Take up the Cross and Follow Him

Something I was reading in my Bible the other day, that "stuck-out" to me, was Matthew 16:24-27.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, 'If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.'"

I have to deny myself and give up the lusts of the flesh, and follow Jesus. Another verse I was reading yesterday, was all about how the Holy Spirit and the lusts of the flesh are against each other. I can't have both of them at the same time, just as I can't have the Savior and sin inside of me. Below are the verses I am referring too.

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law." Galatians 5:16-18

Now I loved this part. My whole life I have struggled through my flesh. I have prayed that the Lord would give me the Holy Spirit, however, I have never gotten an answer. Well, one that I liked anyway. The Holy Spirit cannot be inside of me, if I let my flesh rule my life. Thus, I have to deny myself and my flesh and give myself wholly unto Christ.

If you keep reading in Galatians, 5:19-26, explain more about what the works of the flesh are, and what the works of the Spirit are. They are completely different and have given me knowledge and some comfort in knowing what I must work on to gain this works of the Spirit, and lose those of the flesh.

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornications, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I told you in time past, that those who practice such things will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." 

I loved this part, and my parents are always reminding me to keep the fruits of the Spirit. It's a great reminder, and hopefully the Lord will help me when it comes to this area. I need to work on keeping the fruits of the Spirit, and not those of the flesh.

Thanks for reading,
Josiah