“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” (Galatians 2:20, NLT)
Years ago, I was in a group experience where we were challenged to have a three-minute conversation without anyone using the words “me, my, or I” … we couldn’t do it! Unfortunately, each one of us has an innate desire to think about ourselves. This self-centered thinking, the “big I,” needs to be broken.
It takes Son Power to remove the control of self. This power becomes operative in our lives when we ask the Holy Spirit, by faith, to take control of how we think, feel, and act. We must learn to trust in the power of God alone to empower us and deliver us.
Dying to self is painful, but God has promised that he will manifest himself in us. In Proverbs we read these words, “For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord” (8:35, NLT).
If we are to find favor with God and experience the Son-powered life, we must die to self along the pathway of life: self-reliance, self-trust, self-sufficiency, independence. All qualities the world values and encourages.
Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.” (John 12:24–25, NLT).
In order for a grain of wheat to multiply it must die. Our time, talent, treasure, and desire must be given up totally to God to be used for his world and his glory. If we just spend it on pleasuring ourselves, then we are missing the best that God has for us. Only when we die to self will God be able to multiply all that we are and all that we have.
An important KingdomNomics principle is that as we progressively die to desiring the perishable values of this world, we will find the desire to invest in the imperishable values of the kingdom. God’s priorities will become our priorities. We will also experience God’s favor and his abundant life.
I have found these two verses in the book of Psalms to be critical as I keep my eyes on God’s will and not my own: “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield” (5:12, NIV). “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (84:11, NIV).
In what ways is your self-reliance, self-trust, self-sufficiency, independence keeping you from truly experiencing Son Power?
Son Power requires that you die to self.