More Alive in Christ when Dead to Self
The monster called
self-centeredness first showed up in Heaven, the most unlikely location. This
was when a multi-gifted Angel named Lucifer suddenly realized that he too could
be worshiped. After all, he was most beautiful and had the ability to make
awesome music without even trying. Why not get the other Angels like Gabriel
the messenger and Michael the warrior, who were just normal looking and
sounding to bow down to him, he probably mused.
For
you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne
above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the
farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I
will be like the Most High’. (Isa 14:13-14)
As Heaven would not
have it, Lucifer ate his own words on his way down together with those that had
bought into his selfish idea. That was the birth of self-centeredness, as we
know it today. Clearly, the devil had a problem letting someone else lead. He
wanted to be the one on top. He had what is commonly known as the ‘I’ problem.
Notice the number of
times he used the word ‘I’ in the verses above - five times! And he does not
give up. He had to spread this sickness so he went on a nature walk at the Garden
of Eden. Here the devil cunningly convinces Eve to sin against God, to seek
their own and be free of God. One of the results of eating the forbidden fruit
was that they would be like gods, knowing good and evil and probably be worshiped. From the verse in Isaiah, we know who wanted to be like God;’ I will be like the Most High’ Satan had
said and since he did not get the opportunity, he was still trying to get man to
overthrow God by being like God.
Thus, when Jesus
came to redeem a lost world, the mission profile was to slay down this
particular monster, the self nature. This he did with accurate precision and
excellence. You see, Jesus had studied this monster for thousands of years. He
knew how, when and who it attacked. He knew the way it looked, talked and
walked. He knew its ammo and camouflage, its hideouts and sniper positions. So,
like the army commander he is, he prepared to take it down. And when the epic
battle was staged, it took many by surprise, the devil and his camp included for
it was a far cry from the military prowess Kings had shown in the past. He
fought it and won by dying on the cross and descending to hell.
The Holy Trinity in
their manifold wisdom knew that to triumph over this particular enemy, they
needed to give it what it hated most – selflessness. This was the only antidote
that would deal a fatal blow on the monster self. Jesus climbed on a cross and
died, he lay down his life that we could have life; he denied himself so that
we could have all we needed, he suffered so that we could be healed – he did everything
that was contrary to the self nature and by doing so subdued it.
Ironically, Satan
demanded worship, Jesus laid down his life, he demanded to ascend into heaven, and
Jesus descended into hell. (Isa 14:13-14) In essence, Jesus did the opposite of
what Satan had done and so triumphed over him.
This grand shocker
is recoded in Colossians 2:15.
Having disarmed principalities
and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
And this is the
example that our Lord Jesus set for all who wish to follow him. He taught that it is possible to put self
under subjection by denying it the power it so craves. Clearly, the battle of
the flesh is only won at death and that is what he calls us to. Like Jesus, we
are to let the self nature die, not once but daily. (Luke 9:23)
Throughout his
ministry here on earth, Jesus was relentless on the subject of self denial. The
man in Mathew 19:22 wanted to follow Jesus but could not when Jesus told him to
sell his possessions and follow him. Did Jesus really expect a rich man adorned
in gold, living in a luxurious mansion with hot running water and servants at
his beck and call to leave all that and
follow him? How was he going to adapt to sleeping wherever night found him,
literally go fishing for a meal, transverse villages stepping on cow and camel
droppings all without his cheque book? Indeed, over his dead body! But Jesus
did more than that. He left streets of gold in exchange for dry and dusty
paths, he put his God-like form aside and wore human skin made of mud, he left
comforts unimaginable, such that have no earthly comparison so that he could
save the world.
But that is exactly
where Jesus wants us, where nothing is too precious to lose, where no position
is too high to relinquish, where no one is too close to stand in the way. This
is the place of victory.
As we continue in
the battle against self, we can get deliberate. Whenever we feel a need to be
‘worshiped’ for our amazing gifts, positions, beauty or wealth, let us develop
an instinct to do just the opposite, like Jesus did. Let us subdue the monster
within by doing unto others as we would like them to do unto us. Let us;
Serve
those that we feel and know should serve us
Compliment
those that we feel should compliment us
Cheer
those that we feel should cheer us
Give
attention to those we think should give us
Acknowledge
those that we feel should acknowledge us
