Purpose: To help us understand the process of coming to Christ.

Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23.

Before we get into the scripture lesson I want to set some basic understanding that will help you come to the knowledge of Christ in these studies. We must prayerfully search the scriptures daily.

When you were born again God placed His Holy Spirit in you. I’m not talking about a gift you have to seek for or anything like that. I am telling you that God put His very own Spirit in you. John 17:21-23, 1 Cor. 3:16, 1 Cor. 6:19. He is not there as your guardian Angel or to help you be this or that, He is there to lead you and guide you into all truth. It is important that you become conversant with Him. I am not talking about prayer I’m talking about communication. If you will begin to do this it will help you to realize that the Holy Spirit is a person who will share wonderful spiritual insight with you. It is a shame that we are taught to shun the thought of God in us. It is this blindness that has hindered Christians for far too long. As you study the lessons please take your time and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand. Believers have two sources of information. One source is the five senses the other source is the Holy Spirit. Man teaches by sharing from his own mind. The Holy Spirit teaches by putting His mind in you, 1 Corinthians 2:16.

Next, I want you to approach the lessons with an open mind. A closed minded person cannot know the things of God because it is in the mind that God works to grow us up, Romans 12:2. As you read the scripture I have given you in John, 1 Corinthians and Romans don’t try to make them mean anything except exactly what they say. Then ask the Holy Spirit to make them real to you. It is more than coming to Christ, it is also learning of Him.

Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Lesson Scripture: Matthew 16:24, Then said Jesus unto his disciples, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me".

Luke 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".

In these scripture we see a three-step process for coming after Christ.

1. Deny self
2. Take up your cross
3. Follow me.

As we search the scriptures together in these studies you will be faced time after time with this process of spiritual growth.

I believe that periodically every believer comes to the place of wanting to come to Christ. This will, (desire), is often lost by the frustration of not knowing how to come after Christ.

Denying self is a big hurdle because we are taught that making self even more is the goal. We are taught that God wants us to be powerful, eloquent, charismatic, gifted and many other things that will bring us glory. In a social sense that is true but it is contrary to the Christ Life. The denial of self is a difficult thing because it is so contrary to our nature. Denying self does not mean such things as food, housing and creature comforts it means that self can no longer be the primary motive of life. The conflict of the believer is not between Satan and God it is between self and Christ. It is self, which wishes to be enthroned in the temple of God to be worshiped. God’s way of dealing with the flesh life is to bring it to the cross and crucify it. John the Baptist said in John 3:30, "He must increase, but I must decrease." This is the process, as Christ increases in your understanding, and then self automatically decreases. It is not the decrease of self that brings more of Christ, it is first the increase of Him.

Take up your cross. Your cross is not your mother in law, your boss or any of these things we think we must bear. Your cross is that place where your will crosses the will of God. The place where you are given the opportunity to say, "nevertheless not my will but thine be done". At that point death comes to your will and the door by which you will be enabled to follow Christ will be opened. The death of self will come in the areas of Judgment, forgiveness, obedience, worship, prayer and most of all, spiritual understanding. The Holy Spirit will start by exposing self. At that point you will be faced with a choice, am I willing to let the cross work death in this area or am I unwilling to lose this part of self? We are sometimes unwilling to let go of our theology, our own rightousesness, our own understanding of the scriptures. The denying of self through the work of the cross can be a painful experience, but we must realize a resurrection comes next.

This three step will work again and again in bringing you to a greater understanding of Life in Christ. If you are willing to face the cross in the denying of self to follow Christ then you need to know that your mind will enter a process of being renewed.

Romans 12:2- (KJV)
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephesians 4:22-24 (KJV)
That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Colossians 3:10 (KJV)
And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Every believer has two source of knowledge: the five senses and the Holy Spirit, which is in you. You must learn to hear the Holy Spirit. In Lesson 2 we will discuss hearing the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (KJV)
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

We pray that the eyes of your understanding be enlightened in the knowledge of Christ.