SELF-DENIAL, THE SEVENTH COMPONENT OF HOLINESS!

Today, we want to look at the seventh component of holiness – SELF-DENIAL. To make it to Heaven in the life to come, you MUST deny “Self” in this present world.

In Mark 8:34 Jesus said, “Whosoever will come after Me (be like Me, make it to heaven), (1) let him deny himself, and (2) take up his cross, and (3) follow Me.”

How often should you deny yourself and take up your Cross? Daily!

In Luke 9:23 Jesus said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”

That is exactly the point! If you really want to walk in holiness, you must deny “Self” daily.

To be able to understand Self-Denial we first of all need to understand the meaning of “Self.”  Therefore, we shall be considering four aspects in this discussion:

•         What is self?
           What is denial?
           What then is self-denial?
           How can one deal with “Self?”

  What is self? First of all realize that another name for “Self” is “the Flesh.”  

1. “The Flesh” is not your physical body – the house in which your spirit-man lives. Rather the flesh is a way of reasoning that is contrary to the Word of God. It is the nature we inherited from our human parents. The flesh is that way of life handed down to us by our fore-fathers.

We all inherited “the flesh” by birth: As soon as a child is born, he is born with that nature; he is born with the self-life. That is why the Bible declares, “The wicked (unbelievers) are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies…” (Ps. 58:3-5).

David said, “For I was born a sinner - yes, from the moment my mother conceived me” (Ps. 51:5, NLT).

The self-life is the nature of every man born of a woman. You don’t have to teach a child how to be wicked, or how to tell lies to cover up sin. It is in-built and it comes up quite naturally.

In 1 Peter 1:18 “self” is described as “the worthless manner of life you received from your ancestors.”

NIV calls the flesh “the sinful nature” or “the EMPTY way of life handed down to you from your fore-fathers” (1 Pet. 1:18).

Good News Bible calls it “the human nature.” NEB (New English Bible) calls it “the lower nature.” NLT calls it “the human life.” Others call it “the carnal man.” The Living Bible calls it “the impossible road to Heaven.”

Romans 8:3-8 calls ‘self’ “the one who dwells within and tries to control the mind and the physical body of a man to accomplish his own desires.” In Romans 6, “the flesh” is referred to as “the old man or the indwelling sin.”

Your flesh is whatever comes from within you – your desire, your opinion, all that aims at developing yourself so that you may be seen and respected by others – all is of the flesh.

When you hear that a man is flesh, it means that all that a man inherits by birth, whatever it may be (whether good or bad) is of the flesh. Whatever you inherited at birth from conception, is of the flesh.

The Bible uses the word “flesh” as a designation of man’s corrupted nature or life – the soul and the physical body.

The “flesh” expresses itself through the physical body. Therefore, the physical body is a part of “the flesh.”

2. “Self” is the totality of your personality, the complete identity with which you are known.

3. “Self” is ‘a natural way of life.’ “Self” is your natural lifestyle. “Self” determines your character, your ambition, your concepts, your goals and ego (the “I” or “self” of any person).

4. “Self” is the natural life each man is born to live in this world.

5. “Self” is not just a habit to be discarded, it is “the natural life” each man is born to live in this world. It is the basis of your opinion about yourself and even others.

6. “Self” is all that you are, all that we call you, all that you can be identified with, not just your possessions, your goods, your certificates etc. but ‘yourself.’

7. “Self” is that arrogant, disobedient, and rebellious nature in you that makes it difficult for you to give God His right position in your life.

God must always take the first position in your life. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matt. 6:33).

Anything that takes the position of God in your life usually dies.

8. “Self” is the ego in man. “Ego” is the “I or Self” of any person.

9. “Self” is that tendency for independence in man. “Self” separates man from God and gives man the false assurance of survival without God.

10. “Self” is humility displayed. When you behave in a certain way to display humility, it is “self.” This type of humility is false.

What are the characteristics of “Self?” The characteristics of “Self” include:

1. “Self” does not submit to God’s Word. “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law (Word) of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in “the flesh” cannot please God” (Rom. 8:7-8).

2. The “flesh” does not and cannot submit to discipline.

3. The flesh is untamable. You cannot tame the “flesh” as long as it is alive.

4. The “flesh” cannot share a place with any other person – It is very selfish and self-centered.

5. The “flesh” always wants to take over – It is very domineering. This is why it is a strong weapon for witchcraft.

6. The “flesh” is unpredictable in that you do not know what it is going to do next.

7. “Self” loves to be noticed but he does not want to be embarrassed.

8. “Self” resists insults.

9. Whatever “self” does, he loves to be appreciated. If you fail to acknowledge “the flesh,” he may get annoyed inside and sometimes the anger may manifest outwardly.

10. If “self” is recognized and given the opportunity to speak, or put in a position of leadership, he feels comfortable, but if you put him under instruction and supervision and he is unable to express himself, he feels very bad.

11. “The Flesh” seeks to take over. Every little opportunity that shows up, self always seeks to take over.

12. “Self” loves to express himself in what he knows. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). The phrase “your own understanding” is the self-life. “Lean not on Self”.

13. “Self” has his own understanding about every situation. “Self” is the one that suggests alternatives to the wisdom (Word) of God.

14. “Self” creates situations of doubt and double-mindedness in every person.

15. “Self” does not want to be disgraced. “Self” delights in ascribing glory to himself.

16. “Self” is very defensive. “Self” hates to be criticized. If you criticize “self,” he will defend himself, and get annoyed with you.

17. “Self” does not accept correction. “Self” feels ashamed to accept blame, rather he shifts the blame to another person.

For instance, Adam and Eve manifested “the flesh” in that they never accepted responsibility for disobeying God.

And God said to Adam, “Who told you that thou were naked? Have you eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded you that you should not eat? 12 And the man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that you have done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled (deceived, mislead) me, and I did eat” (Gen. 3:11-13).

The “self” in them manifested himself by always passing the bulk.

18. “Self” insists on his own way. “Self” is strong-willed. “Self” insists on doing things his own way, irrespective of what God has said. Because “self” is totally carnal, his own ways seem right to him. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 16:25).

19. “Self” is greedy. “Self” always seeks to possess all.

20. “Self” is proud. For instance, someone in your neighborhood gives you a fairly used dress. Instead of wearing it in that environment joyfully and freely, “self” will not allow you. You’ll prefer to wear it whenever you travel away from that location, because people who know the original owner of the dress are not there to look down on you for wearing a second-hand dress.

21. “Self” likes to protect himself and his own interest. “Self” likes to take first and to take the best.

22. Self can manifest anywhere: In the classroom, in the hostel, in the home, In the market, in the work place, in the church, on the Pulpit, or in the choir etc.

23. “Self” likes to operate alone so that he can be recognized and praised. “Self” does not want to work in the company of others, where his glory could be ascribed to others, or where he can be submerged.

24. “Self” can preach and pray, all for show, so that people will recognize him.

25. “Self” likes anything that will make people praise him, but covers up anything that can discredit it.

26. “Self” is the basis of all struggles, rivalry, competition and heartaches that people go through today.

27. “Self” is an enemy of godliness with contentment. “Self” does not allow you to be satisfied with what you have.

28. “Self” likes independence and is confident in what he possesses. For instance, you are more confident to embark on a journey if you have enough money in your pocket.

You drive your car with greater confidence when you have enough money in your pocket, in case of a tire puncture or any other mechanical damage in the car.

You don’t have to beg anybody for help, you look to yourself. But God’s will is that you give up looking to yourself for anything, but to look unto Him who will then direct you on what to do in all situations.

29. “Self” prefers to make sacrifices, no matter how costly, provided he is left intact. When “self” offends another person, instead of begging for pardon, he prefers to buy gifts for that person and do other things for him, instead of saying “I am sorry.”

When convicted of sin, “self” prefers to take gifts to the church to cover up his sin instead of pleading with God for mercy and forsaking his sin.

30. “Self” does not give unless he is exalted, honoured, or pampered. Whatever you cannot give to God quietly unless a special launching is organized, is not acceptable to God. The launchers may accept it from your hand but it has no record in Heaven.

31. “Self” can go into debts in order to promote himself. Keep “self” where he will not be noticed, he will not give as much as when he is made an important guest in a fund-raising program.

32. “Self” likes to be appreciated. For instance, if you want a worker in the church to continue working hard, pat him on the back and praise him for his hard work – that is “the flesh.” Cajole him with big introductions or titles, you’ll see him praying more and visiting more.

33. “Self” is selfish.  “The flesh” enjoys using the mind and the physical body of a person to accomplish his own desires.

“The Flesh” has its own set desires. “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I told you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).

“The flesh” ever seeks to lord it over the Spirit that indwells the spirit-man of a believer.

Galatians 5:17 says, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

“The flesh” is in constant rivalry and struggles with the Spirit concerning who will control the soul of man, the soul being the battle ground.

Why is there always a conflict between the “flesh” and the Spirit? Normally, when that which is of the Spirit comes, it comes to displace the flesh, and the “flesh” will not take it kindly at all (Gal. 5:16-17).

The “flesh” and the Spirit do not see eye-to-eye. That is why if “self” has been reigning in a man’s life for thirty years, and the man meets Jesus and becomes Born Again, the flesh will not take it lightly because he has been there long before the new man.

The “flesh” inside will persecute the new man. The “flesh” in the people outside (your critics) will also rise to persecute and mock the new man.

The flesh and the Spirit are always contrary to one another. “The flesh” is the enemy within which every soldier of the Cross must strive to uproot.

When the Holy Spirit comes into the life of a person, He comes to uproot the flesh. This is where the battle is toughest.

What a man does or manifests actually depends on who gains control over his soul, the Spirit or “the flesh.” Fasting, praying, giving, preaching notwithstanding, John 3:6 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh……; and “….they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8).

                                               

Why are you what you are? You are “what you are” because of “who you are.”

Why do you do what you do? You do what you do because of “who you are – you are born of the flesh.”

How do you know who is in control in a person’s life? When you see certain actions, certain behaviours, in the life of somebody, you will easily know who is doing them, and it shows who is in control of that person’s life.

Self (the flesh), is like a fruit bearing tree. It brings forth its fruit in season. Even if there is no fruit on it now, when the season comes, it brings forth its fruit without struggles. The fruit of the flesh is seen in Galatians 5:19-21.

“Self” can keep quiet for one week or even one year. The fact that “Self” (the flesh) is quiet now does not mean he cannot produce its fruit. That is why you sometimes hear a man of God falling into the sin of immorality. That is why a pastor that has not dealt with Mr. Flesh or “Self” one day rises up to beat his wife. And people are surprised because that kind of behavior is not expected of a pastor.

The flesh grows naturally and manifests with little or no effort. Contrarily, you need to cultivate the fruit of the Spirit.

What does it really mean to be fleshly? To be fleshly means to be under the control of the flesh. It means to be ruled by the flesh and not by the Word of God. It means to do things not according to the Word of God. It means to be carnal. And to be carnally minded is death (Rom. 8:6).

Romans 8:6-8 says, “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”

Let’s look at an example of the manifestations of “the flesh.” For instance, someone talks to you very harshly. Then something within you says that the way that person talked to you is not good.

Why should he speak to a person of your caliber like that? That immediately springs up a protest within you. That is “Mr. Self,” reminding you of who you are, your achievements, your personality.

Again, in Genesis 4, Cain typifies the “flesh,” and he was older than Abel. As soon as Abel began to shoot up and to do the will of God, Cain slew him. That is what “the flesh” does.

As soon as your spiritual life begins to blossom, if you have not weeded off “the flesh,” the flesh will eventually choke it.

Any room you give “the flesh” in your life, he will use it to destroy everything you have been building in your spiritual life, no matter how long you have spent building it.

Physically, the “flesh” is always the senior brother in every case. For instance, in the family of Abraham, Ishmael was the first born. But he was born after the flesh. Isaac was the younger, but he was the child of promise.

Galatians 4:28-30 says, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. 29 But as then he (Ishmael) that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. 30 Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”

Ishmael, born after the flesh, was the senior brother, and he persecuted Isaac, the child of promise.

The “flesh” always rises to persecute the spiritual in the life of everyone. If you leave the flesh to keep growing side by side with that which is born of the Spirit in your life, you are ready for internal persecution and conflicts.

As far as God is concerned, the only solution is: – “Cast out the flesh…” Nevertheless what saith the Scripture? “Cast out the bondwoman and her son……” (Gal. 4:30a).

If you don’t deal with the flesh it will deal with you and throw you into the pit. Even in the family of Jacob, Jacob was persecuted by his senior brothers. They said, “Let us kill him and see what will become of his dreams” (Gen. 37:20). They ganged up to strangulate Joseph so that his dreams will never come to pass.

Another example: When David started shooting up in the things of God, he had his elder brothers to contend with.

As soon as he got to the battle field and indicated his interest to fight Goliath, his brothers shouted him down (1 Sam. 17).

3. Esau was also the elder brother of Jacob in the family of Isaac. It was Esau that sought to kill Jacob, the younger brother.

And the worst enemy that the children of Israel had on their way to the Promised Land was the Edomites, the descendants of Esau (Gen. 36).

Your biggest opposition is not the Moabites or the Amalekites, but the Edomites, your kith and kin.

The LORD is not asking for sacrifices and self-denials, as great and costly as they may be. It is “yourself” that He is asking for. The man He wants you to give up is Mr. “Self” himself.

When Jesus is asking you to deny your “Self,” He is asking you to deny that your nature, the flesh in you now, or it will uproot you from the Kingdom of God and deny you Heaven.

“Self” or the Flesh” is therefore, an empty way of life, a worthless manner of life, an impossible road to Heaven. It is totally different from Christ’s way of life.

Conclusion: Remember that without SELF-DENIAL, you can never become holy, and without holiness you will not see the LORD (Heb. 12:14).

Today, we have just attempted to understand the word, “Self.” Next Sunday we will understand what it means to deny “Self.”

 

• Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor, HOG)