Self-Denial

 

The word for today is YIELD. A simple search in the English Bible gives only nine references using almost as many different Greek words. Most of them mean to produce something, or give off something which is what the word used here means:

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. (Matthew 27:50)

The only one that speaks of consecration to God in the sense of giving all of me into His care is expressed in a negative sense in relation to false teachers:

… to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. (Galatians 2:5)

A better term is SELF-DENIAL It means to deny myself by repudiating any gratification of self-centered desires and values that are outside of God's will and will not glorify Him. One writer describes it as getting out of the driver’s seat so that God is in that place, denying self any right to master my life. 

Jesus said it this way: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) This “cross” is not about hardships as many use the term, but about dying to our old way of life.

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Romans 6:6)

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24)

These verses make it clear that this is about considering “self’ being separated from God in a state called spiritual death, the state of anyone who is not “alive” through faith in Christ. However…

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Because this is true, I can live accordingly. Being able to deny sin and selfishness affirms that I believe the above verse. It is a faith issue. If I think I have rights and my way is okay, then I am not believing God, at least not for everyday life. Yet God’s Word affirms that those who believe in Christ for eternal life only will learn otherwise:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14)

As God teaches me to deny self, He also teaches me to identify self. I want good things, but good may not be best. It is His will to which I must yield, not my own, no matter how good my desires might seem. Jesus did say, “Not my will but thine be done.” For that reason, the goal is to… “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires” (Romans 13:14) and to “present my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is my spiritual worship, and to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of my mind, that by testing I may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:1–2, personalized)

PRAY: Lord, in the busyness and duties of this day, remind me often that Your will means abundant life and the very best for me. Help me think that way when the challenges come. They always do, and You are always here to guide me into self-denial and being wholly yielded to Your will. Amen.

Not my will…

 

Reading several devotionals is not getting to me this morning, except this one line:  “Many of us do not go on spiritually because we prefer to choose what is right instead of relying on God to choose for us.”

The past two weeks have involved relying on God to choose the activities of each day, and I wonder about those choices (am I doubting God?) because this day, I don’t want any more surprises, phone calls, troubled stories, or burdens to pray about. I’d like to sleep all day.

Then I think about Jesus who said, “Not my will but thine be done” and not long after that, “Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.” (Matthew 27:50)

Before that incredible statement, He also said:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” (John 10:17–18)

In other words, Jesus knew the Father loved Him so He willingly yielded to whatever God wanted for Him and from Him. He could have selected the ‘right’ thing, or the ‘best’ thing, or whatever seemed  a good idea, but He laid down that right to choose.

This takes me back to today’s devotional. It begins with: “Let everything else go that you may live out, in a practical daily walk and conversation, the Christ-life you have dwelling within you. You are united to your Lord by a wonderful tie; walk, then, as He walked, and show to the unbelieving world the blessed reality of His mighty power to save. You need not fear to consent to this, for He is your Savior and has power to do it all. He is not asking you, in your weakness, to do it yourself. He only asks you to yield yourself to Him that He may work in you and through you by His own mighty power. Your part is to yield yourself.”

I know that He also gives the power to obey. Up front, with the way I’m feeling, power to do anything seems remote, but as the devotional writer says, I’m not to concern myself with the hours ahead that I cannot see. Instead, just abandon myself to His care. His goal is this, not that I feel good about my day but that I trust Him and in that, He is seen by others who as yet do not read His Word. I’m to be a letter of recommendation for Him and for His people, not a tired and reluctant scrawl but alert and yielded to the One who has written His Word on my heart.

PRAY: Lord, I’m not sure what this day will bring, another test or some badly yearned for rest. You know what is the most vital thing. Help me trust You, no matter what, and to have the energy of a yielded spirit rather than the reluctance of a weary body and mind. Not my will, but thine be done.

The Holy Spirit is far more than a ‘force’ or a dove . . .

Just as the world does, the Bible has several meanings for SPIRIT. I’ve been most affected by the definition that spirit is the part of me that can communicate with God. However, before Christ came into my life, the Bible says my spirit was dead, meaning separated from Him and His life. The Christian testimony is that God changes that sorry state by giving new life, spiritual life to make alive those who were dead.

The OT word for spirit means “wind” or “breath” which is a sign of life. While this word is used in several ways, the highest spiritual personality is God. The terms related to this are in many verses. Some refer to His will or power but most are about His presence, a distinct personality among those with whom He is pleased to dwell.

God’s Spirit was active in creation, gave wisdom and abilities to His people including craftsmanship in building the tabernacle, and supplies spiritual guidance and enablement to ordinary people to win military battles against formidable foes. He also promises to remove rebellious hearts and replaces them with hearts that respond in true obedience — as pictured in Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones.

Ezekiel 36:26–27. “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

God’s Spirit gave divine and true revelation to His prophets. Further, they declared that the promised Messiah would accomplish His work of redemption through the power of God’s Spirit, often pictured as a “filling” or as “coming on” a person, or “poured out” on those He endows with His redemptive presence.

Isaiah 44:3. “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

In the NT, the Greek word pneuma can mean “air in movement” yet also that which animates or gives life to the body (Matthew 27:50. “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.”) This spirit is also the avenue for humans to interact with God and with where matters of the spiritual realm are located.

Romans 8:16. “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”

Acts 17:16. “Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols.”

God’s Spirit filled Jesus and directed Him and later, the apostles. He is called the “Spirit of prophecy” and the transforming power in conversion, changing Saul to Paul and putting his life on a new course:

Acts 9:17. “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ ”

The OT pointed forward to what the Spirit would do and when He was poured out at Pentecost. God’s people were empowered  with great boldness, spiritual fruit, and spiritual gifts so that we can fight sin and glorify God. This empowerment is the baptism of the Spirit prophesied in the OT and fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus.

GAZE INTO HIS GLORY. My dad used to talk about “Can’t men” who used their inabilities to make excuses to avoid doing difficult or challenging work. His words and my life experiences often remind me how easily I can procrastinate and how much I need to remember Philippians 4:13 where God tells me, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” — the “Him” being the Holy Spirit who grants all that I need to do whatever He wants me to do. This means keeping my focus on this enabling God. I cannot see Him yet I can talk to Him, rely on Him, know and do His will because His Spirit is able to make Him known and reveal that He is available to me.