Overcoming Self
DAILY VITAMIN
- Overcoming Self
The temptation of Christ was a test of a man's ability to suppress the irreverent craves of his ego; and that's the same test God let us pass through each passing day- just to see our most truest priority, and the degree of our brokenness towards Him.
For instance, using the scenario of Christ's temptation, let's see how similar it is to the experiences we encounter every day of the year in regards to this subject.
In Matthew Chapter 4;
Verse 3: The devil came to Him, saying, you call yourself the Son of the Most High, prove it, turn this stone into something edible, and Jesus responded, 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (Matt 4:4).
It's the same thing as saying 'I know I am the Son of God, but I do not have to do what you tell me just to gain your approval; I do only what God bids me to'. Everyday, our egos swell, saying to us in whispering notes,'you are better than them all, show it in order to make them feel inferior so as to gain their maximum respect'. 'Show them the fluency of your vocabulary and your mathematical dexterity so that they would know you are better than them'; but even in this state, the man who chooses to be like Jesus would decline such a self-tempting offer, knowing that he must do only the things God approves of, and not what pride dictates, for that's the requisite of the kingdom life.
Verse 6: All things were presented to be given to Christ, if only He would bow.
Remember Paul's words, 'all things are lawful, but not all are expedient'; in the same way, our egos tell us all we can get, perhaps, by oppressing the less educated, or the less informed, if only we yield to it, but as Jesus we must know that it's in fulfilling God's will and not ego's that we have our perfect being.
Verse 10: Ego went deep into scripture just to pick out a verse it could redesign to back up the doing of its desire, but as Jesus said 'Thou shall not tempt God', showing us that our displeasing God just to please ourselves and satisfy our egos is a significant expression of our irreverence to Him, and as such tempting God. But remember what David said 'This God is our God forever, and He will guide us even unto death'(Psalm 48:14). That is to say, no matter how much ego tells you you're losing, our consistency in following God regardless of these losses is what makes us as Jesus is- Sons...not led by ego, but by His Spirit.......doing His will beyond the expectations of human ego.
The devil will always do all he can to alter our walk with God, but only us have the power to let him do it. Hence from today, when he comes in the disguise of your ego, be alert and ready to refuse his offer. This is important because until we have overcome self, we haven't completely given the enemy no place in our lives. So what am I asking of you? Overcome self, and submit yourself to the will of God.
- Overcoming Self
The temptation of Christ was a test of a man's ability to suppress the irreverent craves of his ego; and that's the same test God let us pass through each passing day- just to see our most truest priority, and the degree of our brokenness towards Him.
For instance, using the scenario of Christ's temptation, let's see how similar it is to the experiences we encounter every day of the year in regards to this subject.
In Matthew Chapter 4;
Verse 3: The devil came to Him, saying, you call yourself the Son of the Most High, prove it, turn this stone into something edible, and Jesus responded, 'man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God (Matt 4:4).
It's the same thing as saying 'I know I am the Son of God, but I do not have to do what you tell me just to gain your approval; I do only what God bids me to'. Everyday, our egos swell, saying to us in whispering notes,'you are better than them all, show it in order to make them feel inferior so as to gain their maximum respect'. 'Show them the fluency of your vocabulary and your mathematical dexterity so that they would know you are better than them'; but even in this state, the man who chooses to be like Jesus would decline such a self-tempting offer, knowing that he must do only the things God approves of, and not what pride dictates, for that's the requisite of the kingdom life.
Verse 6: All things were presented to be given to Christ, if only He would bow.
Remember Paul's words, 'all things are lawful, but not all are expedient'; in the same way, our egos tell us all we can get, perhaps, by oppressing the less educated, or the less informed, if only we yield to it, but as Jesus we must know that it's in fulfilling God's will and not ego's that we have our perfect being.
Verse 10: Ego went deep into scripture just to pick out a verse it could redesign to back up the doing of its desire, but as Jesus said 'Thou shall not tempt God', showing us that our displeasing God just to please ourselves and satisfy our egos is a significant expression of our irreverence to Him, and as such tempting God. But remember what David said 'This God is our God forever, and He will guide us even unto death'(Psalm 48:14). That is to say, no matter how much ego tells you you're losing, our consistency in following God regardless of these losses is what makes us as Jesus is- Sons...not led by ego, but by His Spirit.......doing His will beyond the expectations of human ego.
The devil will always do all he can to alter our walk with God, but only us have the power to let him do it. Hence from today, when he comes in the disguise of your ego, be alert and ready to refuse his offer. This is important because until we have overcome self, we haven't completely given the enemy no place in our lives. So what am I asking of you? Overcome self, and submit yourself to the will of God.
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