Going All In

In our journey of faith, we often encounter moments that challenge us to go deeper, to commit more fully to our spiritual path. The concept of going "all in" for our faith is not just a catchy phrase, but a profound call to action that resonates with the very heart of Christian discipleship.

The Abundant Life

Jesus came with a promise - not just of life, but of abundant life. In John 10:10, He declares, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." This abundant life, however, comes with a condition. It requires us to commit our lives fully to Christ, allowing ourselves to be guided and directed by the Holy Spirit every step of the way.

But what does it truly mean to go "all in" for Jesus? How can we live like Him and for Him in a world that often pulls us in countless other directions?

The Challenge of Self-Denial

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus presents a challenging proposition to His disciples: "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." This call to self-denial is at the core of what it means to go all in for our faith.

Self-denial isn't about self-deprecation or denying our worth. Rather, it's about aligning our desires with God's desires, letting go of our own selfish ambitions to make room for God's plans in our lives. It's a radical reorientation of our priorities and focus.

The Power of Desire

Before we can truly deny ourselves, we must first examine what we truly desire. Our deepest hopes, dreams, and longings shape our actions and decisions. When we truly desire something, it becomes infectious, integrating into all our thoughts and actions.

James 4:1-3 reminds us of the danger of misaligned desires: "You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions."

The challenge, then, is to align our hearts with God's heart. When our desires are for the things of God, we find true peace and contentment. Every aspect of our lives needs to be affected by this alignment.

The Great Exchange

In the process of denying ourselves, we engage in a great exchange. Matthew 16:26 poses a poignant question: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?"

We always give up something in pursuit of gain. The question is whether we're giving up the temporal for the eternal, the worldly for the divine. As Jonathan Edwards, the American Evangelical Preacher, put it: "The great Christian duty is self-denial, which consists in two things: first, in denying worldly inclinations and its enjoyments, and second, in denying self-exultation and renouncing one's self-significance by being empty of self."

Setting Our Focus

When we deny our selfish ambitions and desires, we open our hearts and minds to what God has for us. We become receptive to His leading. This process of introspection and realignment isn't something we do alone. Like King David in Psalm 139:23-24, we can invite God into this process: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

As believers, we have the Holy Spirit to guide us in this process. John 16:13 promises, "When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth." This guidance, found in Scripture and through the Spirit's prompting, leads us into the best way of life from the inside out.

Don't Look Back

Once we've committed to denying ourselves and following Christ, it's crucial that we don't look back longingly at what we've left behind. The story of Lot's wife in Genesis serves as a powerful reminder of the danger of holding onto our past when God is calling us forward.

Jesus emphasizes this point in Luke 9:62, saying, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." This isn't about forgetting our past entirely, but about not allowing it to hold us back from fully embracing God's future for us.

The apostle Paul, a man with a complex and potentially guilt-inducing past, provides a powerful example of this forward-focused mindset in Philippians 3:13-14: "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

A Call to Reflection

As we consider what it means to go all in for our faith, to truly deny ourselves and follow Christ, we're called to honest introspection. What parts of our past are we holding onto with clenched fists? What are we afraid to let go of? What desires are holding us back from fully embracing God's call on our lives?

Going all in for our faith isn't about perfection. It's about progression - continually aligning our hearts with God's, letting go of what holds us back, and pressing forward into the abundant life Jesus promises. It's a daily choice to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

As we embark on this journey of self-denial and wholehearted commitment to Christ, may we find the courage to let go of what's behind us, the wisdom to discern God's leading, and the strength to press on toward the goal. For in losing ourselves, we find life - abundant, eternal, and full of purpose.