Humbled THEN Lifted Up!

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I don't want to let anyone talk me out of self denial, including me.

Why? Because I am warring against my own salvation in ways I cannot detect.

Adam and Eve's rebellion introduced a virus to the human frame that goes undiagnosed until the sharp two-edged sword of the Spirit uncovers it.

It hides in my thoughts, my emotions and my will.

It takes everything good God wants and turns it into something I should do, rather than rely on God for.

The flesh... All flesh... From the most trained, well known and ambitious theologian to the most depraved, addicted, and self-led beggar... FIGHTS God's will:

Galatians 5:13-17 NKJV — For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another! I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

The flesh, because of this human-centric virus, will always take what God wants in my life, which is to be Spirit led into all the goodness of God, and try to just do the goodness part on my own in God's name.  This is the foundation of all religion, humanism, and, ultimately, depraved selfishness.  Depravity moves into my heart when my conscience looses it's ability to provoke me back to God.  My conscience is inoculated when I believe everything I do IS what God would do.

God isn't like me. He does things differently than I would. That is the basis of salvation.  Without this humble truth, I cannot truly  believe in Jesus.

Knowing what God wants isn't the same as doing what God wants. Adam and Eve knew the right thing to do... They just didn't do it.

*We can't educate ourselves or the world into salvation. 

*We cannot "shine" ourselves or the world into salvation.  Jesus was the light and was crucified.

*We can only humble ourselves into salvation. 

God will use humility to shine and humility to witness and humility to save, but we cannot skip humility and accomplish anything.  Feeling good about our efforts is the main expression of antichrist.  It doesn't help Jesus, it competes with Him.

Where do I want Jesus' glory? Where do I want to be seen as a good person, good teacher, good leader, good musician, good servant, good prophet, wise...

That is where I will find the virus of self leadership growing.

Luke 9:23-26 NKJV — Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

John 6:63 NKJV — “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.

John 5:19-20 NKJV — Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.

If I deny myself, God will accept me, and lift me up.  Then my flesh will enjoy what it was really made for: partnership with God.

1 Peter 5:6 NKJV — Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,

This is the narrow road few find.  Ravenous wolves dress up like sheep, but it's all about them building a following, a ministry, a life... Instead of losing theirs daily.  Don't follow them to hell. I don't want to follow my own heart to hell, let alone someone else's!

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