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.
This passage of scripture teaches us that it is not possible to be a Christian without practicing self-denial, for it is a core principle of the kingdom of God, and furthermore, the words disciple and discipline are taken from the same root word. It's important that we do not subscribe to that fatal sophistry that is now being widely circulated in Christian circles, which teaches its adherents that we can do whatsoever we please without any restraint, and we will still be saved, because Christ did it all on Calvary for us. Now while it is true that Christ paid it all, and that His righteousness is what will stand to our account in heaven, yet we are under the most sacred obligation to deny self whenever we are faced with temptations to the contrary. This very sacred and pertinent truth is embodied within the following two passages of scripture. Let's read:
Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Galatians 5:19 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.
For us to be successful in any line, the principle of discipline must be brought to bear on all of our activities, for even though we may have good intentions and upright goals, yet without the principle of discipline at the very core, all of our efforts to achieve any good will be doomed to failure. This sacred truth is made evident in the unsuccessful attempts many of us have made in getting our daily exercise. At the close of every year many of us renew our commitment to stay fit during the coming year, and we usually start off by working out religiously for the first few months. But then the cares of life begin to weigh on us, and sometimes the flu comes along, and for one or more reasons our energy and zeal begins to wane, and sooner or later many of us become so discouraged that we sink down in despair and give up on what we had sincerely committed to.
The same scenario is often repeated in our pledges to seek God everyday. We determine by the grace of God that we will set aside quality time with Him each day, so that we can be renewed with the Spirit's power, but some way, somehow, our zeal lags, and before we know it our daily devotions go down the tube. The crux of the problem usually lies with our attitude towards the godly principles of self-denial and discipline, for they call for resistance to the natural cravings and desires of the flesh.
For instance, it is indeed a terrible conflict with many Christians to go to sleep without watching television, for many of us have now become so accustomed to viewing it before going to bed, that we cannot seem to live without it. But if we really desire to awake early to seek God's face, we will have to practice discipline, and deny self the urge to watch those late night movies, comedy shows, or even the daily news, for none of them are more important than seeking God. Let's read:
Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. 8 Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. 9 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people" ....
Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
The same principle of discipline must also be brought to bear on the issue of regular exercise, for there will be many days when we do not feel like working out, when our energy level is not where we would like it to be, and for some reason we may feel tired or sluggish. The Christian's life should never be governed by mere feelings, which are very fluid in nature, but should rather be subjected to principle, which must be implemented on a consistent, on-going basis, if we are to see any note-worthy results.
In the popular reality show, The biggest loser, those who were once given to intemperate eating and unrestrained indulgence in food, are subjected to strict discipline, and are put on a rigid regimen of exercise and nutrition in order to shed the pounds. And judging by the results, many of them are indeed successful in losing that stubborn weight which had evaded them for years.
If in our Christian experience we ardently desire to live victoriously, we also will need to practice stern discipline of mind, soul, and body, in order that we may be successful in every line of achievement. And it can all be done through the grace and power that has been accorded us through the indwelling of The Holy Ghost. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which confirms this sacred truth, and it is the will of God, that from now on, we live like conquerors, for whosoever believes in Jesus Christ and adopts the core principles of self denial and discipline by His grace, will be victorious in every area of life. Let's read:
Philippians 4:12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!