Then Jesus told his disciples “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” (Matt 16:24 ESV)

The art of “denying ourselves” is the best way to describe living the Victorious Christian Life. Moment by moment we choose to serve God or ourselves. We make that decision in the big moments and the little moments of life. As a mother, wife, daughter, sister and friend, in what we wear, what we say, and how we live, we are always making a choice of who we will serve in that moment. Denying our fleshly desires and choosing God’s way or not.

I spent a lifetime of making choices to fill the gaping hole in my heart with what felt good and what seemed to fill it quickly. I still can if I am not mindful to go to Jesus first and deny myself instant relief from a need I want cared for. When I have feelings that are uncomfortable, sad, frustrating, unfair, or overwhelming I want a quick, feel-good fix. I
may find that in food, control, approval, shopping, relationships and other things. I must remember in these moments as my flesh cries out for anything other than Jesus that this is war. A war is waged against my soul. Feeding my flesh the things it craves will never satisfy like the arms of my loving Savior. The very things in this life that have created an angst in my soul are also the very things that have drawn me closer to Jesus. So, I make war moment by moment against the desire to feed my flesh what it thinks it wants and choose to feed my soul instead what it needs. That need is always met by Jesus.

It’s not easy and I fail many times but I am becoming a seasoned warrior whose deepest longings, wounds and scars find healing and comfort from her King. There is a song by Tedashi called “Make War”. In the beginning, a sermon by John Piper
is being played and it goes like this;

I hear so many Christians murmuring about their imperfections and their failures and their addictions and their shortcomings. Murmur, murmur, murmur….Why am I this way?

MAKE WAR!!!!

What wages war against your soul? Pride, a need to matter, wanting to be loved, an addiction, smoking, gambling, control, _________ ?

LADIES- MAKE WAR!!!!

Kim Spicer
Women’s Ministry Volunteer
Women of Character graduate