1. I met an old friend recently and we got talking about Jesus Christ. He was all smiles, until I called his attention to the CATECHISM OF CHRIST, as it is written: “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, IF ANY MAN WILL COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and FOLLOW ME” [Matthew 16:24] Suddenly, the smiles were gone. I asked if he was aware of the requirement to “DENY HIMSELF”, he was speechless. I assured him; going to Church, prayer mountains, tithes and offerings are all good, but do not fulfil the CATECHISM OF CHRIST. The WORD of the Lord is INFALLIBLE; everyone that comes to Christ MUST DENY HIMSELF, that is, CRUCIFY THE FLESH, as the Bible says: “And THEY THAT ARE CHRIST’S HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH THE AFFECTIONS and LUSTS” [Galatians 5:24] It does not matter what your parish Pastor say or think of you; you have no part in Jesus Christ if you have not CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH THE AFFECTIONS AND LUSTS. AFFECTIONS and LUSTS include all ambitions, thoughts and imaginations that reigned in us before we came to Christ. To DENY SELF is akin to dying on the Cross as Jesus did, where “… our OLD MAN is CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, that the BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, that henceforth WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN” [Romans 6:6]
2. The “OLD MAN” is who you were before you came to Jesus Christ, and must be totally PUT OFF, as the Bible says: “… PUT OFF concerning the former conversation the OLD MAN, WHICH IS CORRUPT ACCORDING TO DECEITFUL LUSTS” lusts” [Ephesians 4:22] The “OLD MAN” in us was enslaved to Satan by reason of drunkenness, adultery, fornication, drug addiction, lying, idolatry, pride, and the like. Those who come to God through Jesus Christ are no longer in bondage to the “OLD MAN” but are NEW CREATURES, BORN AGAIN in the likeness of Jesus Christ, as it is written: “Therefore IF ANY MAN IS IN CHRIST, he is a NEW CREATURE: OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY; behold, ALL THINGS ARE BECOME NEW” [2 Corinthians 5:17] “OLD THINGS” are AFFECTIONS and LUSTS that bind us to this world. If you are genuinely BORN AGAIN, you are no longer a citizen of this world, but of the Kingdom of God. A RED LINE is drawn between us and the world, as the Bible says: “… know ye not that the FRIENDSHIP OF THE WORLD IS ENMITY WITH GOD? WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD IS THE ENEMY OF GOD” [James 4:4] Those who profess Christ and are FRIENDS with the world are HYPOCRITES and ENEMIES of God and: “YE SHALL KNOW THEM BY THEIR FRUITS” [Matthew 7:16]
3. The CROSS is the symbol of Christ’s suffering, for “… Christ also SUFFERED FOR US, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS” [1 Peter 2:21] Our CROSS is not made of gold or silver, worn on the neck, but of HUMBLE OBEDIENCE to the WILL of God. Our CROSS is fashioned after the MIND of Christ, who “… HUMBLED HIMSELF, and became OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH, even the DEATH OF THE CROSS” [Philippians 2:5-8] When Satan offered Christ the Kingdoms of this world, He chose the CROSS which is the WILL of God [Matthew 4:8-10] When the Jews conspired to make Him King, Jesus stuck to the WILL of God [John 6:15] He was persecuted and killed for His INTEGRITY and OBEDIENCE to God. In the same way, “… ALL THAT WILL LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION” [2 Timothy 3:12] When you TAKE UP THE CROSS, expect friends to mock, family to reject and society to persecute you, “For the PREACHING OF THE CROSS IS TO THEM THAT PERISH FOOLISHNESS; but unto us which are saved IT IS THE POWER OF GOD” [1 Corinthians 1:18] If the world loves your brand of Christianity you have not taken up the CROSS. Thus says the Lord: “… WHOSOEVER DOTH NOT BEAR HIS CROSS, and come after me, CANNOT BE MY DISCIPLE” [Luke 14:27]
4. “FOLLOW ME” is not a religious doctrine, but a commandment to walk in absolute OBEDIENCE to PROPHETIC REVELATION of DIVINE AGENDA. When Jesus said, “FOLLOW ME”, He went ahead to offer Himself a LAMB, to atone for our SINS, saying: “… NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE, BE DONE” [Luke 22:42] Jesus DIED on the CROSS, not because He was a sinner or powerless but in OBEDIENCE to God’s AGENDA [John 10:18, Revelation 13:8] Listen closely, WISE MEN from the EAST FOLLOWED the STAR by PROPHETIC REVELATION, while the High Priest and his retinue of Priests were BLINDED, right in the Temple, by offerings of gold, bulls and rams [Matthew 2:1-10] We are called out of the world to FOLLOW Jesus Christ by PROPHETIC REVELATION, and , this generation has a “… MORE SURE WORD OF PROPHECY; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the DAY STAR ARISE IN YOUR HEARTS” [2 Peter 1:19] Brethren, the DAY STAR is here in the PROPHETIC MESSAGE of imminent appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ. The DAY STAR is visible, even now, but only to those “LOOKING UNTO JESUS the author and finisher of our faith; who for the JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM ENDURED THE CROSS, DESPISING THE SHAME, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” [Hebrews 12:2]
5. Beloved, be not deceived to FOLLOW any man or religious ideology, but PREPARE and be READY, “FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first” [1 Thessalonians 4:16] Remain blessed in Jesus name, amen
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