Let Him Deny Himself

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Right. I was talking to a pastor's wife yesterday. She was saying it was almost, with the anointing, hard to break people away from their pleasures.

I supposed it does have to do with "who is hungry", but it seems like such a fight as people seem so distracted these days.

We all can fall into that trap too!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Ron

We all can fall into that trap too!

Yes, we ALL can!

[Michael The Disciple]

It means we must say NO to things that draw us away from doing the will of Christ. It includes sins and weights.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

It means we must say NO to things that draw us away from doing the will of Christ. It includes sins and weights.

I would agree.

Can you be more specific?

[Jermyn Davidson]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

It means we must say NO to things that draw us away from doing the will of Christ. It includes sins and weights.

Hey, lifting weights don't draw me away from doing the will of Christ.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Ron

Mat 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mar 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

See the thread "Are you a follower? ...or a FOLLOWER?" I posted on this passage a while back. During His earthly ministry, many followed HIM for His miracles and the loaves and fishes. , but only few followed His Word. There is a price to be paid to follow His Word. Many are hearers, a few are doer sof the Word. To be a doer, we deny our flesh... we do it HIS way, not our way.

When Jesus used the words "...and take up his cross..." He was using a visible representation of what it means to follow Him. Israel was under Roman rule at the time, and the Roman capital punishment was death by crucifixtion. The condemned often carried their crosses through the streets (as Jesus had done) on their way to their deaths. When the people saw someone carrying their cross they knew someone was about to die. When Jesus said "... deny himself, take up the cross...", he was saying exactly what Paul said in Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Denying the flesh is Mortifying the deeds of this body... dying out to the flesh.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

See the thread "Are you a follower? ...or a FOLLOWER?" I posted on this passage a while back. During His earthly ministry, many followed HIM for His miracles and the loaves and fishes. , but only few followed His Word. There is a price to be paid to follow His Word. Many are hearers, a few are doer sof the Word. To be a doer, we deny our flesh... we do it HIS way, not our way.

When Jesus used the words "...and take up his cross..." He was using a visible representation of what it means to follow Him. Israel was under Roman rule at the time, and the Roman capital punishment was death by crucifixtion. The condemned often carried their crosses through the streets (as Jesus had done) on their way to their deaths. When the people saw someone carrying their cross they knew someone was about to die. When Jesus said "... deny himself, take up the cross...", he was saying exactly what Paul said in Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. Denying the flesh is Mortifying the deeds of this body... dying out to the flesh.

What One Accord said!

[Kay B]

Originally Posted by Pressing-On

Ron,
I'm going to bring my thoughts around from a different perspective, but end up at your references in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

I recently heard a message that resounded with me. It was in II Kings 4. The story is talking about the Shunammite woman who met Elisha.

The point of the message was focused on verse (10) "Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."

At first I thought the speaker was going to bring out the focus on the "man of God", but his point was this - "Make room in your life for a miracle."

What he was trying to convey is that we have to deny ourselves, on some levels and in some things - participation, activities, desires - and make room for more of a move of God in our life. We need to become more consecrated in our thoughts and desires and make "room" for more of a move of God.

That basically is what your scriptures are speaking to me.

We can become caught up in the day to day, even on this Forum, and get bogged down in our lives with doctrinal issues, pleasures, etc. and not spend as much time focusing on the things of God.

I want to do better.

Excellent post ! I would love have heard this. Thank you Sis PO.

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by hnhisle

Excellent post ! I would love have heard this. Thank you Sis PO.

I loved the message! You are welcome!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Michael The Disciple

What One Accord said!

Ditto!