Living in Denial

Letting Go to Hold on

Luke 9:23–25 CSB

23 Then he said to them all, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will save it. 25 For what does it benefit someone if he gains the whole world, and yet loses or forfeits himself?

We have to let go of ourselves to be able to hold on to what God has for us

Deny yourself

Take up his cross

Follow me

Simple formula to real success or fulfillment of what God has for you.

How do we deny ourselves.

We have to let go of what we want, think, feel etc...

The past

The pain

The offense

Our dreams that are not His will

Just a few...

Take up the cross.

Dying moments.

True change or adjustment in our lives.

When have this cross moment and die to the fleshly, selfish desires that rule our lives.

Follow me...

Where he leads

How he leads

Walk with Him

What we gain when we lose

What we lose when we gain

We lose it anyway...

Letting Go of Unforgiveness and Offenses

Don’t hold a grudge…Let it go

One of the largest stumbling blocks in our lives, is offense.

It will hold you in captivity and open the door to the devil to work in your life.

Mark 11:25 CSB

25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you your wrongdoing.”

7 Woe to the world because of offenses. For offenses will inevitably come, but woe to that person by whom the offense comes.

Matthew 18:21–35 CSB

21 Then Peter approached him and asked, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?” 22 “I tell you, not as many as seven,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven. 23 “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven can be compared to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle accounts, one who owed ten thousand talents was brought before him. 25 Since he did not have the money to pay it back, his master commanded that he, his wife, his children, and everything he had be sold to pay the debt. 26 “At this, the servant fell facedown before him and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 Then the master of that servant had compassion, released him, and forgave him the loan. 28 “That servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him, started choking him, and said, ‘Pay what you owe!’ 29 “At this, his fellow servant fell down and began begging him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he wasn’t willing. Instead, he went and threw him into prison until he could pay what was owed. 31 When the other servants saw what had taken place, they were deeply distressed and went and reported to their master everything that had happened. 32 Then, after he had summoned him, his master said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 33 Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And because he was angry, his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he could pay everything that was owed. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to you unless every one of you forgives his brother or sister from your heart.”

We forgive because we were forgiven

Forgiving is not excusing. “They got away with it” none of our business. God’s business.

We forgive because we were hurt and someone did us wrong.

When we don’t forgive it hurts us, not them.

Forgive and forget? Trust is earned. I can forgive you, love you and not trust you. However, we shouldn’t use a forgiven offense as a weapon and always remind someone. Don’t bring it up.

Check your roots

Mark 4:14–17 CSB

14 The sower sows the word. 15 Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them. 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.

Build on the rock

Don’t just know it, but do it...

Matthew 7:24 CSB

24 “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Be honest with yourself

Hebrews 12:15 CSB

15 Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and defiling many.

Amplified Bible Chapter 12

15 Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it—

How?

Pray for them

Bless them

Remember God forgave you

Let the Holy Spirit pour in the oil and wine and heal your hurt. You have to let go for Him to work

Your prayer life

Your faith

Your relationships

Your finances

Your Health

Your emotional well being

Let go and hold on today...