Quotes about Self-denial

In the beginning of the spiritual life, we ought to be faithful in doing our duty and denying ourselves. After that, unspeakable pleasures followed. In difficulties we only need to turn to Jesus Christ and beg His grace, and then everything became easy.

Without the renewed mind, we will distort the Scriptures to avoid their radical commands for self-denial, and love, and purity, and supreme satisfaction in Christ alone.

The cultivation of consumer spirituality is the antithesis of a sacrificial, "deny yourself" congregation.

He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me." Mark 8:34

We can "forget" about ourselves because Christ never forgets us. We can afford to be less important to ourselves because we are vastly important to God. We can willingly be crucified with Christ because we are raised to walk in resurrection life. Biblical self-denial will never fail to be for us rather than against us, whether here or in eternity. When Peter chose to deny Christ rather than himself, he really chose human limitations over divine intervention.

Our flesh takes over when we decide to be self-centered instead of self-sacrificing. Then there is Satan. God

Verily, we know not what an evil it is to indulge ourselves, and to make an idol of our will.

Jesus Christ spoke frankly to His disciples concerning the future. He hid nothing from them. No one could ever accuse Him of deception. No one could ever accuse Him of securing allegiances by making false promises. In unmistakable language He told them that discipleship meant a life of self-denial, and the bearing of a cross. He asked them to count the cost carefully, lest they should turn back when they met with suffering and privation.

I believe there is an obedience to the Gospel, there is a self-denial and a bearing of the cross, if you are to be a follower of Christ. Being a Christian is a serious business.

Only by a life of obedience to the voice of the Spirit, by a daily denying of self, by full dedication to Christ, and by constant fellowship with Him are we enabled to live a godly life and an influential life in this present ungodly world.

The self-life manifests itself in self-indulgences, such as self-love, self-will, self-seeking, self-pride... It takes self-denial to turn off the television and spend [time] in prayer.... and read the Scriptures... the only object in life is that Christ may be honored.

Real Christians accept suffering as a normal part of following Christ, just as mothers accept labor as a normal part of delivering a baby. "No pain, no gain" applies to world evangelism as well as exercise programs! Until we can accept suffering, sacrifice and self-denial as routine and normal, we will never see the Great Commission fulfilled in our generation.