Die to self and be obedient until death!

Luke 9:24

For whoever wants to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake shall save it.”

This message is not to scare anyone but to strengthen the body of Messiah and all lukewarm believers who are on the fence, with one foot in the world and one foot with YESHUA! There is nothing to fear when we have The ELOHIM of Yisra’el with us. Don’t settle for the comforts and safety of this world and what they are offering, but stand for YAHWEH and follow His Son YESHUA no matter what! And we are going to discuss many throughout the history of scripture who chose to lose their life for His sake versus trying to save their own lives to end up losing their souls in the end. Not all died in the process, but many were tried to see how they would stand! When you have died to self and are living for YESHUA then you know that nothing else in the world matters.

Romans 6:3-4

Or do you not know that as many of us were immersed (baptized) into Messiah YESHUA were immersed into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through immersion into death, that as Messiah was raised from the dead by the esteem of the Father, so also we should walk in newness of life.”

2 Corinthians 5:15

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them, and was raised.”

The reward in the end is greater than anything on this earth; therefore your minds should not be set on the earthly things but the spiritual. We too must be ready to stand no matter what. We know that things are beginning to heat up as the second wave is coming with food shortages, their so-called “C.O.V cure” that will alter your DNA from the DNA YHWH created for you at birth, along with aborted baby DNA, mercury etc, also tracking devices to monitor your movements, health records, and what you buy and sell. Without it you will not be able to work, buy or sell. You have to understand that believers in YESHUA will be outcasts from the world and the ones who will not comply will be deemed as a threat to others, so they will hate you or even turn you in. So, if you are a lukewarm believer it’s time to take your stand!

 So it’s time to stand up and decide are you going to be a sold out disciple of YESHUA and trust in Him or fold into the plans of men? Are you ready?

Mathew 10:32-33

Everyone, therefore, who shall confess Me before men, him I shall confess before My Father who is in the heavens. But whoever shall deny Me before men, him I shall also deny before My Father who is in the heavens.”

There are many who are sleep and spiritually blinded and are trusting in the plans in men and their narratives on every news station and not trusting in our Father YHWH and His Son YESHUA.

Jeremiah 17:5-8

Thus said YHWH, “Cursed is the man who trusts in MAN and makes FLESH his arm, and whose heart turns away from YHWH. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and not see when good comes, and shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land that is not inhabited. Blessed is the man who TRUSTS IN YHWH, and whose TRUST IS YHWH. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and does not see when heat comes. And his leaf shall be green, and in the year of drought he is not anxious, nor does he cease from yielding fruit.”

Psalms 33:13-22

YHWH has looked from the heavens; He has seen all the sons of men. He looked from His dwelling place on all the inhabitants of the earth-He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works. The king is not saved by the multitude of an army; a mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain means of safety; neither does it rescue any by its great power. See, the eye of YHWH is on those revering Him, on those waiting for His kindness, to deliver their being from death, and to keep them alive during scarcity of food. Our being has longed for YHWH; our help and our shield is He. For our heart rejoices in Him, for we have put our TRUST in His holy Name. Let Your kindness, O YHWH, be upon us, even as we wait for You.”

Psalms 37:18-19

“YHWH knows the days of the perfect, and their inheritance is forever. They are not ashamed in a time of evil, and in the days of scarcity of food they are satisfied.”

Psalms 112:5-7

Good is a man showing favor and lending, He sustains in right-ruling. For he is NEVER SHAKEN; the righteous is remembered forever. He is not afraid of an evil report. His heart is steadfast trusting in YHWH.”

No matter how evil the report gets on this earth we are not shaken or moved because we trust in YHWH and that is what I want all believers in YESHUA to do today if you haven’t already.

Let’s look at examples of how our hearts should be prepared to stand!

Daniel 3:4-7

Then a herald loudly proclaimed, “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that as soon as you hear the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the lyre, the harp, the pipes, and all kinds of instruments, you shall fall down and do obeisance to the GOLD IMAGE that king Nebukadnetstsar has put up. And whoever does not fall down and do obeisance is immediately thrown into the midst of a burning furnace of fire.” So as soon as all the people heard the sound of the horn, the flute, the zither, the lyre, the harp, all kinds of instruments, all the people, NATIONS, and languages fell down and did obeisance to the GOLD IMAGE that king Nebukadnetstsar had put up.”

Where do we see this happen again?

Revelation 13:14-15

And he leads astray those dwelling on the earth because of those signs which he was given to do before the beast, saying to those dwelling on the earth to MAKE AN IMAGE TO THE BEAST who was wounded by the sword, yet lived. And there was given to him to give spirit to the IMAGE of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause to be killed as many as would not worship the image of the beast.”

Our responses should always be as they responded:

Daniel 3:16-18

Shadrak, Meyshak, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebukadnetstsar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. For if so, our ELAH whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning furnace of fire and from your hand, O king-He delivers! But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your mighty ones, nor do we do obeisance to the gold image which you have put up.”

 Shadrak, Meyshak, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fire for not bowing down to the image and during the end times those who don’t worship the image of the beast will be killed. They were protected for trusting in YHWH as we know that YESHUA was with them in the fire as He will be for us. No matter what hold firm to the end and do not deny Him. They trusted in YHWH whether they were going to be delivered or not.

Genesis 39:6-14

And he left in Joseph’s hand all he had, and he did not know what he had except for the bread that he ate. And Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. And after these events it came to be that his master’s wife lifted up her eyes to Joseph and said, “Lie with me.” But he REFUSED and said to his master’s wife, “Look, my master does not know what is with me in the house, and he has given into my hand all that he has. No one is greater in this house than I, and he has not withheld whatever from me but you, because you are HIS WIFE. And how shall I do this great evil and sin against ELOHIM? And it came to be, as she spoke to Joseph day by day, that he did not listen to her, to lie with her, to be with her. And it came to be on a certain day, when Joseph went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the house was inside, that she caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.”

Joseph stayed faithful to YHWH and His commands by not committing adultery even though it landed him in prison. We know that Joseph was 17 years old (Genesis 37:2) when he was sold into slavery then thrown into prison; and 30 years old when he went before Pharaoh (Genesis 41:46) which shows he was imprisoned for 13 years, but he remained faithful and YHWH blessed him for it by making him a dad to Pharaoh, master of his house, and governor of Egypt.

Peter and John were thrown into jail:

Acts 4:1-4

And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the Sanctuary, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being annoyed because they taught the people and announced the resurrection from the dead in YESHUA. And they arrested them, and put them in jail until the next day, for it was already evening. But many of those who had heard the word believed, and the number of the men became about five thousand.”

Acts 12:1-4

And about that time Herod the king put forth his hands to do evil to some from the assembly. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And seeing that it was pleasing to the Jews, he proceeded further to arrest Peter as well and they were the Days of Matzah. So when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to watch over him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.”

Daniel 6:3-13

Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and viceroys, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to appoint him over all the reign. Then the governors and viceroys sought to find an occasion against Daniel concerning the reign. But they were unable to find occasion or corruption, because he was steadfast, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. Then these men said, “We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel unless we find it against him concerning the Law of his Elah (Arabic for ELOHIM). Then the governors and viceroys tumultuously gathered before the king, and said this to him, “King Darius, live forever! All the governors of the reign, the nobles and viceroys, the counsellors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal decree and to make a strong interdict (prohibition), that whoever petitions any mighty one or man for thirty days, except you, O king, is thrown into the den of lions. Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the writing, so that it is not to be changed, according to the law of the Madites and Persians, which does not pass away.” So King Darius signed the written interdict. And Daniel, when he knew that the writing was signed, went home and in his upper room with his windows open toward Jerusalem he knelt down on his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his Elah, as he had done before. Then these men tumultuously gathered and found Daniel praying and entreating before his Elah. Then they approached the king, and spoke concerning the kings’ interdict, “Have you not signed an interdict that every many who petitions any mighty one or man within thirty days, except you, O king, is thrown into the den of lions? The king answered and said, “The word is certain, according to the law of the Madites and Persians which does not pass away.”

We see Daniel did not let a law prevent him from praying to YHWH as he had been doing three times a day previously. Daniel stood up for ELOHIM despite that threat to be thrown into the lion’s den. Do you see where I’m going with this? No matter what this world tells you to do that goes against the Word of YHWH to not EVER break the commandments of YHWH! Cling to YESHUA and never let go no matter how ILLEGAL they say it is.

Tobiyah 1:10-11

And when we were carried away captive to Nineveh, all my brothers and those who were of my relatives ate the bread of the gentiles. But I kept myself from eating; because I remembered ELOHIM with ALL MY HEART. And the Most High gave me favor and kindness before Shalmanseser, so that I was his attendant.”

John 15:20

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they shall persecute you too. If they have guarded My Word, they would guard yours too.”

 We have to remember that a servant is not greater than His Master as YESHUA said and we are called to walk like Him (1 John 2:6) so be prepared to stand!

Philippians 2:8

And having been found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, death even of a stake.”

2 Maccabees 7:1-9

It also came to be, that seven brothers with their mother were taken, and compelled by the king against the Law-to eat pig’s flesh, and were tortured with scourges and whips. But one of them that spoke first said, “What would you ask or learn from us? We are ready to die, rather than to transgress the Laws of our ancestors (Leviticus 11).” Then the king becoming enraged, commanded pots and cauldrons be heated. These promptly being heated, he commanded to cut out the tongue of he that spoke first, and to cut off the outer parts of his body with the rest of his brothers and his mother looking on. Now when he was mutilated in this way over his entire body, he commanded him while still alive to be brought to the fire, and to be fried in the cauldron. And as the smoke of the cauldron spread widely, they encouraged one another with their mother to die bravely saying, YHWH ELOHIM watches over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses spoke in his song which witnessed to their faces saying, ‘And He has compassion on his servants.” So when the first had died in this manner, they brought the second to make him a mockery. And when they had pulled off the skin from his head with the hair, they asked him, “Will you eat before you are tortured over every part of your body? But he answered in his own language and said, “No.” Therefore, he also received the next torture in turn as the former had. And when he was at the last gasp he said, “In wrath you remove us from THIS PRESENT LIFE, but the KING of the world shall RAISE UP WE WHO HAVE DIED FOR HIS LAWS, UNTO EVERLASTING LIFE.!” Verse 14-17 “So when he was ready to die he said, “It is good to be put to death by men; to look for expectancy from ELOHIM to be RAISED UP AGAIN BY HIM. As for you, you shall have no resurrection to life. Afterward they brought the fifth also, and mutilated him. Then he looked at the king and said, “You have power over men, you are corruptible, you do what you want; yet do not think that our nation is forsaken by ELOHM. But wait a while and see His great power, how He will distress you and your seed.” Verse 20-23 But the mother was greater above all and worthy of honorable remembrance; for when she saw her seven sons slain within the space of one day, she bore it with good courage because of the expectancy that she had in YHWH. She also encouraged every one of them in her own language. Filled with a courageous spirit and stirring up her womanly thoughts with a brave face, she said to them, I cannot tell you how you came into my womb; for I neither gave you breath nor life, nor was it I that formed the members of every one of you. But without doubt the Creator of the world who formed the generation of man and revealed the beginning of all, will also give you of His own kindness, breath and life again, as you disregard now your own beings for the sake of His Laws.”

This cruel torture happened to all of the mother’s seven sons in her presence and then she was killed. They chose to obey YHWH and not break His Commands under any circumstances and like YESHUA they were obedient until death. But the ultimate message is this, YESHUA overcame the world and sits at the right hand of our Father YHWH and at His Name every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that He is Master. Those who died for YESHUA in obedience will be raised to everlasting life just as the second son said in Maccabees.  This is what all believers in YESHUA are to look forward to knowing this life is short. Those who rule now think that they are winning, but in the end they will lose, you just have to hold on! Don’t break the Sabbath, eat pork, shrimp, crab, or lobster, nor break any of His commandments.

Revelation 20:4

And I saw thrones- and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them-and the lives of those who had been beheaded because of the witness they bore to YHWH and because of the Word of YHWH, and who did not worship the beast, nor his image, and did not receive his mark upon their foreheads or upon their hands. And they lived and reigned with Messiah for a thousand years. And the rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended-this is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one having part in the first resurrection. The second death possesses no authority over these, but they shall be priests of YHWH and Messiah, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

Psalms 116:15

Precious in the eyes of YHWH is the death of His saints.”

How deep are your roots?

Mathew 13:18-21

You, then, hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the Word of the reign, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside. And that sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the Word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the Word, immediately he stumbles.”

Mathew 24:10

And then many shall stumble, and they shall deliver up one another, and shall hate one another.”

Examine your roots to see if your faith is strong as Shadrak, Meyshak, and Abed-Nego, Daniel, Joseph, Peter, James, Paul, Tobiyah, the mother with the 7 children to name a few; or can your faith be shaken and be as one that YESHUA says in the parable that when there is pressure or persecution because of the Word, will you fall away? Will you deliver up your brother or sister to save your own life? How will you stand? Make sure you pray and make sure you have completely given your life to YESHUA to be a sold out disciple of His, so none of this even comes into question. Be ready! We cannot do this on our own strength! We need the Ruach ha’Kodesh who will always give us strength and the words to speak:

Luke 12:11-12

And when they bring you to the congregations and rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say, for the Ruach ha’Kodesh (Holy Spirit) shall teach you in that very hour what you should say.”

Acts 4:7-12

And having placed them in the middle, they asked, “By what power or in what Name did you do this? Then Peter, filled with the Ruach ha’Kodesh, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Yisra’el: “If today we are called to account for a good deed towards a sick man, by whom he has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Yisra’el, that in the Name of YESHUA ha’Mashiach of Nazareth, whom you impaled, whom YHWH raised from the dead, by Him this one stands before you, healthy. This is ‘the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. And there is no deliverance in anyone else, for there is no other Name under the heavens given among men by which we need to be saved.”

No matter how frightened you are during the times we can see that YESHUA did not lie and the Holy Spirit gave Peter the words to speak and the strength to overcome. All believers must have the mindset as all I mentioned throughout this article and in conclusion I leave this scripture:

Revelation 12:11

And they overcame him because of the Blood of the Lamb, and because of the Word of their witness, and they did NOT LOVE THEIR LIVES TO THE DEATH.”

As always may our Father YHWH bless you all in YESHUA’s Name!