Listen: “Nothing Of Self, Everything Of Christ”
Nothing Of Self, Everything Of Christ”
The Lord Jesus made this requirement perfectly clear: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23).
The Lord continually calls His people away from confidence in themselves and into complete dependence upon Him. The flesh, with all its abilities, wisdom, strength, and self-effort, can never accomplish the purposes of Almighty God. Therefore, every believer is called to a life of surrender, humility, and reliance upon the life of Jesus Christ; the following aspects must be understood in our lives as believers:
- The flesh naturally seeks its own way.
- It desires its own recognition.
- It trusts in its own resources.
- But the Holy Spirit continually leads believers into the pathway of self-denial and obedience.
True discipleship is not the promotion of our self-life, but it is the surrender of self. The path to achieve a deeper fellowship with Christ is found through our humility, brokenness, and wholehearted submission to His will. Jesus declared: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6)
Therefore, it is of vital importance that we understand that flesh can only reproduce flesh. Whereas Spiritual life can only come from the Spirit of God. This is an important revelation to understand the working of the flesh.
- It may imitate spirituality.
- It is evident in religious activity.
- It gives the impression of outward righteousness.
But it cannot manifest the character, holiness, love, and power that proceed from the Holy Spirit. For this reason, believers must continually guard against placing confidence in our natural ability, our human wisdom, our personal strength, or religious performance. What appears successful before men may still be devoid of the life and approval of the Father if it originates merely from self-effort. The Lord Jesus warned His disciples:”Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
Again He declared:”It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” (John 6:63). The flesh profits nothing in the things of God. Its resources are limited, temporary, and incapable of producing eternal fruit. Jesus said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. For without Me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:4-5)
Every believer must therefore walk in humility before Almighty God, recognising our complete dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The continual cry of a yielded heart is not confidence in personal ability but confidence in the working of the Father’s grace: The Father has a will and a purpose for every life that belongs to Him. His desire is not merely that His people know about Christ, but that they be drawn ever deeper into Christ, discovering the fullness of all that He has provided.
These words leave no room for self-dependence. All spiritual fruitfulness flows from abiding in Christ. As believers remain in fellowship with Him, His life is manifested through them. The Father’s purpose is to bring His children into such intimacy with His Son:
- That we increasingly know His presence.
- Receive His guidance.
- Experience His touch upon our lives.
- And the working of His Spirit within us.
Herein is a vital truth that we must embrace: as the flesh is denied its influence and authority, there will be greater room made for the Holy Spirit to reveal the character and life of Jesus.
Jesus taught:”Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3). The Lord delights to work through those who recognise their need of Him. His strength is most clearly revealed in lives that have ceased striving in their own ability and have become fully yielded to His will.
The call of the Spirit is clear: there must be no confidence in the flesh and no dependence upon self. The believer who desires to walk in the fullness of God’s purpose must willingly embrace the pathway of humility, brokenness, and continual surrender to Christ.
The Lord Jesus declared: “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.” (Matthew 16:25).
- The more of our self-life is set aside, the more Jesus Christ is revealed.
- The more dependence is placed upon Christ alone, the more His glory is manifested through our lives.
May every believer be found pressing deeper into Christ, clothed in His righteousness, abiding in His presence, trusting in His strength alone, and walking daily in the power of His Spirit. For only what is born of the Spirit will endure, and only that which is accomplished through Christ will bear fruit that remains for eternity. There must be no confidence in our flesh, but a determination to live in the Spirit of Christ.