Paul wrote one of the shortest sentences in the New Testament, and also one of the hardest:
"I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily." (1 Corinthians 15:31, NKJV)
He wasn't being dramatic. He was describing a decision he made every morning. If we want to follow Jesus the way Paul did, we need to understand what that decision is, and what it isn't.
What dying to self is not
Dying to self doesn't mean hating yourself. It doesn't mean shrinking into the background and hoping nobody notices you.
Christ didn't save you so you would disappear. He saved you so He could live through you.
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20, NKJV)
There is still a life being lived. You're still here. But the center has moved: Christ now lives it through you. And notice the reason Paul gives: He "loved me and gave Himself for me." Dying to self starts with being loved, not condemned.
What dying to self is
Here is the simplest way I know to say it: when you wake up, you hand Him the day before the day grabs you.
Your plans, your comfort, your reputation, your pride, your need to be in control. All of it goes to Him first, before the phone and before the worry.
Jesus put it plainly:
"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23, NKJV)
The word that matters most there is daily. Dying to self is not a one-time event at an altar call. It's a rhythm. Yesterday's surrender doesn't cover today. The old self has a way of climbing back onto the throne overnight, and every morning we choose again who sits there.
Why would anyone choose this?
Because Jesus promised that the road down is the road to life:
"For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25, NKJV)
We think holding on keeps us safe. Jesus says holding on is how we lose everything. Letting go for His sake is how we find the life we were made for.
That's not defeat. That's freedom. You don't have to carry the weight of being the center of your own story anymore.
Dying to self and your identity
At Leave9941, our heart is to help the body of Christ know who they are in Christ. Dying to self is not the enemy of that identity. It's the doorway into it. The old you, the one ruled by fear and pride and sin, is not who you are anymore.
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)
When you die to self, you're not losing the real you. You're laying down the false one.
Dying to self and your one
There's one more thing. Dying to self always makes room for someone else. Jesus said:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain." (John 12:24, NKJV)
A seed that protects itself stays alone. A seed that lets go multiplies. When I stop guarding my comfort and my image, I suddenly have room for the coworker who's hurting or the neighbor who's searching. Jesus left the ninety-nine to go after the one. Everyone reaches someone, and dying to self is often how we finally see who our someone is.
A simple way to start tomorrow
Before your feet hit the floor tomorrow morning, say this out loud:
"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21, NKJV)
Then speak a short declaration of your own. Here is one from Dying Daily you can borrow:
"I don't fight for victory. I fight from it, because Christ lives in me."
Then ask Him one question: Lord, who is my one today? And watch for the answer.
Reflect and apply
- What is the first thing that usually "grabs" your day before you've handed it to God?
- Who is your one this week, and what is one small step you can take toward them?
If you have never given your life to Jesus
Maybe you've never given your life to Jesus, or you've drifted far from Him. He hasn't drifted from you. If you're ready, pray this from your heart:
Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins and rose again. I turn from my sin and give You my life. Come live in me. Make me new. Amen.
If you prayed that, tell someone, and reach out to us at leave9941.com. We'd love to pray with you and help you take your next step.
Pray with me
Lord Jesus, thank You that You loved me and gave Yourself for me. I don't want to live for myself anymore. Tomorrow morning, and every morning, I give You the day before it gives me anything else. Increase in me. Show me my one, and give me the courage to go. In Your name, amen.
I'm writing Dying Daily, a series of spoken declarations to help walk this out, one day at a time. Volume I, Dying to Self, is in progress. Follow along at leave9941.com, and tell me: who's your one?