Manifesting Jesus Through Dying to Self

Devotional

Day 1: Experiencing the Power of the Holy Spirit Through Self-Denial

The journey of faith is not just about acquiring knowledge but about experiencing the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. This power is closely linked to the concept of dying to self, which allows God's power to rest upon us and enables us to live an overcoming life. The act of dying to self is a conscious decision to let go of our own desires and ambitions, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill us and guide us. This process is not always easy, as it requires a deep level of submission and trust in God's plan for our lives. However, it is through this surrender that we can truly experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit and live a life that reflects the character of Christ. [04:06]

Ephesians 3:16-17 (ESV): "that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,"

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are relying on your own strength instead of the Holy Spirit? How can you begin to surrender this area to God today?

Day 2: Manifesting the Life of Jesus Through Brokenness

The life of Jesus is manifested in us when we allow our self-life to be broken, much like a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit. This requires a willingness to submit to God's will, even in the face of affliction and persecution. The Apostle Paul exemplified this through his own experiences, where his outer shell of self-life was cracked, allowing the life of Jesus to shine through. This process of brokenness is not about losing ourselves but about finding our true identity in Christ. It is through this brokenness that we can truly reflect the love and grace of Jesus to those around us. [09:00]

2 Corinthians 4:10-11 (ESV): "always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh."

Reflection: Think of a recent challenge or trial you faced. How did it help you to rely more on Jesus and less on yourself?

Day 3: Finding True Rest in God's Presence

True rest and peace, symbolized by the Sabbath, are found in ceasing from our own efforts and entering into God's rest. This inner rest is essential for effective service and overcoming life's challenges. It is not about inactivity but about a state of being where we trust in God's provision and timing. This rest allows us to serve God with a heart that is free from anxiety and striving, enabling us to be more effective in our ministry and daily lives. By entering into God's rest, we can experience a peace that surpasses all understanding, guarding our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. [20:10]

Hebrews 4:9-10 (ESV): "So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally enter into God's rest this week? How can this practice impact your daily life and service to others?

Day 4: Allowing the Peace of Christ to Guide Us

The peace of Christ should act as a referee in our hearts, guiding us to address any unrest we feel. This unrest indicates areas where we have not yet died to self, and addressing it leads to a greater manifestation of Jesus' life in us. By allowing the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts, we can discern when we are out of alignment with God's will and make the necessary adjustments. This peace is not just a feeling but a guiding principle that helps us navigate the complexities of life with wisdom and grace. [29:03]

Colossians 3:15 (ESV): "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful."

Reflection: Is there an area of your life where you feel unrest or lack of peace? How can you invite the peace of Christ to guide you in this area today?

Day 5: Aspiring to Manifest the Life of Jesus

The ultimate goal is to have the life of Jesus manifested in us and through us to others. This surpasses any worldly achievements and is the true measure of a life well-lived in God's eyes. By choosing the path of dying to self, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, transforming us and impacting those around us. This transformation is not about perfection but about progress, as we continually seek to reflect the character of Christ in our thoughts, words, and actions. As we pursue this goal, we can find fulfillment and purpose in knowing that our lives are making an eternal impact. [13:53]

Galatians 2:20 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to allow the life of Jesus to be more fully manifested in you? How can this step impact those around you?

Sermon Summary

In reflecting on my journey of faith, I shared how, despite being born again and baptized 63 years ago, I initially found myself lacking the power to live an overcoming life. This realization led me to seek a deeper understanding of being filled with the Holy Spirit, a concept not emphasized in my early church experiences. Through personal seeking and revelation, I discovered that the anointing of the Holy Spirit is closely tied to the concept of dying to self, as exemplified by Jesus' baptism by John. This act of submission symbolizes the death of our self-life, allowing God's power to manifest in us.

The essence of the Christian life is not about accumulating knowledge or achieving worldly success but about manifesting the life of Jesus through us. This requires the breaking of our self-life, much like a grain of wheat must fall to the ground and die to produce fruit. The Apostle Paul illustrates this through his own experiences of affliction, perplexity, and persecution, which served to crack the outer shell of his self-life, allowing the life of Jesus to shine through.

True rest and peace, as symbolized by the Sabbath, are found in dying to self and ceasing from our own efforts. This inner rest is crucial for effective service to God and is the secret to overcoming various struggles such as anger, jealousy, and discouragement. The peace of Christ should act as a referee in our hearts, guiding us to stop and address any unrest we feel, which indicates areas where we have not yet died to self.

Ultimately, the goal is to have the life of Jesus manifested in us and through us to others. This is the greatest achievement we can aspire to, far surpassing any worldly accomplishments. By choosing the path of dying to self, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, transforming us and impacting those around us.

Key Takeaways

1. The journey of faith involves moving beyond mere knowledge to experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit, which is linked to dying to self. This process allows God's power to rest upon us, enabling us to live an overcoming life. [04:06]
2. The life of Jesus is manifested in us when we allow our self-life to be broken, much like a grain of wheat must die to produce fruit. This requires submission to God's will, even in the face of affliction and persecution. [09:00]
3. True rest and peace, symbolized by the Sabbath, are found in ceasing from our own efforts and entering into God's rest. This inner rest is essential for effective service and overcoming life's challenges. [20:10]
4. The peace of Christ should act as a referee in our hearts, guiding us to address any unrest we feel. This unrest indicates areas where we have not yet died to self, and addressing it leads to greater manifestation of Jesus' life in us. [29:03]
5. The ultimate goal is to have the life of Jesus manifested in us and through us to others. This surpasses any worldly achievements and is the true measure of a life well-lived in God's eyes. [13:53]
** [13:53]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Early Church Experience
[00:46] - Seeking the Holy Spirit
[01:33] - Disappointment and Revelation
[02:25] - Meaning of Baptism
[03:27] - Choosing Death to Self
[05:32] - New Covenant Blessing
[06:12] - Grain of Wheat Analogy
[08:49] - Life of Jesus Manifested
[10:31] - Breaking the Outer Shell
[12:15] - Dying of Jesus
[14:23] - Manifesting Jesus' Life
[16:29] - Rest as Proof of Death
[18:09] - Lesson of the Sabbath
[21:12] - Importance of Inner Rest
[24:06] - Repentance and Rest
[27:01] - Secret of a Victorious Life
[29:03] - Peace as a Referee
[30:19] - Transformation Through Dying to Self

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Matthew 3:13-17
Romans 6:3-4
2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Observation Questions:

According to Matthew 3:13-17, what significant event occurred when Jesus was baptized by John, and how does this relate to the concept of being filled with the Holy Spirit? [02:25]
In Romans 6:3-4, what is the symbolic meaning of baptism, and how does it relate to the idea of dying to self? [02:40]
How does 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 describe the process of the life of Jesus being manifested in us, and what role does affliction play in this process? [09:00]
What analogy does the sermon use to explain the necessity of dying to self, and how is this illustrated in the life of a grain of wheat? [06:12]

Interpretation Questions:

How does the act of Jesus' baptism by John serve as a model for believers in understanding the anointing of the Holy Spirit? [02:25]
What does it mean to "die to self," and how does this concept challenge the traditional understanding of success and achievement in the Christian life? [04:06]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that true rest and peace are achieved, and how does this relate to the biblical concept of the Sabbath? [20:10]
How does the peace of Christ function as a "referee" in our hearts, and what does this indicate about areas in our lives where we have not yet died to self? [29:03]

Application Questions:

Reflect on a time when you felt a lack of power in your spiritual life. How might seeking a deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit's role help you overcome this? [00:46]
Consider the areas of your life where you are still holding onto self-life. What practical steps can you take to submit these areas to God and allow His power to manifest in you? [03:27]
Identify a situation where you experienced unrest. How can you use this as an opportunity to examine areas where you need to die to self and enter into God's rest? [16:29]
Think about a recent conflict or challenge you faced. How can you apply the principle of letting the peace of Christ act as a referee in your heart to guide your response? [29:03]
What are some specific ways you can focus on manifesting the life of Jesus in your daily interactions with others? How can this become a greater priority than worldly achievements? [13:53]
Reflect on the analogy of the grain of wheat. What "outer shells" in your life need to be cracked open for the life of Jesus to be fully manifested in you? [06:12]
How can you cultivate a lifestyle of rest and peace, ensuring that your service to God is effective and not hindered by personal struggles or unrest? [20:10]

Sermon Clips

i found a great lack of power in my life, i had a lot of information in my head, and that's what that church majored on, teaching teaching and you get a lot of information from scripture, but not the power to live an overcoming life, and i feel that is the condition of many christians who go to churches and some more information, truths but the test is in our daily life, do we have the power to live the way jesus wants us to live [00:00:32]

the meaning of baptism is romans 6 says are submitting to death to my self-life, it's times my old man was crucified with christ so i submit, it's you know that's uh, you allow a person to put you under the water, it's a symbol, just like breaking your bread is a symbol, so here's a symbol of you're submitting to somebody who's pushing you down in the water it's the surest way to die if you keep him there, he'll definitely die it's just a matter of minutes before he's dead [00:02:30]

i learned something that day if i want god's power to rest in my life and in my ministry, i have to choose the way of death to self he won't force me, you know when somebody baptizes you you can resist it say no i don't want to go under the water, and i decided, because i because that was 59 years ago and i said lord i want to know more and more of it and through the years i've learned more and more [00:04:07]

the important thing is whether we have the life of jesus being manifested in our body, and these verses tell us how that happens, it says in 2nd corinthians 4 and verse 7 we have a treasure in this earth and vessel, that's treacherous christ, and for that life of christ that came into you when you were born again into me and you, for it's there but for it to be manifest our self-life which covers it up must be crushed [00:05:29]

god wants to bring forth much fruit from every one of us, but that's hidden inside a shell which we call our self-life, we want to protect our dignity our reputation ourself, i want my way, as long as you keep that attitude there's life inside christ has come into your heart but it will never be manifest and you can live all your life and discover when you stand at the judgment seat of christ that you wasted your earthly life [00:07:23]

always carrying about in my body the dying of jesus, there's a dying of jesus on the cross where he died for my sins i have no part in that, i cannot die for my sins he died, nobody else could die almighty god had to come as a man and die, but the bible says that i was crucified with him, and in that way there's a dying of jesus that i have to live with every single day [00:12:15]

wherever you see a man from whom life much fruit is coming you can be absolutely sure that in his secret life he has died numerous times to many things, died to ambition, died to opportunities to make something out of his own life in this world, and saying lord i only want to live for you you will discover in the final day that all that you accomplish in this world has got no value if christ was not manifested in your life [00:13:00]

let this peace of christ, the margin of my bible says be the referee, in your hearts, there is a referee with a whistle inside your heart, when he blows the whistle, stop the game, nothing you do after that will be counted, you can run with the ball kick the ball it will not be counted, you can throw it into the basket or kick it into the goal it will not be counted [00:28:50]

whenever you find unrest in your heart in any situation don't blame somebody else, don't blame your children, don't blame that neighbor, don't blame that other guy in the office, don't blame your relatives, say lord, the referee's blown the whistle in my heart, i'm gonna stop, i can't change him i can't change the people around me, if i can do something about myself, i am going to enter into the dying of jesus [00:29:40]

it's the secret of a victorious life, it's the secret of overcoming anger it's the secret of overcoming jealousy bitterness complaining grumbling, it's a secret of overcoming discouragement and condemnation and being constantly irritated with somebody, the problem may remain but you will be at rest, that evil person may remain evil but you'll be at rest, it's a wonderful life this is the life god prepared for his people [00:27:01]

in repentance and rest you will be saved, again it's about rest the sabbath rest, repentance means turning around, in turning around from that way you're going right now, and coming to a place of rest you will be saved, you will be saved from your self-life, you'll be saved from so many problems in your life if you learn to live this life of rest [00:24:06]

the life of jesus will be through me begin to be manifested in other people, so verses 10 and 11 is referring to myself, and verse 12 it is going to be manifested in others, so now, how do i know that i have really died to myself, there is one way, you know what is written on a coffin, r i p, rest in peace, rest is the proof of death [00:30:19]

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