This verse—one sentence from Jesus—holds a blueprint for radical discipleship: “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34)
This is the call to every person who dares to pursue Christ. But it’s not an easy invitation. It’s a call to want God badly enough to surrender, to deny the old way of operating, to step out of sedation, and carry the weight of obedience. Not just once—but daily.
But maybe the cross we’re called to carry isn’t about paying back the world for our shortcomings. Maybe it’s about picking up the victory Jesus already won and living from that finished place. Jesus didn’t just carry the cross for our sin—He carried it for my sonship and daughtership. For our freedom. For our identity.
So denying oneself doesn’t mean losing our identity—it means shedding the lie that we have to earn love or perform for worth. It means dying to the belief that we’re not enough. It means choosing the life Jesus offers…even when the path runs straight through struggle.
To follow Jesus is to embrace a life on fire with purpose, sacrifice, joy, and eternal meaning.
It means leading our families, our friendships, and our opportunities from this place—not out of sedation, but from sacred surrender.
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