How far along might you be in this process of denying self? Are you past the temptation of stealing things just because you desire, or even lust after them? To take for ourselves something that is not ours is illegal, right?

Day by day, though, we hear the inner thoughts:
“You’re really pretty selfish, don’t try to deny it.”
“If people knew how critical I was, even of my friends, they’d despise me.”
“I kind of despise me.”
“I’m not really very godly.”
“I’m a pretender.”
“All you think about is yourself.”
“God didn’t get a very good deal, with me.”
“Why do you even bother looking in the mirror, it’s not gonna get any better.”
“I’m worthless.”

These accusations and degrading remarks are sent from somewhere; our moods, the world, the devil, or ourselves - but not from your Heavenly Father. They have an objective; to get you to take the bait - to go down a path. They seek your agreement and fellowship. They want you to own them. Make them yours. And if they can make you believe they’re already yours, the deal is done. When you’re going their direction it feels like it fits you to a tee. They’re satisfied by one thing - your discouragement, and your belief that it’s for good reason.

And we thought we were so over taking things that did not belong to us. And what are we doing? We’re buying the lie that ‘they do belong to us?’ We think it’s our own voice.

Are we not brand new creations in Christ? Are we not addressed by the Lord as ‘deliberately sought,’ ‘particularly chosen,’ ’holy one,’ and ‘dearly loved?’ Has not the extravagantly lavish Father esteemed us so highly as to call us His own children?

Would you allow for even a moment, thoughts and words spoken toward your own children, such as you permit to lodge in your own mind and heart?

Many are the Lord’s thoughts toward you, and they are for your good, for a future full of promise and joy:

You have multiplied, O Lord my God,
your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us;
none can compare with you!
I will proclaim and tell of them,
yet they are more than can be told. Ps. 40:5

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11

Let God love you at least as much as you love your own little ones. Take His words and thoughts about you for your own. Those thoughts of hope, destiny, goodness, joy and glory. Of intimacy. Of His confidence in you and joy over you. That He’ll never separate from you, that in purity and intimacy He adores you and delights over you. Prophecy to yourself life-generating declarations of glorious freedom fitting sons and daughters of Light.

Deny self, then. Gather and purge every thought, notion and opinion that grates against His complete favor toward you - no matter how right they may feel. Some things just aren’t ours anymore.