If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself.

     — Matthew 16:24

Individuality is the husk of the personal life. Individuality is all
elbows, it separates and isolates. It is the characteristic of the
child and rightly so; but if we mistake individuality for the
personal life, we will remain isolated. The shell of individuality is
God’s created natural covering for the protection of the personal
life; but individuality must go in order that the personal life may
come out and be brought into fellowship with God. Individuality
counterfeits personality as lust counterfeits love. God designed
human nature for Himself; individuality debases human nature for
itself.

The characteristics of individuality are independence and
self-assertiveness. It is the continual assertion of individuality
that hinders our spiritual life more than anything else. If you say –
“I cannot believe,” it is because individuality is in the road;
individuality never can believe. Personality cannot help believing.
Watch yourself when the Spirit of God is at work. He pushes you to
the margins of your individuality, and you have either to say – “I
shan’t,” or to surrender, to break the husk of individuality and let
the personal life emerge. The Holy Spirit narrows it down every time
to one thing (cf. Matthew 5:23-24). The thing in you that will not be
reconciled to your brother is your individuality. God wants to bring
you into union with Himself, but unless you are willing to give up
your right to yourself He cannot. “Let him deny himself” – deny his
independent right to himself, then the real life has a chance to
grow.

On this day...

• Daniel 5 - 2023
• Daniel 4 - 2023
• Elijah and the Secret of His Power - Chapter 4 - 2011
• Elijah and the Secret of His Power - Chapter 3 - 2011
• Elijah and the Secret of His Power - Chapter 2 - 2011
• Elijah and the Secret of His Power - Chapter 1 - 2011
• Emerging Church - Part 3 - 2011
• Emerging Church - Part 2 - 2011
• Emerging church - Part 1 - 2011
• Apologize sincerely - 2011