Scripture:
Matthew 16:24 If anyone desires to come after Me, let them deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow Me.
Observation:
Fasting is not getting God to do what we want. It is humbling ourselves and denying ourselves of pleasure so we can align with God’s word, heart, and priorities. We starve the flesh to feed the spirit.
In this passage, Jesus makes a distinction between the crowd of onlookers and those that are chasing after Him. Jeremiah 29:13 tells us that we will find God IF we seek Him with all of our heart. Many times, God is calling us higher and to do and be more than we are but we stagnate because we want what we want and our hearts aren’t really in it. We are like the rich young ruler that liked the idea of following Jesus until it cost him something.
Being a disciple of Jesus won’t cost you a lot – it will cost you everything, but you get your life, purpose, blessing, eternity, and Jesus. What we give up is nothing in comparison to what we gain. See Matthew 13:44-45.
Application:
God called David a man who chased after His heart. So, what does this look like? We must deny our flesh, selfishness, and sinful desires and appetites. We must then take up our cross, which means to die to ourselves and choose to obey Jesus without reservation. Only after that are we free to truly follow where He leads.
Prayer:
Jesus, I love You. Thank You for today. Help me to surrender my life to You. I want to be a Jesus chaser. Help me to choose to deny myself, to take up my cross, and to follow where You are leading in my life.
Worship: