In life, we make choices and then our choices make us. Throughout a day we are faced with literally thousands of choices (some small, some large), but one choice supersedes them all. It’s the same choice Joshua set before the Israelites in Joshua 24:15 “…choose you this day whom ye will serve;…” It is this daily choice that will determine who prevails in our daily battle with the flesh.
In 1 Corinthians 15:31 the apostle Paul makes a very strange statement. He says, “I die daily”! Paul is not writing of a daily physical death but of a daily decision to be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20). Every morning when we arise there is a choice to make – who will we live for today? Paul made the decision to die to self (by crucifying the flesh) and to live for Christ. When we make this choice, we are in essence saying…I’m dying to my fleshly desires and living in the power of God’s Holy Spirit; I’m dying to my will and living for God’s will; I’m dying to self and living for Christ!
It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the enormity of the Christian life. When we consider it as a whole, it can seem too daunting to even attempt. For this reason, it is important to break it down into more manageable pieces. Make dying to self and living for Christ a daily decision. Wake up each morning and renew your commitment to Christ by recognizing that your flesh has been crucified with him (Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:6). Acknowledge your submission to Jesus and surrender the events of the day to his leadership. Don’t be afraid to remind your flesh that it is dead and has no authority any longer. It may seem a little unusual, but look in the mirror and tell yourself, “I am crucified with Christ and I will live completely for the Son of God who saved you.” One of the most important keys to getting victory over the flesh is a daily recognition that our flesh is already dead and has no sway in our lives.
Who are you going to serve today with your life? The choice is yours!