Whenever the interest of carnal self is stronger and more predominantly habitual than the interest of God, Christ or everlasting life, there is no true self denial, but where God’s interest is stronger, self denial is sincere.
So says one of the great puritans of the 17th century, Richard Baxter. Though they aren't always easy to read, as the language can be a little dated, let me encourage you to take a look at the Puritans. They are challenging and encouraging, and still very relevant. They’ll also make you think a little harder, well, they do me. The following is taken from a reading I was listening to online. As I was listening these were the notes I jotted down on the subject of self-denial.
What is it that you live for? What is that good which your mind is principally set to obtain on which you set your heart on (pleasing God or pleasing of fleshly mind)? Know this and you may know whether self or God has greatest interest in you. For that is the God that you love most, would please best, and do most for.
Which do you most prize? Do you prize Christ and holiness or pleasures that gratify the flesh?
If truly self-denying, you are ordinarily ruled by God, His word and Spirit and not by carnal self. Whose word and will is it that ordinarily prevails? When God draws and self draws, which do you follow?
Refuse to be ruled by it or love it as your god. Fight it and tread it down as your enemy and strive against it.
If you have true self-denial, there is nothing in the world that is so dear to you that on deliberation you would leave it for God. A trial of the sincerity to part with that that is dearest to the flesh. Nothing so dear to a gracious soul which he cannot part with.
True self-denial is procured by knowledge and love of God, advancing Him in the soul to the debasing of self. The illuminated soul, so much taken with the glory and goodness of the Lord, carries him away from self to God, to the love of God and hopes of glory.
“Oh, that this too solid flesh would melt.” Or to quote another, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?”
“What a wretched man I am!” Indeed. How easily I can be undone by the flesh.
Thankfully, though, we are not left to fight on our own.
To quote another, “We have the Spirit of God working in us, and part of that work of the Holy Spirit is to put to death the old man. To get rid of that fleshly nature that has been that body of death that has beset us for so long.”
I’m thankful to the Lord for His patience and for giving us a helper so that we might overcome.
—Mick Sanderson
