Weekly Lesson 36

OVERCOMING SELF

In lesson thirty-five, whether we were living a SELF-life or a CHRIST life. In today’s lesson, we will discuss what to do if we have found we have been living a SELF-life.

How can we stop SELF from ruling? If we are alive on earth, we can never get completely get rid of SELF, but we don’t have to be ruled by SELF. Since we can never get completely rid of SELF are, we to give up? Of course not! Let us look at some steps we can take to getting SELF off the throne of our hearts.

See what God has done with SELF.
SELF is not only our enemy, but it is also God’s enemy. SELF hates God and will not obey God. How did God deal with SELF? The Bible says that God “condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3). What does this mean? It means that God put sinful SELF on the cross. God says there is only one place for SELF, and that is on the cross, crucified.

We must choose to put SELF on the cross.
God says that our sinful SELF is so hateful to Him that He crucified it with Christ. God says the only place for SELF is on the cross. SELF must not be allowed to reign in my body. The Bible says, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.” Romans 6:12. What does God want me to do? God wants me to agree with Him that SELF should be put on the cross and kept there. When tempted, we are to say to SELF, “You shall not rule over me! I agree with God that your place is on the cross, crucified. “The Bible says, “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh (SELF) with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24.

We choose to make Christ King.
Now that we have chosen that SELF shall be on the cross in my heart, we must choose that Christ shall be on the throne of our hearts. This is His rightful place. The Bible says Jesus Christ is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” and right now, we choose to make Him King in my heart forever! This is where we make Him LORD of our hearts and lives. The Bible says, “He (Christ) died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves (for SELF), but unto Him who died for them and rose again.” 2 Corinthians 5:15.

What is the Christ-life?
When Christ is on the throne of my heart and SELF is on the cross, we are living the Christ-life. Christ is the one who has the right to be King or Lord in our hearts. Now the Holy Spirit can then produce beautiful fruit in our life. The Bible says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (faithfulness), meekness, temperance (self-control) ….” Galatians 5:22-23.

Once we have chosen that Christ shall be King in our heart and that SELF shall be on the cross, we must daily say “no” to self. Day-by-day, we must learn to say “no” to SELF and “yes” to the Lord Jesus.

Jesus said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself [say no to SELF], and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23.

How does this work out in our life? Let us say that we are doing something that we want to do, but our mother asks us to do something for her. What would SELF do? SELF would grumble and complain. What should we do? We should say “no” to SELF and “yes” to the Lord Jesus. We should obey our mother without grumbling and complaining.

Somebody says something mean to you. What would SELF do? SELF would get angry and say something mean back to that person. But you are to say “no” to SELF and let Christ be King in my heart. What do you do? Smile at them and say a kind word to them.

Remember these important truths:
God is for me. Throughout our life, we will have to deal with this enemy, SELF, that lives within me. There are some things I must know if I am to win this battle. God will give me the victory! God does not count my sinful nature against me. God says, “I count that as belonging to your old life. In My sight, your old life ended with your death with Christ. I always see you as a new person in Christ.”

Temptation is not sinning.
The Lord Jesus was tempted with terrible temptations by Satan, but He never sinned. We sin when we give in to temptation. You may say, “But sometimes I have really bad thoughts!” Every child of God has terrible thoughts at times, but they do not come from Christ. Satan has power over the world we live in, and he tries to make us think that these are our thoughts, but they are not. We can say to him, “Satan, you are a liar! These are your thoughts, not mine, and I refuse them!”

God is your defender.
God knows the battle we have with SELF and with the devil, but God is for us! David said, “When I cry unto You, then shall my enemies turn back: this I know, for God is for me” (Psalm 56:9).

Are you ready to let Christ be Lord and start living the CHRIST LIFE?

Go to Romans Road to Salvation and/or Prayer of Rededication

Christ Centered Champions

Christ Centered Champions

We are more than champions through him who loved us. Romans 8:37