Andrew Murray says in his book 'Humility':
"Humility is the path to death, because in death it gives the highest proof of its perfection. Humility is the blossom of which death to self is the perfect fruit.
Jesus humbled Himself unto death and opened the path in which we too must walk. As there was no way for Him to prove His surrender to God to the very uttermost, or to give up and rise out of His human nature to the glory of the Father, but through death, so it is with us, too. Humility must lead us to die to self."
Jesus said:
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me." Luke 9:23
And later Paul said:
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
But still how do we do this?
Murray writes:
"Nature can never overcome nature, not even with the help of grace. Self can never cast out self, even in the regenerate man.
Praise God! The work has been done, finished and perfected forever. The death of Jesus, once and forever, is our death to self. And the ascension of Jesus, His entering once and forever in to the Holiest, has given us the Holy Spirit to communicate to us in power, and makes the power of the death-life our very own."
"By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:14
Murray continues:
Believer, claim in faith the death and the life of Jesus as yours. Enter, into His grave, into the rest from self and its work - the rest of God. With Christ, who committed His spirit into the Fathers hands, humble yourself and descend each day into that perfect, helpless dependence upon God. God will raise you up and exalt you.
Jesus says:
“All things have been
delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the
Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.
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In my Bible study right now we are talking about surrendering our wills to God...basically dying to self. It can be a hard thing to do. But, praise God, with Him, all things are possible! He gives us the strength, wisdom and discernment that we need!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Joan
This sounds like a great book, thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteThe famous Kathryn Kulman said that before she went out to the podium she "died a thousand deaths to self." I suspect this was how the Holy Spirit was revealed so mightily in her words and His healing power. It wasn't until I died to self and relinquished all rights to self that I learned the power of the yielded heart. I write about that place in my blog. "Whispered Words of Wisdom Captured by a Yielded Heart. Thank you for sharing about Murray's book on Humility because the was my first stepping stone to finding the beauty of the yielded heart.
ReplyDeleteI have read that book a long time ago, maybe I should pick it up again. Thanks for highlighting it.
ReplyDeleteAmen, amen, and AMEN! Picked up Catherine Marshall's book, Beyond Ourselves, in an antique shop for a dollar a couple months ago. Goodness....so amazing....I had to read it twice. Goes well with this post.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Murray's book on Humility is one of my favorite books. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteAndrew Murray is always so good. I've enjoyed many of his writings. This review makes me want to pick up another one of his.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like such a good book. Thanks for sharing some of Andrew Murray's thoughts on humility, and the encouragement from God's Word that we need the work of the Holy Spirit to help us!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great book about such an important thing. Thanks so much for sharing at Essential Fridays.
ReplyDeleteBlessings
Mel from Essential Thing Devotions
It's one of those books that gets you thinking about what true humility is. Thank-you all for visiting and for your lovely comments! : )
ReplyDeleteThanks for unpacking this book for us and linking up at Thought-Provoking Thursday.
ReplyDelete