***

"Deny yourself," Christ Jesus says,

To those who follow Him.

So let’s deny ourselves each day;

Let each of us begin.

He doesn’t say to crucify ourselves,

For that’s been done,

Upon the cross of Calvary;

The cross of Christ, God’s Son.

***

There is a difference, you should know,

Between the two, I say;

Between denying self

And crucifying self each day.

Just as Paul said, you have been

Crucified with Christ—it’s done!

The victory over your old self

Has already been won.

***

I’ve struggled, oh, so many years,

My self, to crucify.

Of course, I’ve failed, and you have, too;

And here’s the reason why:

The more we try, the stronger

Our old sinful self will be.

To try to do what Christ has done

Is fruitless, we must see.

***

No need to do what has been done,

Don’t try to crucify;

Instead, all the Lord’s followers

Should that old self deny.

For though it’s dead from God’s viewpoint,

Most times it seems alive.

Just reckon yourself dead to sin;

Your old self’s crucified.

***

What does it mean to just deny

Myself now every day?

To do what Jesus said to do,

So His will I’ll obey?

I was so used to living life

In my own way, you see.

The self I need to just deny

Is INDEPENDENT ME!

***

I used to handle life myself;

On God I did not lean.

This independent way should go,

Trust God, is what I mean;

And let Him take over control,

His way I will now try.

God loves to handle life for me;

That old way I’ll deny.

***

I’ve always tried to earn from God,

Acceptance, love and peace;

But now—if I deny myself—

This trying I will cease.

I cannot earn those things from God,

They’re gifts I should receive;

And you should, too—deny yourself.

That struggling self, relieve.

***

Your old self has been taught for years

That righteousness is earned,

But that’s a worldly concept that

So many of us learned.

Deny that thinking, give it up!

Believers have been made

The righteousness of God in Christ,

Since God their soul has saved.

***

"God helps all those who help themselves,"

Your old self has been taught;

But that’s not in the Bible,

It’s a lie that we have bought.

We’re helpless, we can’t help ourselves;

We need our Lord’s great grace.

"God helps those who CAN’T help themselves,"

Is truth we need to face.

***

No matter if you struggle hard,

You cannot overcome

The weaknesses that plague your life;

To failure you’ll succumb.

Give up control, stop struggling,

That struggling self deny;

And let God overcome FOR you.

His victory He’ll apply.

***

It pleases God when you proclaim:

"I have been crucified!

Yes, I’ve been crucified with Christ;

The old me, it has died."

Don’t try to do what has been done;

Deny self, just believe,

That you’re already crucified.

That fact, by faith, receive.

***

Don’t try to crucify yourself,

Deny the self that tries;

And let God handle EVERYTHING,

While His truth He applies.

Oh, just deny that self that struggles

Hard to overcome,

And rest in Christ’s great victory