Topic: Dying to Self
Bible Reading: Psalm 78; Romans 7.
Memory Verse: “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Romans 7:6 (KJV) .
In several verses of the Bible, the Lord Jesus stated that the way to save one’s life is by losing it for the sake of the gospel. This does not imply killing oneself or committing suicide because of Christ but living a life that is dead to the flesh. A life where revenge, retaliation, hostility, anger, greed and a host of flesh defending or satisfying traits lose appeal to you. When people offend you, when they take you for granted, cheat you, misunderstand or even abuse you and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, then you are dying to self!
Quite a number of us are not there but that is where God wants us to be. He expects you to put him first above everyone else including yourself ( Luke 14:26). The reality is that our flesh is a problem . Paul stated this clearly in Romans 7:18-19 (KJV), “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. [19] For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” So the war against the flesh continues even after being born again. Paul says so in Romans 7:22-23 (KJV), “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: [23] But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.” So the only way is for us to continue to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit within us and as we do so, we weaken the power of the flesh in us till we get to glory.
As you go through this challenge, always remember that God has a goal for us which is to be conformed to the image of Christ by which time the flesh would have lost out completely. He said so in Romans 8:29 (KJV), “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” So, you should recognise that God who began a good work in you will perform it till the day of Christ ( Philippians 1:6). Now this conformity with the image of Christ may lead to suffering for doing the right thing, like Jesus did. (1 Peter 2:19-22). That is why part of the fruit of the Spirit is long suffering (Galatians 5:22).
Nonetheless, we have responsibility in the conformity process and that entails: having an attitude of being dead to sin such that sin is no longer attractive to you no matter the temptation (Romans 6:11) which is why we are told not to yield our members (parts of our body) to sin but yield to the Holy Spirit leading all the time because we are no longer under the law but under grace. Thus the Bible says in Romans 7:6 (KJV), “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.”
Action Point: Always remember to starve the flesh of its lust and feed the spirit with the word of God and obedience to it continually.
Bro. Biodun Oyapero