John 3:30 He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
Jesus must increase – His authority and influence in our lives, our thoughts, our words, and our actions must grow.
We must decrease – The purpose of our lives is to point the world towards Him. We are not to form religious affiliations to glorify ourselves, or to set up a religion of our own. As the light from the evening moon fades away and is lost in the rays of the rising sun, who we are in the flesh is to fade away in the glory of His light. It should be an honor for any one of us, to accept in humility, and with a willingness to be esteemed as nothing–if we can honor Christ.
I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20
There is a humility, an emptying of ourselves when we crucify our flesh, our carnal man, our own selfish wants and desires with Christ; which results in a divine liberation that comes with understanding of what it means to crucify yourself with Christ. Let’s look at our own Lords example:
Philippians 2:5-8 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross!
You can begin this process of taking on the same attitude that Paul instructs us to take here in Philippians by acknowledging your own “human feelings or emotions” – all of them; the good, the bad, and the ugly. See them for what they are in truth to yourself and before the Lord. Look clearly at the hurts and wounds you have suffered at your own hands and from the hands of others, such as lies, deceit, game-playing, manipulation, and hypocrisy, etc., and crucify them with Christ. Look at you own natural defenses, be honest with yourself and offer that person before the Lord and His mercy. Let Him open your eyes and free you from yourself: Let Him be your fulfillment.
We must die to our “self”, reduce who we are, and increase who He is. That’s what being “born again” is all about; putting away the old self, along with all its illusions, and putting on a new self – a new creation in Christ. In doing this we become an instrument of God’s will, dedicating our being, our talents, and completely become His servant for His benefit and the benefit and salvation of others and their needs.
We must turn away from all the carnal satisfactions of the secular world that is pushing Jesus from the center of our life and replacing Him with our self. We must surrender our will to Him so He can renew us. We must let Him be the Lord of all that we are.
Related articles
- Jesus, Son of God. (abundanceis.wordpress.com)
- What should it mean to You, to be crucified with Christ? (whatshotn.wordpress.com)
- Thought of the Day – March 26 (evcdailythought.wordpress.com)
Categories: Bible, Bible Verses and Scriptures, Christianity, Cross, God, Grace, Humility, Jesus, Service, Worship
Darrell Creswell - A Study of Christian Grace 
Hallelujah! And sometimes, it can be so hard. Especially if we allow pride to seep in… the poison of the enemy.
Amen to that Lyn, I, many times have guilty myself, Thank God for His mercy – Blessings in Christ Darrell
Yes..and thanks that His mercy is deep, or I would have used it up a looonnngggg time ago! LOL!
So right..
This is so true! I love how you added practical ways to reduce self. Laying your faults out before God on a figurative altar and asking God to burn away what isn’t Him. We may not be left with much, but in our weakness than His strength is seen. Awesome post bro!
Thank you Audra – I enjoyed your post Created For A Purpose at http://misunderstoodgod.wordpress.com/. Thanks so much for sharing the picture, that’s what I make them for \o/
Makes me smile 🙂 blessings in Christ Darrell
The old poem about dying to self has been a periodic reminder to me over the past few years. I posted it recently and will share it with you here.
Dying to Self
>
>
>
> When you are forgotten,
> neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don’t sting or hurt with the
> oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for
> Christ;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When your good is evil
> spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your
> opinion
> ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend
> yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When you lovingly and
> patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can
> stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual
> insensibility,
> and endure it as Jesus did;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When you are content
> with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any
> solitude, any interruption by the will of God;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When you never care to
> refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch
> after
> commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When you can see your
> brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him
> in
> spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far
> greater
> and you are in desperate circumstances;
>
>
> That is dying to self.
>
>
> When you can receive
> correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can
> humbly
> submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment
> rising up within your heart;
>
>
>
> That is
> dying to self.
>
>
> Are you dead
> yet? In these last days, the Spirit would bring us to the cross.
>
> “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his
> resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his
> death,” Philippians 3:10
Wow Pat, that is beautiful and touching. I took it straight to my heart. Thank you so much for sharing it with me and my readers – Blessings in Christ Darrell
Amen!
🙂 Amen again
When Jesus Christ is enthroned in our lives He increases. We increase when He is dethroned. -God forbid for He is the only one worthy to be our Lord.
Blessings
Evelyn
N.B.Posting on ChristianBlessings 27 March, 2013 – Thanks Darrell.
Thanks Evelyn -He is Lord, There are some areas that we all need to surrender – Thank God for His grace – Thanks for sharing the post -Blessings Darrell
You don’t know how timely this is for me as I wallow in self pity and struggle over having to put my personal wishes and longings on the back burner so that I can sacrificially dedicate myself to my marriage and my children.
Thank you and God bless you.
Mercedes
We all struggle the same way Mercedes, the flesh always wants to rise up. There is not one among us that can stand pure before the Lord, only in the light of His grace. Thanks so much for sharing – Blessings in Christ Darrell
Thank you Darrell for a very meaty message, a testimony of your inner witness, sadly so many ignore their evil flesh nature and fail to recognize it’s danger, which is why God tells us to put it to death, it’s not taught about very often today like it was in the early Church, instead we are told to build ourselves up, put ourselves first or as they say… unto thine own self be True, many think it means we must be happy whatever the cost to others and so they have boundaries or walls of indifference to others needs.
Yes Jesus Christ did indeed humble Himself and why because He so very much Loved His Father God and us, His motivation was Love not fear and ours needs to be this too, we have nothing to fear in Him and as He lives His life through us, we shine in the darkness.
Good and evil cannot co-exist and God’s Love is the most powerful cleansing tool given to man when asked for in Faith. When we choose to walk in The Spirit of Love ( Galatians 5 ) with His empowering we put to death our sinful, rotten, selfish, egotistical flesh that causes us to sin.
Love is the power behind the Universe, it is the Nature of The Godhead or as They are called today The Trinity a relatively new word, They in Their complete harmony sing a melody that draws us in Love and to Unity in the very heart of God .
When we come close to God the Devil flees, he hates goodness, our Holiness stinks to him of death…His!
Christian Love from both of us – Anne
Wow, what a wonderful glorious comment Anne – Thanks for sharing. We are nothing, He is everything. All that I am is as dust in light of His grace – Blessings in Christ Darrell
Wow Darrell what a wonderful reply to my comment and why because you recognize God’s Truth and as you said….. in the flesh we are nothing, just human but WOW in the SPIRIT we are……….
1Peter2:9 But ye are a chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, an Holy Nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous Light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Wow Darrell! Hmmmm I have heard that expression somewhere before 🙂
We Love you in The Lord- Anne
🙂
My greatest desire is to die daily to self that He may increase more. That He may shine more and more until that perfect day when He returns. Thanks, Darrell.
That is my desire also, it seems that the older I become, the easier it gets. We all want to be who we think we are, which is nothing without Christ -blessings Darrell
Love the message – find the presentation a bit overwhelming…
Following tho!
Thanks – Followed back. 🙂 I enjoyed your site http://needleprayer.wordpress.com/. I remember many hours as a child watching my grandmother creating beauty with needlepoint. Thanks for stirring the memories – Blessings in Christ Darrell
A big, big AMEN. Thanks, brother.
Thank you for stopping by – Appreciated- In Christ Darrell