“HAVE YOU ATTENDED YOUR OWN FUNERAL?”

My Spiritual Father shared the story of how he went to see the highly revered Pa S G. Elton. It was right after he knew that he would be sold out to God in full time ministry. He said as he walked into Pa Elton’s home, the question he asked was, “Francis, Have you attended your own funeral?”

It may not look like an interesting discussion but there is no one who would walk with God that must still be alive in the flesh- you must die to self. You must put to death works of the flesh but you must also die to self.

What does it mean to die to self? It means you will not live for yourself again. You live now for and to the glory to God.

None of us lives for himself [for his own benefit, but for the Lord], and none of us dies for himself [but for the Lord].
Romans 14:7 AMP

Jesus made it clear also:

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. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.John 12:24‭-‬25 NKJV

You must die to sin:

Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 6:11 NKJV

You must despise the shame:

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Hebrews 12:2 NKJV

You need to be dead to sin to have a great walk with God. You need to be dead to self to live at the utmost of God’s plan for you. You need to despise shame to be a vessel that is usable and “sendable”. There are assignments that your flesh would want to say no to but must be done.

Even in marriage, you need to be dead to self. Marriage will make us holy. It will kill selfishness.