This morning we continue our series entitled, “Refined Focus”, by continuing with our new mini-series entitled, “Focusing on Dying To Self”. Last week I highlighted six believers in scripture who had to die to their old identity in order to become the person God called them to be. We then took a deep-dive into each one. This morning’s message pans back out and deals with the topic in general. Let’s get to it.
Once again, Jesus said: “Any of you who want to be my follower must stop thinking about yourself and what you want. You must be willing to carry the cross that is given to you for following me. Any of you who try to save the life you have will lose it. But you who give up your life for me and for the Good News will save it.” (Mark 8:34,35 ERV).
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Everyone is tested – the successful one pass.
a) For Abraham it was waiting 25 years for his promised son and then having the faith to offer his son as a sacrifice to God.
b) For Gideon it was cutting down the size of his army from 32,000 to 10,000, and then to 300.
c) For Moses it was spending 40 years in the desert, thinking he had disqualified himself from his assignment.
d) For Daniel it was going down into the lion’s den in order to come out with a great testimony.
e) For Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego it was walking into a fiery furnace bound and then walking out free, not even smelling like smoke!
f) For Joseph it was spending 13 years of challenges — from a pit, to Potiphar’s house, and then prison, before he entered the palace.
g) For David it was spending over 10 years in exile, living on the run like a fugitive, while he was already anointed to be king.
h) For Peter is was enduring the humiliating process of denying Christ three times; the last one coming in the face of a little girl.
i) For Paul was it was three years in isolation, dying to his past before he could enter into his future; and then enduring prison stints, shipwrecks, beatings and tireless opposition.
*** I don’t know what it is for you, but your testimony most certainly has a “test” component to it. You can’t spell testimony without “test”. You will never become the man/woman God has called you to be if you are not willing to embrace the grace of God to face, fight and overcome every challenge that comes your way! I am not saying that you have to pass the test with your power (because you probably can’t), but I am saying you CAN pass the test with God’s grace.
2. The secret to passing your “test” is dying to self and yielding to God and His grace.
a) God will allow you to experience whatever you need to experience in order to develop Godly character.
b) When you get to the point where you are broken, when you have DIED TO SELF, when you have decreased and you are ready for God to flow through you, then and only then will you experience the life you were born to live.
c) God is not going to compete with you, His strength will only flow through your weakness.
d) God is not looking for the ability of your mind or the strength of your back, He is only looking for the condition of your heart. When your heart is aligned with God’s heart, there is no limit to what God will do through you. That’s why the testing is important. The tests help to develop the condition of your heart.
Closing Confession: Father, this is a season of refined focus for me. I bring my life into focus in 2016 by dying to self. I am learning to DIE TO SELF. My goal is to freely allow You to flow through me everyday, in every way. By faith I declare that I get to the point where I know my life is about You, Your plans for me, Your grace, and Your power. I decrease, that You may increase in and through me. I am ready for every test, because I already know I can’t pass the tests of life without You, so I won’t even try. I will not attempt to pass tests with my strength, power or ability. However, I SHALL pass every test by Your grace. So here I am Father — all that I am and all that I am not, is all yours. I give myself over to You, and I ask You to develop me into the person You birthed me to be. My success will not come with more trying. My success will come with more dying. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word! Apply it and Prosper.
