Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
This passage of scripture states explicitly that self-denial is an absolute must if we are to follow in the footsteps of Christ. The very plan of salvation is based on self-denial, and therefore anyone who wants to experience God's redeeming work, must of necessity practice self-denial on a daily basis. The fact of the matter is that as Christians, there are certain things which we just cannot do, for they are antagonistic to the work and Spirit of Christ, and if those forbidden activities are engaged in, they put us at odds with Christ, and with the principles of His government. This is why the apostle Paul who speaks so eloquently on faith and love, makes a very blunt statement about the habit or prospect of blending our carnal desires into the work of salvation. Let's read:
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 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.
He then goes on to enumerate several of the lusts and carnal desires of man's lower nature which often clamor for the mastery over the higher powers of the mind. These desires when indulged make the work of God in our hearts of none effect, and set us in a downward spiral which then becomes more difficult to recuperate from as the years go by. Let's read:
Galatians 5:18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 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 tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
One of the evils that have taken deep root in many minds, and have even become popular amongst Christians, is witchcraft dressed up in modern garb, and being presented in television shows like Sabrina the teenage witch, and the Harry Potter series which have brought the presence of evil angels right at our doorsteps. The devil is deliberate and protracted in his work of destroying souls, and the same evil spirits, who in the days of Christ caused human beings to be contorted, and to be foaming and gnashing with their teeth, have now purchased jackets and ties, and briefcases, going to work amongst us in modern garb, while behind the scenes they work the ruin of millions.
Self-denial is not salvific in and of itself, but is an accessory to facilitate the work of God's grace in our hearts, and therefore, anything that would interfere or detract in any way from this sacred work must be resolutely put away, and avoided at all costs if we are to experience the fellowship of The Holy Spirit, and be in tune with God so that we can hear His voice distinctly. Whenever we attempt to blend the work of salvation with the carnal desires and lusts, then what takes place is that we hear a multitude of different voices in our consciences, and we thus become confused as to what is right and what is wrong.
It is therefore imperative that we shun even the appearance of evil, and do all we can by the grace of God to preserve and cultivate an atmosphere that is favorable to the working of The Spirit of God. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which calls upon us to practice self-denial daily, for if we are steadfast in our efforts and faint not, the grace of God will make us impregnable to the assaults of the evil one. Let's read:
Colossians 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
May the Lord bless His word to our hearts today. God bless!