of our Savior.

Our flesh is made to suffer, but our souls are meant to live in Christ for eternity. The pain now is well worth the eternity in heaven where there will be no more suffering. We should not run from the pain, but run to God and ask Him to minister to us and guide us through the pains of the flesh. We are called to suffer for now and to give God glory in doing so.

12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial

which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;

13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings,

that when His glory is revealed,

you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13