Phil 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death ESV
Jesus told us that if we would be His disciple, we must deny ourself, take up our cross, and follow Him. And the cross we have to carry is that we, as His bride, have deliberately given up our right to ourselves to Him … especially as it relates to the pleasures and interests of this life.
Some time ago the expression What Would Jesus Do (WWJD) became a very popular question to answer when facing a Should I or Shouldn’t I? Is it Right or Wrong? Is it Good or Bad?
I think taking that view misses the point based upon the fact that we have given up the right to make that decision ourself. Perhaps it is more appropriate to consider: Is this the kind of thing that Jesus is doing in the world, or is it what Satan is doing? It’s not a question of is it right? It’s a question of whether it is something Jesus would be doing if He were here.
Jesus has taken the selfish “want to” out of us and has replaced it with the desire to do the things He would do if He were here. When we say “why shouldn’t I,” Jesus says …
Luke 14:26-27 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple … 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. ESV
That is the condition of discipleship. Jesus must be first in our life over anything else. We are to totally relinquish our right to ourself in obedience to Him.
It is not an issue of would Jesus do it or not or should I do it or not … it’s an issue of “Doing” what Jesus would do if He were here.