Denying Self
(week 44/03)
Olubi Johnson
Luke 9:23(NKJV): 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.
Here the Lord Jesus tells us to deny self, take up his cross daily and follow Him.
What does this mean practically?
It means to deny indulging yourself in the lusts of the flesh to do the will of God, by crucifying the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit using the Word of God.
In asking us to deny self God is not condemning us to a boring life as some may suppose, rather he is showing us the way of enjoying the very best in this lifetime.
We are able to deny self by having the mind of Christ, knowing that whatever we deny ourselves in order to do the will of God and please Him, God will give back to us a hundred-fold in this lifetime.
Mark 10:29-30(NKJV): 29 So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life.
Remember Joseph denied himself of sleeping with Potiphar’s wife and God gave him a beautiful Egyptian girl for a wife, who would definitely have satisfied him both emotionally and sexually far better than Potiphar’s wife (Genesis. 37. 7-12, 41. 41-45).
1 John 2:15-17(NKJV): 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
How then do you deny self?
Make a decision that you reaffirm daily, using the name of Jesus, to receive eternal life, backed by the power of Holy Spirit as you speak in tongues to deny self to do the will of God knowing God is giving you all things to enjoy richly (1 Timothy. 6.17).
As a daily habit starting from today say:
“In Jesus name I have life”
“I deny the lusts of the flesh to do the will of God knowing God gives me all things to enjoy richly in His time in this lifetime.”
Determine to practice this and now pray in tongues for about 10-15 seconds after making this confession so you can release the grace and mercy of God through the High Priestly ministry of Jesus (Hebrew. 4.14-16, Acts. 2.4. John. 16.13, Romans. 8.26-28) to find it easy to deny self.
