Lesson 5: Spiritual Formation through “Self” Awareness (Part 1)

Note to class leader: Review the main points of Lesson 4. Ask students who are willing to share their written prayers from Lesson 4.  Also review the three aspects of the journey of spiritual formation discussed in Lesson 2.

By the end of this lesson, the student should:

(1) Understand vital spiritual truths which will help us know ourselves.

(2) Understand the characteristics of pride.

(3) Be able to define brokenness and the characteristics of broken people.

(4) Apply the truths in this lesson to his or her life.

A Young Pastor

I once asked a young pastor of a growing church, “What is your greatest challenge in the ministry?” “Myself!” he replied without hesitation. I appreciated his honesty.

Someone Preparing for Ministry

A Christian young man has been studying for pastoral ministry but often finds himself in conflict with his fellow classmates and even his professors. He has wondered why. He has wondered why he can’t seem to find the inner peace he longs for. Only recently has he begun to see the pride of his heart – especially his stubbornness and self-seeking. He’s finally facing the truth about himself. He wants freedom from this self-centeredness and all the inner turmoil it has brought to his soul and is asking God to purify his heart.

A Wife and Mother

A Christian wife and mother found herself chafing against God’s call to give up her career for the sake of her family. Then, she found the secret of joy in yielding her plans for the richer, fuller plan of God! The profound joy she experiences today in caring for her little ones and husband is beyond description.

A Couple

A Christian couple found themselves in almost continual conflict with one another. Their affection was dying, and their marriage was in crisis. Through searching the Scriptures and godly counsel, they began to see the ugly nature of their self-centered hearts against the beautiful nature of God’s self-giving love. As they repented, God rekindled their love!

These snapshots remind us that humble believers receive transforming grace. We live in a time in history when the body of Christ is in desperate need of a revival of righteousness. In the United States, too many so-called Christians think and live just like the unsaved world. Many young people are fighting secret, losing battles with “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” – including sexual immorality, materialism, and conformity to the world.[1] In Africa and Asia we have discovered many professing Christians who are mixing biblical Christianity with ancestral worship and animistic superstitions.[2] Churches and families around the world are too often destroyed by conflict. Much blame can be laid at the feet of pastors and missionaries who teach and live a form of godliness but deny its cleansing, transformational power.[3]

Can we be holy, as God has called us to be?[4] Can we be transformed? Can we love the LORD with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind, and our neighbor as ourselves?[5] Can we live the Jesus life? We can if we are willing to face ourselves.

[1] 1 John 2:16

[2] In one country I visited I was asked to lay hands on a cluster of bananas and to pray for them so that barren women in the church could eat them and “their wombs will become fruitful.” I prayed for the women but not the bananas! In many countries sensual worship has replaced reverence, the preaching of the Word, and prayer.

[3] 2 Timothy 3:5

[4] 1 Peter 1:15-16

[5] Luke 10:27

Self-awareness – the knowledge of myself – is absolutely critical to formation into the image of Christ. To truly know oneself is to know that the unsanctified “self” is one’s greatest enemy.

How well do you know yourself?[4] Dennis Kinlaw writes:

"Every human person faces two questions that determine the course of existence. The first question deals with the nature of God. Who is he and what is he like? The second most important question that a person ever faces is the question of who you and I are and what we are like. If we understand the nature of God, and if we understand the nature of ourselves, there is a good chance that we will be able to live meaningful and effective lives in terms of service."[1]

Knowing ourselves begins with a willingness to see ourselves as we are. But, knowing ourselves as God knows us is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures teach, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”[2] Proverbs also warns us, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.”[3]

► Let’s begin with the prayer that through this lesson the Lord will give us a greater understanding of ourselves. Let Psalm 139:23-24 guide us in this prayer.

In this lesson and the next, we will be looking at eight vital truths that will help us know ourselves better. 

[1] Dennis Kinlaw, Malchus’ Ear (Wilmore: Francis Asbury Press, 2017), 56

[2] Jeremiah 17:9

[3] Proverbs 28:26

[4]“The life which is unexamined is not worth living.”
– Plato, “The Apology of Socrates”

Vital Truth #1: New birth leads to an awareness of pride.

Through spiritual new birth, we have been washed; and the Holy Spirit has come to live within us.[1] We are new creations in Christ Jesus ‒ the old is gone and the new has come.[2] Our desires have changed. Our attitude toward sin has greatly changed. In an instant, we moved from darkness to light; the Bible now describes us as “sanctified saints.”[3] We have a righteous standing before God. Though we may still “miss the mark” spiritually and struggle with besetting sin,[4] yet we experience victory over habitual sin.[5] If we sin, we feel grief and conviction we never experienced before conversion.[6] Real transformation has taken place, and people around us notice the change.

Beware of the person who testifies to being saved, but who continues to practice willful sin.

► Read Matthew 7:21-23. What does Jesus say about the person who calls Jesus “Lord, Lord” but does not do, or practice, the will of his Father? What will he say to them on the day of judgment?

Even though our hearts have been made new, the old nature now wars against the new. Many times, this inner battle takes new believers by surprise. They thought the sense of joy and peace would always be in their hearts. They are discouraged to find old attitudes and desires battling the new.

What is this old nature? How should we define it? The one word which comes as close as any other in defining the nature of sin is pride. “Pride is the greatest sin because it is the living heart of all sins.”[7]

[1] Titus 3:5-6; Romans 8:1-2, 9-11

[2] 2 Corinthians 5:17

[3] 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Ephesians 1:1

[4] Hebrews 12:1

[5] Romans 6:1

[6] John 16:8

[7] Peter Kreeft, “It Takes Humility to Know How Proud We Are,” High Calling, January-February 2017, 4.  Retrieved from http://www.francisasburysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/JanFeb2017-High-Callinglr.pdf  September 12, 2020.

Vital Truth #2: Pride – an unbroken will – is the greatest enemy of spiritual formation.

Nothing will hinder our pursuit of holiness more than pride – the love of self. Pride is the essence of original sin – a turning to one’s own way,[1] “a self-willed rejection of [divine] control.”[2]

Pride is the sin which caused Lucifer to be cast out of heaven[3] and the first man and woman to be cast out of the garden of Eden[4]. They responded to the appeal, “You will be like God.” By partaking of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve exerted their will over God’s will, indulged their flesh, and then tried to cover their own nakedness.

Pride was the sin of Babel which led to the confusion of languages and the scattering of nations. “Come, let us build ourselves a city and... let us make a name for ourselves,” they said.[5] Pride, manifest in self-interest, is what caused conflict in New Testament congregations, and even in church leaders who sought their own interests rather than the interests of Christ.[6] Pride is the disease we were born with, the cancer of the soul. God hates it![7] He resists it![8] He wants to cleanse it from our hearts.

When I was in Africa, I heard about a man who walked around with meat in his pocket and wondered why the dogs wouldn’t leave him alone! Pride is the meat in our spiritual pockets that will bring pain, defeat, and even death. It must be cleansed.

Theologians sometimes refer to man’s sinful nature as a “bent” toward sin or, more specifically, a bent toward self – or that which I think is right and good and pleasing to me! “The purpose of redemption is to undo our self-centered orientation – to turn us outward; so that we are interested not only in ourselves, but in the well-being of others.”[9]

If you really think about it, every sin and conflict in our lives is rooted in the soil of pride. Lust, a critical spirit, unforgiveness, greed, and stubbornness all spring from the poisonous waters of pride. Before we can partake fully of the life of holiness, we must come to see this problem in our own hearts.

► Read Galatians 5:19-21. Discuss as a group how the sins of the flesh mentioned in this passage originate with pride. Are you willing to evaluate your own heart? How about your relationships? Are you willing to be ruthlessly honest about the pride which is the source of so much trouble?

In the wilderness, Satan tempted Jesus to gratify his natural desires, bypass the cross, and seek earthly glory. In essence, Satan was tempting Jesus to commit the original sin – to indulge self, preserve self, and exalt self. But Jesus remained pure in heart!

Pride manifests itself in “self-centeredness” or “self-interest.” Self-interest often defeats our best efforts and best intentions to live the free, wonderful life of holiness. This is the self which seeks to exert itself against the Word of God and wars against the Spirit of God. This “carnal” self can be described in the following ways:

• Self-fulfillment – Seeking personal happiness apart from God.
• Self-gratification – Seeking what feels good apart from what glorifies God.
• Self-promotion – Seeking honor from men more than the honor of God.
• Self-sufficiency – The tendency to trust ourselves rather than God.
• Self-pity – The feeling that we deserve better than we’re getting.
• Self-preservation – Seeking what I believe is best for my life rather than abandoning myself to the wise and beautiful plan of God.
• Self-will – The bent toward choosing my will over God’s authority.

► Look up the following verses in the Gospel of Mark and notice how self-interest (pride) was at the core of every sin and weakness in their lives: Mark 8:33; 9:19; 9:33; 10:14; 10:37; 14:66-68.

Every believer must be brought to an awareness of self-centeredness which remains in the heart. John Wesley reminds us of the “fatal consequences” of denying this reality. Ignorance of this inner battle “tears away the shield of weak believers, deprives them of faith, and so leaves them exposed to all the assaults of the world, flesh, and the devil.”[10]

Like the disciples, we must be brought face to face with ourselves. Dennis Kinlaw says, “The best among us are no better than the worst. The strongest are no better than the weakest…. The best of the flesh is not enough.”[11] As long as one believes he can live a holy life on his own, God will let him struggle. As long as one refuses to see herself as God sees her, she will continue to fail.

In 1792, a new Presbyterian missionary by the name of John Hyde sailed for India. While on board, he opened a letter from a highly respected family friend which read: “I shall not cease praying for you, dear John, until you are filled with the Holy Spirit.” John’s pride was hurt, and he reacted in anger at the implication that he wasn’t filled with the Holy Spirit:

"My pride was touched, and I felt exceedingly angry, crushed the letter, threw it into a corner of the cabin, and went up on deck. I loved the writer; I knew the holy life he lived. And down in my heart was the conviction that he was right, and I was not fitted to be a missionary….

"In despair, I asked the Lord to fill me with the Holy Spirit, and the moment I did this the whole atmosphere was cleared up. I began to see myself and what a selfish ambition I had. It was a struggle almost to the end of the voyage, but I was determined long before the port was reached that, whatever the cost, I would be really filled with the Holy Spirit."[12]

After he arrived in India, John attended a street meeting where the preacher emphasized the power of the gospel ‒ not only to forgive sin but to give victory over it, so that one need not go on sinning.[13] John was convicted as he realized that although he had been preaching such a gospel, he was a stranger to its power. There was a besetting sin in his life which caused him to stumble spiritually. John went to his room and prayed, “Either thou must give me victory over all my sin, and especially over the sin that so easily besets me; or I shall return to America to seek there for some other work. I am unable to preach the gospel until I can testify to its power in my own life.”

In simple faith, he looked to Christ for the deliverance. Later he said, “He did deliver me, and I have not had a doubt of this since. I can now stand up without hesitation to testify that he has given me victory.” John Hyde came to be called “Praying Hyde” for his passionate prayers to reach lost souls. A few years before his death at age forty-seven, John felt clearly led to ask God for one soul a day; by the end of that year, the Lord had added over 365 converts to the church. The next year, John was led to ask for two souls a day; and the next year, four. Each request was granted. John points to both the secret and result of revival when he said, “What we need today is a revival of holiness."

Pride always blocks the favor of God, but he blesses the humble.

[1] Isaiah 53:6

[2] Quote from Alexander MacLaren, “Commentary on Isaiah 53”

[3] Isaiah 14:12-14

[4] Genesis 3:5

[5] Genesis 11:4

[6] Philippians 2:21

[7] Proverbs 6:16-17

[8] James 4:6

[9] Dennis Kinlaw, “The Mind of Christ,” High Calling, January-February 2017, 1, 9.  Retrieved from http://www.francisasburysociety.com/wp-content/uploads/JanFeb2017-High-Callinglr.pdf  September 12, 2020.

[10] John Wesley, from his sermon, “On Sin in Believers.”

[11] Dennis Kinlaw, Malchus’ Ear (Wilmore: Francis Asbury Press, 2017), 80

[12] Edwin & Lillian Harvey, They Knew Their God (Volume 1), (1974), pp. 105-111

[13] 1 John 1:9

Vital Truth #3: Self-centeredness wars against the Spirit who forms us into the image of Christ.

In the heart of the believer, there is a battle for supremacy. This battle is described in Galatians like this:

"But I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."[1]

John Wesley states,

"I do not suppose that any man who is justified is a slave to sin: yet I do suppose sin [self-centeredness] remains (at least for a time) in all who are justified…. The usurper is dethroned. [Sin] remains where he once reigned; but remains in chains. [Though he wars] yet he grows weaker and weaker; while the believer goes from strength to strength, conquering and to conquer."[2]

The battle between self-centeredness (“flesh”) and Spirit is a common experience among Christians. Wesley continues,

"There is in every person, even after he is justified, two contrary principles... termed by St. Paul, the flesh and the Spirit. Hence, although even babes in Christ are sanctified, yet only in part. In a degree, according to the measure of their faith, they are spiritual; yet in a degree they are carnal. Accordingly, believers are continually exhorted to watch against the flesh, as well as the world and the devil. And to this agrees the constant experience of the children of God. While they feel the witness in themselves, they feel a will not wholly resigned to the will of God. They know they are in him; and yet find a heart ready to depart from him, a proneness to evil... and a backwardness to that which is good.... Although we are renewed, cleansed, purified, sanctified, the moment we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether; but the flesh, the evil nature, still remains (though subdued) and wars against the Spirit. So much more, let us use all diligence in 'fighting the good fight of faith.' So much the more earnestly, let us 'watch and pray' against the enemy within. The more carefully let us take to ourselves and 'put on the whole armor of God;' that... we 'may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.'[3]

Self-Interest Leads to Degrees of Failure

► Read Galatians 5:16-24 and discuss what happens when the Holy Spirit and the flesh oppose one another. Are you willing to discuss how this battle has played out in your life?

Every true disciple of Jesus has experienced this inner battle for control. When the Holy Spirit is winning and leading, the spiritual fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control is being produced in my life. But if pride is allowed to exert its will, even for a moment, there will be some degree of failure: “sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.” Because a believer has been given a new nature, and because the indwelling Holy Spirit constantly is waring against self-sins of the heart, they will never dominate the life of the true Christian;[4] but until a believer learns to live under the complete control of the Holy Spirit, there will be momentary defeats.

Even Christians who live in the completeness of the Holy Spirit’s control, at any given moment, will find that there are areas of pride that will need to be revealed throughout his or her lifetime. I’ll never forget how I found myself struggling as a missionary. There were problems, and without hardly noticing, I began to react in un-Christlike ways. I remember how difficult it was for me to admit my problem. The Lord spoke to my heart and said, “Son, you’re an angry man.” “Lord, I’m not angry,” I thought. “I’m a missionary who’s left everything to follow you to this country.” The Lord spoke to my heart again and said, “Well then, you’re an angry missionary!” Accepting this humbling truth, rather than justifying myself, became yet another pivotal moment in my journey.

Self-Interest Is the Source of Conflict[7]

► Read James 4:1-8. What was the cause of the inner turmoil and conflict among believers to whom James was writing? Why were they not getting their prayers answered? Why does James call these Christian “adulterers and adulteresses”?

Until the battle between flesh and Spirit is resolved, we’re like married men and women who still entertain romantic thoughts for a former lover. We’re not having a physical affair, but our affections haven’t been crucified until we’ve become wholly devoted to one spouse. As you look at the above biblical example, I think you will clearly see that the root cause of turmoil in the heart and conflict in the church is pride in the hearts of its members. Because of pride, God was resisting them. “God resists the proud.”[5]

This common struggle, and the problems it causes, is illustrated in the following story. In the history of a large group of churches I serve in the Philippines there is this almost unbelievable story: A pastor was sent by national church leaders to pastor a particular congregation. However, the previous pastor refused to vacate the parsonage because a few of the church members wanted him to stay. For a while, the new pastor and the “old” pastor were living in the same parsonage, pastoring the same congregation! The new pastor was the “official” pastor, called, chosen, appointed, and supported by the national leaders. The old pastor was kept in position by the sympathies and stubbornness of a few of the members. One can imagine what confusion this caused! It could not continue. Who will preach the sermon? Who will they look to for counsel? Whose authority will the congregation follow ‒ the old pastor or the new? The congregation would have to choose. Either they would keep the old pastor and lose the blessings and benefits of the national church, or they would win the blessing of the national leaders by yielding to their authority. Thankfully they chose to submit to the national leaders, and the congregation went on to do great things for God.

The conflict between the old man and the new man is an experience every believer has known. The “old man” has been “put to death,” though he tries desperately to hold his position, exercise control, and retain influence. He has no authority but tries to make you believe that he does. The new man has been redeemed by the blood of Christ. The new man has been called, chosen, and created by him in righteousness and holiness. The new man has been sealed with the Holy Spirit and has now been made the dwelling place of God, and God will never rest until the old man is ousted from the throne of your heart.

As long as the old man is allowed to remain; as long as you keep feeding him; as long as you insist on giving him even a corner in which to occupy, he will bring unrest, inner conflict, and destruction. He has to die. If we choose to feel sorry for him and give him even the smallest room, from there he will wage war against the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, and holiness.

The questions every generation of earnest believers must answer are these:

• Is the life of constant struggle with self-interest the best life I can hope for? Or, has God provided a way for self-interest to be purified from my heart so that the will of God and love for God is supreme?
• Is it possible to love God with all my heart, mind, and strength and my neighbor as myself?
• Can I come to the place in my walk with God and man that I do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, but always esteem others better than myself and seek their interests over my own?[6]

[1] Galatians 5:16-17

[2] John Wesley, from his sermon, “On Sin in Believers.”

[3] Ibid.

[4] 1 John 2:3-4; 3:7-9

[5] James 4:6

[6] Philippians 2:3-4

[7]“Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not a straw whether they be clergymen or laymen, such alone will shake the gates of hell and set up the kingdom of heaven upon earth.”
- John Wesley

► I’m asking everyone right now to be very honest with themselves and to do some personal evaluation. Take a few minutes to quietly ask yourself this question: What really is the cause of ________________? Ask the Holy Spirit to help you see yourself. Feel free to use the following questions as a guide:

• Am I easily offended?
• Am I resentful when others are promoted over me?
• Are children afraid to come near me?
• Am I overly sensitive to criticism?
• Are people afraid to share their opinions around me?
• Do I feel morally or spiritually superior to others?
• Do I listen to people, or do I do most of the talking?
• Do I raise my voice to make my point rather than thoughtful, respectful reflection?
• Do I offer solutions and opinions before hearing all the facts?
• Do I bring up the faults of others to try to make myself look good?
• Do I try to win arguments by saying, “God told me”? (When you do this, you place yourself in a position of moral and spiritual superiority.)
• Do I judge others by their outward appearances?
• Do I save the best and the biggest for myself?
• In my heart, do I consider myself better than others?

Vital Truth #4: After regeneration, death to self is the next step to experiencing the fullness of God and the life of holiness.

Jesus said that anyone who desires to be his disciple must completely disregard his own interests and take up his cross daily and follow him.[1] The cross was not the beautiful polished symbol Christians sometimes wear around their necks today, but a Roman instrument of death. When a criminal was executed by the cross, there wasn’t a chance they were coming down alive. A criminal would hang until their life-blood ebbed away and every breath was gone. When Jesus commands every disciple to take up their cross daily, he simply means that our old prideful, lustful, stubborn selves must be decisively nailed to the cross of Christ, so that our new redeemed selves might live the Jesus life. Death to self means that our old will, our plans, our old concern for reputation, our old ways of thinking, our old pursuit of pleasure, our old carnal desires are fastened to the cross of Christ. Now, we completely live to him!

► Read Matthew 16:24 together.

The way of death to self is the way to a life of abundance![2] Probably no one who comes to Christ for forgiveness of sins is fully aware of how completely committed God is to our death! Many great men and women throughout church history have come to understand this truth:

Martin Luther: “God creates out of nothing. Therefore, until a man is nothing, God can make nothing out of him.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon: “I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to him.”

Richard Baxter: “Self is the most treacherous enemy.... Of all other vices it is the hardest to find out, and the hardest to cure.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”

J.I. Packer: “Jesus Christ demands self-denial, that is, self-negation, as a necessary condition for discipleship. Self-denial is a summons to submit to the authority of God as Father and of Jesus Christ as Lord.... Accepting death to everything that carnal self wants to possess is what Christ’s summons to self-denial is all about.”

George Mueller, known for his great faith and his ministry to thousands of orphans in nineteenth century England, was asked the secret of his fruitful service to the Lord. “There was a day when I died, utterly died,” he answered. As he spoke, he bent lower and lower until he almost touched the floor. “I died to George Mueller – his opinions, his preferences, his tastes, and his will – died to the approval or blame even of my brethren and friends – and since then, I have studied only to show myself approved unto God.”[3]

Other biblical terms for death to self are “broken” and “contrite.”[4]

Misconceptions about Brokenness[5]

(1) Brokenness is always being sad and gloomy.

We sometimes imagine broken people as those who never smile or laugh. In reality, biblical brokenness produces freedom and a deep sense of joy and peace.

(2) Brokenness is thinking badly about oneself.  (Examples: “I’m no good! I’m a worm!”)

There can be a false humility here.

(3) Brokenness is being deeply emotional.

“Unfortunately, countless people have shed buckets full of tears and yet never experienced a moment of true brokenness.”[6]

(4) Brokenness is being deeply hurt by tragic circumstances.

One may experience many hurts and still be very proud.

Brokenness as the Bible Defines It

Broken:

"Brokenness is the absolute shattering of my self-will – the absolute surrender of my will to God. It is saying ‘Yes, Lord!’ – no resistance, no chafing, no stubbornness – simply submitting myself to his direction and will for my life."[7]

Contrite: That word suggests something that is crushed into small particles or ground into powder, as a rock is pulverized. “What is it that God wants to pulverize in us? It is not our spirit he wants to break, nor our essential personhood. He wants to break our self-will.”[8]

Much like a cowboy who wants to break a horse, not to hurt it or maim it, but to make it submissive to his commands.

"True brokenness is the breaking of my self-will so that the life and spirit of the Lord Jesus may be released through me... the stripping of self-reliance and independence from God... the softening of the soil of my heart... honesty before God... humility before others."[9]

Characteristics of Broken People

How do we know that we have a “broken and contrite heart”? The following characteristics are only perfectly found in Jesus, but they will be increasingly true of Spirit-filled Christians:

• Broken people have a teachable spirit.
• Broken people are willing to yield to others.
• Broken people fear God more than man.
• Broken people have a submissive spirit.
• Broken people accept God’s opinion over culture and tradition.
• Broken people do not promote themselves and are not afraid of the lowest seat.
• Broken people graciously accept honor without pride.
• Broken people confess their faults and do not feel the need to protect their image.
• Broken people obey God in little things.
• Broken people wait on the Lord before making decisions.
• Broken people walk by faith and not by sight.
• Broken people pursue holiness rather than happiness.

► What do you think would happen if more of us would truly die to self? Evaluate yourself with this list. What do you think would be different in your home? Church? Ministry? Allow time for anyone who wants to share with the group.

[1] Matthew 16:24

[2] John 12:24

[3] D.W. Ekstrand, “Dying to Self.’  Retrieved from http://www.thetransformedsoul.com/additional-studies/spiritual-life-studies/dying-to-self September 12, 2020.

[4] Psalm 51:17, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart – these O God, you will not despise.”

[5] Most of the following insights on brokenness are gleaned from Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2008), 43-45.

[6] Ibid, 49

[7] Ibid, 44

[8] Ibid, 44

[9] Ibid, 44

Vital Truth #5: Death to self, leading to a holy life, requires decisive surrender.

The death Jesus calls us to will not happen without our deliberate, decisive obedience. We will not grow into it, though surrender will probably not happen for many of us without a period of struggle. How clever Satan is. He has convinced multitudes of believers that the normal Christian life is one of struggle against the will of God, and that they should not expect decisive victory. Struggle is common, but not normal. The life of Jesus, operating in us by faith, is the normal Christian life.

The history of both human and spiritual warfare reveals that in every successful war there are strategic decisions which lead to decisive turning points. Without decisive victories on the battlefield, resources are wasted and lives are lost. Oh, how this generation of believers needs some decisive victories!

Jesus, the Man, Became an Example of Decisive Victory

In the garden of Gethsemane, the human Jesus struggled to take up his cross; but before he left the garden, he had renewed his surrender to the will of his Father.[1] He is God’s “normal” standard.

• In the garden, Jesus, the God-man experienced a period of very real struggle. He did not have a sinful nature, but the demands of obedience weighed heavy upon his humanity.
• Jesus was led by his Father to a decisive moment of surrender, where the only way forward was to yield his will to the sovereign will of God.
• The moment of victory came when Jesus prayed, “nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
• From the moment of surrender, Jesus rose to face loneliness, betrayal, injustice, humiliation, and death with grace and courage. From that moment of surrender, Jesus experienced divine power.

As Jesus was led to a moment of decisive surrender to the will of his Father, so Jesus will lead each one of us to a moment of decisive surrender. God will come to each one of us and say, “Child, here is where I want you to lay down your life.” The decisive choice to die then with Christ will lead to a life of spiritual abundance.

From the foundation of the world, Jesus was the Lamb of God slain for sin. In one sense, the work of redemption was already accomplished in the mind of God; and victory was already sure. Yet, the plan of redemption was not automatic, but had to be worked out in time. So it is with us. The Scriptures are consistent and clear that God calls every believer whom he has redeemed to “present your (redeemed) bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”[2]

Abraham: An Example of Decisive Surrender 

One day, God asked Abraham and young Isaac to take a walk with him ‒ a walk which would lead to Mount Moriah, the mountain of Christ’s death, and to Abraham’s full surrender of himself to God. This was a pivotal moment in Abraham’s relationship with God and the greatest test of his life.[3] God was very clear with Abraham from the very outset of the journey: “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”[4] Abraham did not resist. After a difficult three-day journey, he bound his love to the altar and raised the knife... and died to Abraham.

Ultimately, God did not want Abraham’s sacrifice – Isaac – but his surrender of Isaac.[5] God provided the perfect and complete sacrifice (Jesus), “instead of” Isaac; through humble surrender, Abraham would share in that sacrifice. God didn’t need a sacrifice. Centuries later, King David, longing for heart cleansing, would pray,

"For you do not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."[6]

Truly, there is nothing we can offer God, or do for God, that will make up for who we are and what we’ve done. We cannot remove the guilt and stains from our hearts. Only God can do this. All we can do is come to God in brokenness and surrender and receive his grace. 

Again, God didn’t want to kill Isaac; he wanted Abraham to let go of him, to give up control, to let go of any competing love. “(God) said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’”[7] In other words, “It’s not the boy I want, but you Abraham! I just wanted to know that you are wholly mine and that even this precious life belongs to me.” In a very real sense, when Abraham raised the knife in obedience to God, it was Abraham who died, not Isaac. Abraham died to his right to own Isaac, the child of promise. This was God’s intention all along. 

In the same way, God gives us eternal life through faith in him; and then he asks us to offer this life back to him as a living sacrifice ‒ to raise the knife and say, “Lord, this life isn’t mine, but yours! Do with me and in me whatever you choose, even if it appears humanly foolish! I’ll go where you want me to go, do what you want me to do, say what you want me to say, and be what you want me to be.” This is only difficult because of that selfish part of our natural life which grasps, which holds back and wants to retain control. This is the part of our nature Jesus dealt with at the cross. This is the part of our nature he must cleanse in order to fill us with his Spirit and to bestow the full blessings of his kingdom upon us.

God will only ask us to put to death that within us which resists his sovereign control and his absolute authority, that part of us – the flesh – which wars against him and pushes his hands away. This is the part of our nature which cannot be redeemed and will never be subject to God’s authority.

God would rather use the gifts and blessings he has given us for his glory than to take them away. But we cannot know what part will stay on the altar with Christ, or what part will rise up from the altar, until we have offered our all without reservation to God. We lift the knife of full surrender. He chooses what lives and what dies. This is what it means to be a living sacrifice. 

Have you experienced decisive surrender? What love in your life has God asked you to die to?

[1] Luke 22:42

[2] Romans 12:1

[3] Genesis 22:1

[4] Genesis 22:2

[5] Genesis 22:12

[6] Psalm 51:16-17, English Standard Version, emphasis added.

[7] Genesis 22:12, emphasis added.

(1) Take a test based on the material from this lesson.

(2) Spend at least thirty minutes this week reviewing this lesson, including the Scripture references, asking the Holy Spirit for insight.

(3) Record in your journal any specific changes that ought to be made in your life, as the Lord reveals them to you.

(4) Meditate on at least one Psalm in your daily devotional time, and record in your journal what the psalmist says about the nature and character of God.

(5) Record in your journal a personal prayer for spiritual transformation and growth based on this lesson.

(6) Practice using Dr. Brown’s Daily Prayer Guide in your daily private prayer.

(1) Name the five vital truths for knowing ourselves taught in this lesson.

(2) Give four manifestations of “self” mentioned in this lesson.

(3) What are six of the twelve characteristics of broken people in this lesson?

(4) Explain in your own words how Jesus is an example of decisive surrender.