He Must Increase But I Must Decrease – Part 2

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says, “Flee fornication (sexually immorality.) Every sin that a man does is without the body; but he that commits fornication sins against his own body.  What? Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which you have of God, and you are not your own?   For you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.”

Continuing Michael message, he asks, How do you move yourself along the continuum where “Christ increases and I decrease”?  You do it by denying yourself and following Him. The Bible tells us, You are servants to whom you obey.  Galatians 2:20 says, “I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ lives in me. And the life that I now live, I live by faith in the One who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

Either you're a missionary or you're part of the mission field. However, the two are not mutually exclusive. Our first mission field is our own hearts and minds, because the spiritual battlefield is for the hearts and minds of believers. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (of the flesh) but spiritual to the pulling down of (spiritual) strongholds. Casting down imaginations (carnal thoughts), and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God (according to His word), bringing every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

The Christian walk is deliberate, intentional, and purposeful action according to His word.  A disciple is a disciplined follower, disciplined to walk in the footsteps of the Lord.  The Journey of life is to follow him one step at a time and one day at a time.  The transformation from the man of the flesh to the man of the spirit is in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” “And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Jesus said, if anyone wants to be my disciple, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. We take up our cross daily by crucifying the flesh daily as we follow Him. It's easy to follow Christ when we stay so close to Him that He fills our vision as we follow our brothers in Christ who are following Jesus. This is the key to walking with Jesus. When we abide in Him, as John the Baptist said in John 3:30, "He must increase but I must decrease." And in following Him, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ, Michael