Luke 9:23 (NLT)
“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”
Ezekiel was gifted, visible, and effective such that whenever he ministered, people responded. Yet beneath the fruitfulness of public ministry, there was a quiet agitation within him which was asking God why He seems slow in making him increase in influence and reach.
One night, while he was praying for ministry advancement, a weight from the LORD settled on his heart with a clear question: If I hide you longer, will you still obey Me?
After that encounter, for months, as though it was an attack, the number of invitations he received drastically reduced, God’s spotlight and attention shifted to someone else who didn’t seem to be doing much better than him. It was in that season Ezekiel discovered that the real battle was not relevance but surrender; he realized that God was not actually denying him a crown, He was only introducing him to the way of the cross, and as self yielded to the punch of the cross, Christ became more precious than recognition.
That’s exactly what the Kingdom looks like – it operates by a PRINCIPLE that offends the flesh and that is, the cross always comes before the crown.
In this Kingdom, glory is never accessed by ambition but by surrender – Jesus Himself walked this path, choosing obedience unto death before being exalted and that’s a constant spiritual law in our Kingdom.
Mr. Self loves visibility, control, comfort, and speed but of course, the cross confronts these cravings by demanding daily denial. To die to self is to obey God when obedience leads to obscurity, delay, or misunderstanding, remaining faithful even when validation is absent and outcomes are unclear.
It’s impossible to desire resurrection power while avoiding crucifixion because the truth is that fruitfulness only comes through burial and as long as self remains alive, the life of Christ is restricted.
Hidden seasons, prolonged processes, and costly obedience are not punishments, they are instruments of formation. Those who will reign with Christ must first learn how to die with Him, not once, but daily.
Practical Application
Today, willingly submit one area where your personal desire or ambition conflicts with God’s will, and choose quiet obedience without seeking recognition.
Confession
I am crucified with Christ, and I no longer live by the impulses of self. My ambition, timing, reputation, and desires are laid at the feet of Jesus. I embrace the way of the cross with humility and faith. I choose obedience over convenience and surrender over self-expression. As I die daily, the life of Christ is formed in me, and God’s will is perfected through me.
Related Scriptures: John 12:24, Philippians 2:5–11, Romans 8:17, Galatians 2:20, 2 Timothy 2:11–12, Matthew 16:24–25
Weekly Bible Reading: Genesis 3
