What did Jesus say? “If any man intends to come after Me, let him deny himself.” I do not mean that I have arrived. I am just getting started, but I am started.

You know, this is a growing process. Growing spiritually is like growing physically. When you were born physically, your mother did not expect you to begin to talk the second day after you were born. But she would have been disappointed if you were still not talking at 5 years of age.

Spiritual things are the same way. You have to walk with God one day at a time, starting where you are today. You cannot start where someone else is. You must start where you are. But you have to start.

You will never grow if you do not give God your time. If you do not spend time in the Word and in prayer, if you do not listen to your spirit, you will never grow. You have to do certain things to grow.

All God asks of you is that you begin where you are today. If you do not know God, the first thing you need to do is get born again. Just make Jesus the Lord of your life and say, “I’m starting today.” (There’s a prayer of salvation at the end of this book to help.) Then start. Keep moving and don’t ever stop!

In John 12 we find more of Jesus teaching the disciples:

The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour (John 12:23-26).

This is how you get the full blessing of God in your life—serve Jesus and the Father will honor you.

Jesus says in verse 27 in The Amplified Bible, “Now My soul is troubled and distressed, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour [of trial and agony]? But it was for this very purpose that I have come to this hour [that I might undergo it].”

Notice that He did not say, “Father save Me from this hour.” He chose instead, “[Rather, I will say,] Father, glorify—honor and extol—Your own name!” (verse 28).

Just like Jesus, this is the place you and I must reach in our own lives. We, too, must say, “Father, glorify Your Name in my life. I give You my life. I give You my heart. I give You the rest of my days on the earth.”

Jesus was putting this into the hearts of the disciples. Because we are also His disciples, we must have it too. “So then, whoever of you does not forsake—renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say goodbye to—all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:33, The Amplified Bible). These were strong words, but Jesus said them. He was training His men, and He trained them well.

According to Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, a disciple is a “learner, one who follows one’s teaching.” To paraphrase Matthew 10:24-25, Jesus said, “The disciple will not be greater than his master; he will be like his master.”

God has great things for those who will be obedient to Him and love Him with their whole hearts.

He wants us to reach the place where we trust Him, where we know He is wiser than we are, where we are willing to do what He says, whether we understand it with our minds or not. That is called walking in the spirit, living the high life.

If we hold on to our own interests, desires and ambitions—if we fight and strive to perform our own wills in the earth—the Spirit of God will have no opportunity to take us into the higher life. We never will hear His voice speaking to us, or if we hear, we will not obey. We must make the decision to lay down our lives for Him. Jesus said, “If any man intends to come after Me, let him deny himself” (see Matthew 16:24). We must reach that place where we say, “Lord, I’m giving You the rest of my time on earth. I’m living it for You.”

I have made that decision in my own life. I have laid down my life before God. (And yet I have to confirm that decision over and over every day as choices are continually laid before me.) My desire is to please God and to do His will. I want to stay in the earth as long as He has work for me to do here. I am determined to run the race God has set before me, to finish my course and do it with joy! Yes, I intend to enjoy it!

But you cannot stay earthly minded and at the same time think about the glory of God, eternity, the kingdom of heaven and the Father.

Before I made this decision, there were certain things I enjoyed doing that interfered with my time with God. Those things, like hobbies for instance, were fun to me. I had to make myself go to the Word. Sometimes, because I so enjoyed those other things, I would spend too much time doing them, and my Word time would slide by. I have always been a reasonably disciplined person, so even in those times I stayed in the Word enough to keep my body healed and keep myself together spiritually.

Use the books and tapes of other ministers, but do not allow them to take the place of your personal study time. Take what they have learned and allow the Holy Spirit to add to it. And of course, no matter what material you study, be sure it lines up with God’s Word.

Here are some steps to follow in studying the Word:

Apply the Word to yourself personally.
Allow the Holy Spirit to make the Word a reality in your heart.
Carefully ponder how the Word applies to your everyday life.
Dwell on how the Word changes your situation.
See yourself as God sees you.
Realize the integrity of God’s Word.

Here is a prayer to pray with confidence as you sit down to study and meditate on His Word:

Father, in the Name of Jesus I come before You today. I take authority over Satan and bind his operation in my life. I pray the eyes of my understanding are enlightened that I may know how rich is Your inheritance in the saints, that I may be filled with the knowledge of Your will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, walking fully pleasing to You, increasing in the knowledge of You.

I know You have heard my prayer, so I know I have the petitions that I asked. Thank You in Jesus’ Name.

Once you start speaking God’s Word about your needs, do not speak anything contrary to it. If you need healing, for example, do not let the focus of your words be about your sickness. Rather, confess what the Word says about it: “By His stripes I am healed according to Isaiah 53:4-5.”

Like a sponge, soak in as much Word as possible. Then when you are faced with a situation that requires the wisdom of God, the life of God will flow from you through your words to meet any man’s need on any level. And that’s the best way to study the Word—with the intent of helping and loving others as well as yourself.

To help in your study, we recommend the following:

1. Young’s Analytical Concordance—a great help in finding verses that pertain to specific situations or needs. It contains the Hebrew and Greek word translations.
2. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance—a dictionary of the Hebrew, Chaldee and Greek words.
3. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words—a dictionary for scriptural words and meanings.
4. Expositions of Holy Scripture by Alexander Maclaren—a 17-volume series that includes sermons and expositions from almost every book of the Bible, and the most comprehensive index of any major expositional work.

“So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shown. And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the mouth of thy servant David hast said, Why did the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things? The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” – Acts 4:21-31

In this day and time, united prayer is seldom discussed. But in most instances in the Bible involving a body of believers, we find them praying in a united manner. In many of our churches today, however, someone usually leads in prayer. Very little is taught from the Word about praying together out loud.

The previous scripture is the basis for united prayer. Peter and John had been arrested and appeared before the religious council. Their lives were threatened if they continued to preach in the Name of Jesus. They went back to their own company and told everyone what had happened. When they heard, they all prayed. A tremendous amount of power is involved in united prayer.

What were the results of this prayer? Acts 5:12 says, “And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people….” Their one request was answered exactly the way they prayed. The political system of the day tried, but could not stop the power of God in operation. This united prayer was offered accurately according to the Word of God.

As the Body of Christ, we need to get in one accord on the Word of God and expect results. It will cause things to change!

Keep the Word first place in your life. Do what God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

We join our faith with yours as you pray this prayer:

“Father, in Jesus’ Name, I seek Your wisdom and trust You to direct me in seeking the job that is best for me. I will walk in mercy and truth and lean not unto my own understanding. Thank You for opening wide a door which no man can shut and for giving me favor.

“It is my desire, Father, to be debt-free and owe no man anything except to love him, according to Your Word. I am willing to work with my own hands, so that I lack nothing. I praise You that it is Your will that I am self-sufficient financially and have an abundance to meet all of my needs, with enough left over to give generously to others.

“I will not fret or have anxiety about anything, Father, for Your peace mounts guard over my heart and mind. Because You are my source, I have confidence, comfort and encouragement in Your provision. I thank You, Father, for supplying my need of employment according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”