Deny Yourself
Scripture: Matthew 16:24Devotional Series: Effectual Fervent Prayer
Teaching: Effectual Fervent Prayer pt. 4 (SUN_PM 2023-04-02) by Pastor Star R Scott
God Almighty meets you in prayer closet to talk to you: “I have a word for you.” So many of us run around looking for counsel, looking for a word, when God has a word for us (amen?): “This is the way.” What are you trying to figure out right now for your life? These decisions: “What am I going to do? How do we approach this? How are we going to obtain this goal? How are we to respond to this opportunity?” “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10); amen? Prayer is more about hearing than it is about speaking. Prayer is more about hearing than it is about speaking, so we need to come to that place of knowing that communion.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, or trespasses, as we forgive those who have sinned, or trespassed, against us.” He says it is so important, then, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” or, from the evil one, or, from this evil age (Matthew 6:9-15). We need to be further delivered from the world view that’s being promoted from so many different sides today, the philosophy of this world. You and I, as Christians, don’t much need to pray, “Deliver me from this fornication,” and, “Deliver me from this adultery,” as, “Guard me against the evil of self‑indulgence and covetousness.”
Self-indulgence is seen in more than just the physical appetites; self‑indulgence is the promotion of self-will. We are indulging “the self” every time we choose “the self”; amen? What does the Bible say to do with “the self”? “If any man will come after me, let him deny the self (amen?), take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Prayer is the daily crucifixion of the self. Praying daily is the daily crucifixion of the self‑man, of self‑exaltation. That just means doing what you feel like doing when you feel like doing it. Self‑exaltation isn’t trying to promote yourself in front of other people.
Self‑exaltation is just responding to the lusts of self‑indulgence. Many times, self‑indulgence is actually responding to all the little bunny trails we run down during the day: We have to see this new sale down at the mall, and all of these different things; “Oh, this sale is taking place,” and, “There’s a new special thing for the children,” and, “We have to go ride a pony and then we have got to do this,” and we are running to all of these places. It’s self‑indulgence if we are not making time to get quiet and hear God. It’s so “harmless,” but it keeps us from hearing the voice of God. It’s nothing evil in and of itself, but the prayer closet where the shekinah abides is left unattended. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Almighty God, who (Jesus says in this passage) we have the privilege to call “Abba” (amen?): there are eight billion people on the planet, and we can call Him “Daddy.” Hallelujah. We can run to Him, and He will never turn us away.
“Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, or trespasses, as we forgive those who have sinned, or trespassed, against us.” He says it is so important, then, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” or, from the evil one, or, from this evil age (Matthew 6:9-15). We need to be further delivered from the world view that’s being promoted from so many different sides today, the philosophy of this world. You and I, as Christians, don’t much need to pray, “Deliver me from this fornication,” and, “Deliver me from this adultery,” as, “Guard me against the evil of self‑indulgence and covetousness.”
Self-indulgence is seen in more than just the physical appetites; self‑indulgence is the promotion of self-will. We are indulging “the self” every time we choose “the self”; amen? What does the Bible say to do with “the self”? “If any man will come after me, let him deny the self (amen?), take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Prayer is the daily crucifixion of the self. Praying daily is the daily crucifixion of the self‑man, of self‑exaltation. That just means doing what you feel like doing when you feel like doing it. Self‑exaltation isn’t trying to promote yourself in front of other people.
Self‑exaltation is just responding to the lusts of self‑indulgence. Many times, self‑indulgence is actually responding to all the little bunny trails we run down during the day: We have to see this new sale down at the mall, and all of these different things; “Oh, this sale is taking place,” and, “There’s a new special thing for the children,” and, “We have to go ride a pony and then we have got to do this,” and we are running to all of these places. It’s self‑indulgence if we are not making time to get quiet and hear God. It’s so “harmless,” but it keeps us from hearing the voice of God. It’s nothing evil in and of itself, but the prayer closet where the shekinah abides is left unattended. “Men ought always to pray, and not to faint” (Luke 18:1). Almighty God, who (Jesus says in this passage) we have the privilege to call “Abba” (amen?): there are eight billion people on the planet, and we can call Him “Daddy.” Hallelujah. We can run to Him, and He will never turn us away.