5th Gear: Less Self More Self

5th Gear: Less Self More Self

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“He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:30)

The Holy Spirit, through John the Baptist, is telling us that the more we diffuse and
decimate our Self, and the enormous control Self has over us, we are paving the way
for Jesus to become greater in our lives. Yes, the less of you, the more of the real you.
But the more of you, your always getting in the way Self, the less of the real you.

Put another way, the more of you – your Self – the less free will you will ever have.

Living in the Kingdom of God entails several such dichotomies. Perhaps the most
confusing and troubling is the “Free Will vs God’s Sovereignty” debate. On the surface,
or at least in the kingdom of this world, the two are diametrically opposed. They simply
cannot co-exist.

But in Jesus’ Kingdom, they can, and do.

How??

My friend Det, who is very much a predestination-God’s Sovereignty man, put it this
way:

“Free will and God’s sovereignty travel together.”

Wait a minute -what?

I will take Det’s observation and add this to it:

Until you surrender your free will to Jesus, you simply do not have any free will.

Oh, you think you do. You think the choices you make each day are your own, but I
would say they are much more the product of your upbringing, the prejudices you have
developed over the years, the TV you watch, and perhaps the pizza you ate last night.
What you glorify in your mind as your independent, free will – with just a touch of pride?
– is polluted with emotions, feelings, and selfishness.

But when you surrender your Self, and your supposed free will to Jesus, you can now
live with all his free will energy, through the Holy Spirit. This is living in Jesus’ 5th Gear.

There is much more to say about this, but here is the perfect scriptural explanation. The
“flesh” referred to here is simply your Self:

The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor
can it do so.  8  Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. (Romans
8:7-8 Bold added)

… nor can it do so …. Until you surrender what you think is your … prideful? … free will
to Jesus, you cannot obey or please your Heavenly Father.

Cannot, as in you have no free will to do so.

Next Week:

Your Free Will Driver’s License