In the Kingdom, you have to die in order to live.
Matthew 16:25 AMP says. “For whoever wishes to save his life [in this world] will [eventually] lose it [through death], but whoever loses his life [in this world] for My sake will find it [that is, life with Me for all eternity].”
This is a Kingdom principle that must be applied in a relationship in order for the relationship to be healthy.
A healthy relationship requires selflessness.
In Paul’s dissertation on love in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, he says that love is not self-seeking or selfish.
Being selfless requires sacrifice.
People don’t like sacrifice because sacrifice doesn't feel good to our flesh. Do you think Jesus felt good when He was being our sacrificial lamb? Do you think those whips felt good, and hanging on the cross felt good? Of course not!
But He knew He had to die so that you and I could live.
You have to die in order for your relationship to live.
There’s no success without sacrifice. If you want success in your relationship there will be sacrifice. I’m not talking about losing yourself in the sense of not being yourself. I’m talking about the agenda of selfishness.
You will have to give up your self-agenda for a corporate-agenda to journey with someone in a love relationship. You cannot walk in love being a narcissist. You can’t be self-focused and self-centered.
Everything can’t be about me, my, and I or it’s not gonna work.
In 2 Timothy chapter 3, the bible talks about in the last days how people will be lovers of themselves. This has been one of the problems in many relationships…self-centeredness and no consideration.
The bible says that everything will be tested. I believe this is one of the test in a relationship.
The test of self-will.
Jesus’ will was tested in the Garden of Gethsemane. Naturally speaking, He really didn’t want to sacrifice Himself, but He said, “nevertheless not my will, thine will be done.” Jesus submitted His will to the Father’s will.
He could have easily said forget this, this is too hard, I just don’t feel like doing this. He could have cut the whole thing off. But He didn’t, He sacrificed His life so that we could have life.
Jesus was inconvenienced for our comfort.
Are you willing to be inconvenienced for the comfort of the other person in the relationship? Because it’s easy to say, “I’m with you,” when it’s convenient. But are you willing to come thru or follow thru when it’s inconvenient? Are you willing to sacrifice to serve the other person?
Love seeks the welfare of others even at the cost of self denial and personal sacrifice. Everyone wants a loving and living relationship that's alive but nobody wants to die.
Let’s be honest here, human nature always wants to do what it wants to do. Your body will want to do what it wants; your emotions have their own little wants too. People are not just taking selfies, they are living it. They live a self-life, doing as they will.
But self-will leads to death and destruction, always! And it will destroy your relationship.
When you have to give up yourself and lay some desires, habits, and your life down, let me tell ya, it won’t feel good. But me, myself and I has to die in order to have a healthy relationship.
Life in the Kingdom requires death. Life comes after death. When something has life, it's healthy and it grows. Biggie Smalls had it right – life after death.
The death of self-will will lead to life in your relationships!
