DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS / MARK 8:34

(KJV) Mark 8:34

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

To deny self means to put aside our own selfish desires in order to follow Christ and serve His purposes, whatever the cost. The cross of Christ is a symbol of suffering (1 Peter 2:21; 4:13), death (Acts 10:39), shame (Hebrews 12:2), ridicule (Matthew 27:39), rejection (1 Peter 2:4) and self-denial (Matthew 16:24). A follower of Christ who takes up his or her cross is making a deliberate choice to deny his or her own selfish interests and way of life (Luke 14:26-27) and to boldly identify with Christ. That person’s own identity gets so connected with that of Jesus that the person’s own reputation cannot be separated from his or her relationship with Christ. This kind of identification with Christ Jesus requires a commitment in four areas of struggle and suffering for the sake of Christ.

1. We struggle in a lifelong battle against sin (Romans 6; 1 Peter 4:1-2) and must willingly endure suffering by crucifying (putting to death, not feeding, becoming unresponsive to) our own sinful desires (Romans 6; 8:13; Galatians 2:20; 6:14; Titus 2:12; 1 Peter 2:11, 21-24).
2. We struggle in a war against Satan and the demonic powers of evil and must be willing to suffer rejection and hardship in order to promote Christ’s purposes on earth (2 Corinthians 10:4-5; 6:7; Ephesians 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:12). In the process, we will experience spiritual opposition and hostility (2 Corinthians 6:3-7; 11:23-29; 1 Peter 5:8-10), and we will face the resistance and persecution as we stand against false teachers who corrupt the true message of Christ (Matthew 23:1-36; Galatians 1:9; Philippians 1:15-17). 
3. We suffer hatred and ridicule from the world (John 15:18-25; Hebrews 11:25-26) because of our devotion to Christ and His standards of truth and right (1 Corinthians 1:21-27). People will strongly oppose us because our example and testimony – which must be conveyed with love and humility – expose the evil of their beliefs, behaviors and lifestyles (John 7:7). 
4. Like Jesus, we may also suffer ridicule and persecution from religious people or ungodly leaders (Mark 8:31; Mark 8:15).

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1. GET BEHIND ME SATAN / MARK 8:33
2. HIS SIGHT WAS RESTORED / MARK 8:25
3. YEAST / MARK 8:15
4. I HAVE COMPASSION / MARK 8:2
5. CHILDREN’S BREAD / MARK 7:27
6. FOLLY / MARK 7:22
7. MEN’S HEARTS / MARK 7:20-23
8. MAKE HIM ‘UNCLEAN’ / MARK 7:18
9. THE TRADITIONS OF MEN / MARK 7:8
10. THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME / MARK 7:6-7
11. FIVE LOAVES … TWO FISH … THANKSGIVING AT MEALTIMES / MARK 6:41
12. COMPASSION / MARK 6:34
13. ANOINTED … WITH OIL / MARK 6:13
14. LACK OF FAITH / MARK 6:6
15. JESUS … A PROPHET / MARK 6:4
16. JUST BELIEVE / MARK 5:36
17. JUST TOUCH HIS CLOTHES / MARK 5:27-28
18. A MAN WITH AN EVIL SPIRIT / MARK 5:2-17
19. JESUS WAS SLEEPING / MARK 4:38
20. EVEN WHAT HE HAS WILL BE TAKEN / MARK 4:25
21. TAKES AWAY THE WORD / MARK 4:15-17
22. A FARMER WENT OUT TO SOW / MARK 4:3
23. PARABLES / MARK 4:2
24. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT DEMONS / MARK 3:15
25. THAT THEY MIGHT BE WITH HIM / MARK 3:14
26. HERODIANS / MARK 3:6
27. LOOKED … IN ANGER / MARK 3:5
28. THE SABBATH WAS MADE FOR MAN / MARK 2:27
29. TO CALL … SINNERS / MARK 2:17
30. HEALING THE PARALYZED MAN / MARK 2:11
31. DROVE OUT MANY DEMONS / MARK 1:34
32. SYNAGOGUE / MARK 1:21
33. COME FOLLOW ME / MARK 1:17
34. KINGDOM OF GOD / MARK 1:15
35. BAPTIZE YOU WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT / MARK 1:8
36. THE WHOLE JUDEAN COUNTRYSIDE / MARK 1:5
37. BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE / MARK 1:4
38. THE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL / MARK 1:1-3
39. MY SON, WHOM I LOVE / MARK 1:11
40. WHEN YOU STAND PRAYING … FORGIVE / MARK 11:25
41. Guided By Grace About

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