Matthew 16:24 (NKJV), “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”
 

Denying ourselves seems to go against everything the world tells us to do. However, When Jesus requires it of us, He doesn’t just leave it there - He tells us to take up our cross too. Now, references to crucifixion, in the time Jesus gave this message, would have evoked feelings of humiliation, excruciating pain and suffering, misery, and shame. One commentary on this verse wrote that every person hearing Jesus' words would have likely had a vivid picture of this type of suffering in their minds. That would have made it jarring to hear Jesus’ use of crucifixion in comparison to following Him. However, when we understand from scripture, the death that took place on that cross, was far more than physical suffering. Every devilish oppression of sickness, mental torment, and poverty; including the sin nature that signifies rebellion towards God, and independence from Him - was punished on that cross. In other words, for the believer in Jesus, our identity to our old nature of slavery to sin and vulnerability to the devil died on the cross with Jesus! We now identify with Him! Galatians 2:20 says, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So, I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (NLT) Praise God! Every morning when we wake up, we begin the day understanding full well that our sinful, rebellious and unredeemed self, the old carnal nature, no longer lives! Our old self-centered desires that fight to resurrect that old nature must be kept in check. If not, they will work to prevent us from fully following Jesus and living the supernatural life He died for us to live! Denying our old nature and taking up our cross is not about seeking suffering or making life harder than it needs to be. It’s about purposefully choosing the higher life over the one that leads to misery and destruction. Even if it means being unpopular or uncomfortable to our flesh-nature - identifying with Jesus, no matter the cost, will always keep us in the flow of His supernatural kingdom - which is righteousness, peace and the joy of the Holy Ghost!