Satan will take you any way he can get you, he's not picky

A Christ follower gives up SELF.

And while some reading this might shout- "No way, ain't happening." - this is truth.

A Christ follower gives up SELF and all that means.

Giving up self does not mean giving up a tiny bit of yourself to God. Giving up self does not mean giving up a tiny bit of yourself to others.  Giving up self is a FULL surrendering, not a partial surrender.  If you think about it, when you need someone to trust you completely and they refuse by holding on to a bit of mistrust, who do they end up hurting? Themselves. Our refusal to trust completely ends up hurting us. That mistrust we love to hold onto, calling it a bit of self-preservation so we don't end up duped, hurt, or otherwise- can and does grow until it eats away at all the trust.  We yell that we've been hurt before when we've trusted completely and that person we trusted broke our trust. We yell we can't trust completely because what if, for just a fraction of a second, what if that trust is misplaced?  Giving up self completely, surrendering self to trust in God- some are definitely going to call you a lunatic. Some will tell you that God is most untrustworthy because time and time again horrible things are allowed to happen to God's people. God stands by and watches suffering of magnificent proportions so how can He be trusted? In fact many give up on God entirely because they believe He should never have allowed any suffering at all.  They believe if they had the power equated with God they would end all the suffering in the world instantly and everyone would live happily ever after. 

They would MAKE everyone live happily ever after.

And that sounds good doesn't it? Forced to be happy.  Forced by an outside controlling influence. This is the kind of God people want, the forceful kind as long as it's a forcing of good things.

What's the problem with force?

Don't you know?  Can you figure it out?

We call people who are forced by anyone to do anything- abused.

Children can't wait to become adults and get out on their own so they aren't forced by parents to do things (yes, things that are NOT harmful to them in any way).

Forced love.

Forced happiness.

They sound so incredibly contradictory don't they? That word 'force' just ruins things because force kills choice.  And time and again people will try to explain why forcing is good for certain things and we can't refute them can we? Forcing parents to care for their children properly or having them removed from them- this is a good thing, right?  Forcing people not to kill each other or they'll be punished, another good thing, right? Forcing people to follow the rules of society, a good thing, everyone is happy, yes? I suppose it depends on the rules of the society because most assuredly following the rules of the Nazi society would mean completely obliterating people for not following their rules- one of which is not to be Jewish.  Force.  It is used all around us and for the most part we don't mind, it protects us the best way it can. Yet force will forever take away choice.  I might be forced into a marriage, that takes away my choice. I might be forced to believe my family's religion, that takes away my choice. I might be forced to eat a certain food for dinner- that takes away my choice.  Forcing takes away choice, taking away choice creates slaves.   And yes, we are all slaves to society's rules and we cannot break any of them without the possibility of repercussions.

God does not want to force a single human being into submission to Him, NOT ONE!  And anyone in the name of Jesus Christ who tries to force others to submit to God is NOT GOD'S!  Would you believe you were loved if you forced someone to love you? You might get all the trappings of what love is supposed to look like etc, but if you force someone to love you, you know they aren't doing it willingly and that takes something vital away from it all.

Mankind under Satan's deceptions has almost completely destroyed what it means to truly belong to Jesus, to be a Christian, a Christ follower. 

Rev_12:17  And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

A remnant will exist.

Rev_11:13  And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

A remnant is a small portion.

Rom_11:5  Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.

Remember yesterday--

Mat_7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it

Few- a remnant is a few compared to the multitude.

Mar_13:20  And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.

Mat_24:24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

The elect- the few- the remnant. 

So yes, when people choose not to believe in the Savior, in God the Father, in the Holy Spirit I understand why they might do so if they are basing their choice not to believe on the false Christ followers in the majority.  The false Christ's reveal total hypocrisy in many ways as they wave their Christian flag. The wolves in sheep clothing are plentiful. 

The truth as we are taught by the Holy Spirit- is FEW there be that find the narrow way! And ONLY by the grace of God will we be among those few.  To NOT surrender ourselves completely to God so that He may work in us His work, refining us, purifying us, washing us clean, is to choose to believe in a false God.  The false god will never call for a REAL complete surrender, and guess what? Satan doesn't care if he gets you on his side while he wears the garb of Christ, he'll take you any way he can get you, he's not very picky, no not picky at all.

Please, Father in Heaven, please we would be YOURS completely, teach us to fully surrender to You! Please be our all in all! Be in us DAILY as we die daily to self. All in the name of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior now and forever, we would live for You! Amen.

Daily -

Take bread.

Deny self.

Take up cross.

Follow Jesus.

Search scriptures.

Die.

*******

Mat_6:11  Give us this day our daily bread.

Luk_9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Act_17:11  These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

1Co_15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.