In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of doing the will of God and renouncing the desires and ambitions of the world. He highlights that the world and its temporary pleasures will pass away, but those who do God's will will abide forever. The speaker outlines four steps to following Jesus: denying oneself, taking up one's cross, falling into the ground like a seed, and allowing God to bring forth new life. He emphasizes the need to have faith and trust in God's plan, without trying to bargain or make deals with Him. The speaker concludes by affirming God's faithfulness and the fulfillment that comes from living the life God has planned for each individual.

Do what you want to do, but you lose your life. Or you can lose your life, lay it down, and you'll find another life. But you cannot find the other life, until you've lost the first life. And generally speaking, I think Ruth's Testament is a good example. God doesn't bargain. He doesn't say, well if you give up this, I'll give you that. He just says, follow me, that's all. And then again, in Luke chapter 14. Luke the 14th chapter. Verses 26 and 27 and then verse 33. Luke 14, 26. If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Notice he says cannot. He doesn't say it's difficult, but it could be done. He says it's impossible. And then in verse 33 of the same chapter. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has, cannot be my disciple. Very clear. It's total commitment. No reservations. No other person takes precedence over Jesus. When he says that we have to hate father and mother and other relatives. He means only in this sense. That anything that would tempt us from our total commitment to Jesus. We have to take a total stand against. No matter how close it may be to us. In the natural. And then one other passage along the same line in John chapter 12. Verses 24 through 26. John 12. 24. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it. And he who hates his life in this world, will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there my servant will be also. If anyone serves me, him my father will honor. Again the same message. Consistently. A life to lose and then a life to find. But you cannot find the new life until you've lost the old. And that's faith. There's no bargaining with God. God if I give up this job, you'll get me a better one. God if I step out in faith, you'll do this or that. God doesn't bargain. I'd like to just make that very simple and practical by outlining four steps in following Jesus. That all come out of the verses that we've just read. First of all, you have to deny yourself. That's not complicated. We all know what to deny is. It's to say no. So to deny yourself is to say no to yourself. Self says, I want. I'd like. I wish. I think. Denying self says, no. It's not what you want. It's not what you wish. It's not what you think. It's what God says. That's the first step. It includes, if necessary, turning our back on the closest human relationship. The closest family and friends. It also means turning our back on all material possessions. Our employment. Whatever might be our material security in this life. One of the reasons why I asked Ruth to give her testimony first is that it's such a clear testimony. God asked her to give up her job. Then he asked her to give up all her possessions and her home. But every time she took the right step, she found something in its place. I don't want to discourage you, but I just want to make it very clear to you. The second thing you have to do after you've denied yourself is take up your cross. The cross, well there are two definitions of your cross. One is, it's the place where you die. It's the place of your own execution. Now you don't have to take it up. It's your decision. God doesn't impose the cross on you. He says if you wish, you may take it up. Jesus went to the cross voluntarily. And if we follow him, we go voluntarily. We go to the place that's appointed for our death. The end of the old life. The other definition of the cross is that it's the place where your will and God's will cross. And there's always a place in discipleship where you have to say like Jesus, not my will, but yours be done. The third step is to become a seed that falls into the ground. Jesus said a grain of wheat that remains alone never brings forth fruit. But a grain of wheat that is dropped into the ground goes down below the surface and is lost to sight and buried. Something happens there in the moist earth. I'm no farmer, some of you probably are. But the moisture gradually breaks down that hard shell and exposes the seed to the nourishment of the soil. And after a while, a new green shoot comes up out of the soil. That's the new life. But Jesus said, unless the seed is first dropped into the ground, goes beneath the surface, is buried and is exposed to that breaking down process, there'll never be a new life out of it. This has been so vivid to me. Perhaps I could put it to you this way, just for a moment. Think of your life as a seed, a grain that you're holding in the palm of your hand. And you say, you're mine, you belong to me, I control you, I can do whatever I want with you. But as long as you maintain control and hold it in your hand, it remains alone. And you know what I discovered in our contemporary society and culture, there are so many lonely people. One reason why they're lonely is they've held on to the seed. It's still yours, you're in control. But you can be very lonely. The other thing you can do is say, I'll give up control. I'll let it go. It's my life, but I'll let it go. I'll let it fall into the ground. I'll let it be buried, go down below the surface. People may even walk over it. If you do that, God promises, out of that seed you've dropped, there will come a new life. It's related to the seed, but it's quite different from the seed that you dropped. Those are the three first steps. Deny yourself, take up your cross, become a seed that falls into the ground. The fourth step is the exciting one. It's find a new life. A life that you can never find any other way. You're shot off from that life, which is the life God has planned for you. The life for which God has created you. But the only way you can go is through those steps. Deny yourself, take up your cross, fall into the ground, and let God do what you cannot do. One of the key words in the Bible is grace. As it's used in the Bible, it's supernatural. It's what God can do when we come to the end of our own ability. As long as we can do it, we don't need God's grace. When we come to the end of all that we can do, that's where God's grace begins. So when we've dropped the seed into the ground and left it, taken our hands off it, we open the way for God's supernatural grace to do with it what only he can do. Now, let me say a little to you about the new life. I just want to say three important things. First of all, the motivation of the new life is to do the will of God. That was the motivation of Jesus himself. He said, my food is to do the will of God. Finish the work that he gave me. And in 1 John 2 and verse 17, John speaks about the one who does the will of God. He contrasts that with everything that this world has to offer. And he says, 1 John 2, 17, The world is passing away and the lust of it. All its desires, all its ambitions, all the things that it grasps for and strives after, they're all temporary. They're all going to pass away. Is that true? Isn't that true? Very seldom are we willing to face that fact. But when we do, it's obviously true. But there's a but. But he who does the will of God abides forever. That's the difference. You see, when you renounce your own will. When you say no to yourself and meet the condition. And unite your will with God's will. You become as powerful, as undefeatable, as the will of God. The last resort, God's will is going to be done. You become identified with his will. You're unsinkable. You're undefeatable. You're going to last forever. Isn't that exciting? He that does the will of God abides forever. I'd invite you to say that with me. He that does the will of God abides forever. Once more. He that does the will of God abides forever. Now let's change it just a little bit and make it personal. Like this. Listen to me once. If I do the will of God, I will abide forever. All right? Are you ready? If I do the will of God, I will abide forever. That was good. We're going to do it once more. With real conviction this time. If I do the will of God, I will abide forever. All right, that's the first mark of the new life. It's a life that's united to the will of God. It has in it all the strength and the undefeatable confidence of God's own will. Secondly, the new life is directed by the Holy Spirit. Let's look at just one brief scripture in Romans chapter 8 and verse 14. Romans 8 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. It's all a continuing present tense. As many as are regularly led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. You see, when you receive Jesus as your personal Savior by faith, you are born of the Spirit of God. You become a little infant in God's family. But to grow up into a mature son, there's a further process. It's being led by the Spirit of God. Many, many Christians who've been born again have never learned to be led by the Spirit of God. But as many as are regularly led by the Spirit of God, they become sons of God. They become mature. They grow up. They find God's purpose and destiny in their life. And so this new life is not keeping a set of rules. It's not primarily going to church. All these things may be important. But the essence of the new life is a personal relationship with a person. And that person is the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit take you by your hand and lead you. He knows the way. He knows the dangers. He knows the pitfalls. You're secure when you're led by Him. You don't have to rely on your own cleverness or your own strength. You've got a supernatural friend by your side. Who leads you. Who knows the way. And who can take you in it. The third aspect of this new life is that the provision for it comes from God. Once you've surrendered yourself to God, in obedience to His call, He accepts responsibility for you. I could illustrate this from the British Army. Though in many ways the British Army is not a pattern of God. When I got into the British Army, I mean I was conscripted, I'm not saying I enlisted. But anyhow, I ended up in the British Army in September 1940. For the next five and a half years, I didn't have to worry about what I wore. Or plan where I would go. Or plan what I would eat. My pay in those days, believe it or not, was two English shillings a day. Which, nobody in New Zealand today could fathom how little that was. But we never starved. We didn't have to pay for our food. We never had to buy our clothes. The Army always was responsible to provide us with somewhere to sleep. For about two years it didn't provide me much better than the North African desert. But at least there was the desert. And some kind of covering for night. I'm not saying it was all a picnic. But with all its limitations, the Army accepted responsibility for every soldier. Now when you commit yourself to God's will, without reservation, God becomes responsible to provide for you. There are many of us here that can testify to this. When I stepped out of the British Army and became a disciple of Jesus Christ to the full, I married a lady who had a children's home just north of Jerusalem. The same day that I married, I became adoptive father to eight girls. That's a large family. We went through the war that marked the birth of the State of Israel. We were right in the middle of the war. Our house was about one quarter of a mile from the front line, when there was a front line. And we've moved from country to country and place to place. We've faced dangers, tribations, opposition. But all through it, God has consistently provided. Jesus said in Matthew 6.33, Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, And all these things will be added to you. See the world goes out to grab them. The world makes them things. Food, clothing, money, houses, cars and all that. It's objective. But in this new life, you make the will of God your objective. And God adds these things. That says a lot of worry. If you know that God is adding. Now you can say, some of you can say well that sounds almost too good to be true. Well first of all, it's the promise of Jesus himself. And he never deceived. Secondly, there are thousands and thousands of servants of the Lord around the earth today. Who have testified from personal experience, it's true. It works. God is as good as His word. I want to testify to that. I have, to the best of my ability, by the grace of God, sought first the kingdom of God in my life. And God has provided and provided and provided. I tell ministers, sometimes when they become too spiritual, the church board relieves them of their job. I've met many such. I say don't worry, God is more generous than church boards. He'll take care of you when they wouldn't. That's not true of all church boards. But believe me, God cares for those who commit their lives to Him. I'd like to give you just one other beautiful Scripture. Mark chapter 10. Mark 10 verses 29 and 30. Well we could read verse 28. Because characteristically it was a question by Peter that provoked this, or brought forth this answer from Jesus. Peter began to say to him, see we have left all and followed you. So Jesus answered and said, assuredly I say to you, there is no one who has left house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lambs, for my sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brothers, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lambs, with persecution. Don't leave that up. Jesus was so honest, he never gave us an unreal picture. In this age, and in the age to come, eternal life. So Jesus says in due course, whatever you've given up, will be given back to you, multiplied many times over. Not just in the next world. Thank God for the next world and what awaits us there. But in this world. And I can look to you now and say, I've proved it true. When God called me to the land of Israel, and the Jewish people first, and then to the nations of the world. I actually can say, I forsook everything. I didn't do it in a dramatic way. God just put me in a situation, where to obey him, I had to do it. I gave up my own country, which was Britain. Settled in a foreign land. I gave up my family. Not in the sense that I was alienated from them, but their claims came second to the claims of Jesus in my life. One of the closest members of my family to me was my grandfather. Because as a boy, I'd been cared for for quite a long while by my grandparents. While my father was still serving with the British Army in India. My grandfather was dying of cancer. The British Army owed me a passage from the Middle East to England. I had every claim. God said to me, I've called you and now is the time. And I had to say, I'm not coming home. My father, my grandfather died without seeing me again. He was a believer. I know where he is. That was difficult. The Lord said, neither father, nor mother, nor any relative, must come between my claim and you. I had a position at Cambridge University. I was a fellow of King's College, Cambridge. Which was a very distinguished academic position. At the end of World War II, the college authorities wrote to me and said, if you'll come back, we'll give you this and this and this position. I was not very tactful. I wrote back and said, I've become a Christian. I'm not coming. I could have said it a lot better. But anyhow, I turned that down. The money that I had, which I'd received some from various members of my family. I had an insurance policy. When our home moved from where we were living outside Jerusalem, into Jerusalem in 1946. We had to put down all the money we possessed to get into that house. So I gave up my money. There was nothing, actually, of any significance in my life, that I did not turn my back on. I want you to know this wasn't some grand dramatic gesture. It was just step by step obedience to the claims of the Lord. Well, as our brother pointed out earlier, about the question of retirement. Suppose I'd become a professor at Cambridge University, age 65. What would have happened? I would have retired. Sit somewhere in a little cottage, with a rather moderate pension. Here I am, 71 years old, traveling the world, strong, active, leading a life that's challenging and exciting. I wouldn't trade my life with anybody. Not with the royal family, not with any prime minister. It's the life God appointed for me. You see, it's tailored for me. He made me for this life, and this life for me. I would be a misfit anywhere else, but in the life that God planned for me. But to find that life, first and foremost, I had to lose the other life. I just want to tell you, God is faithful. That's all I can say. I've said many times, it's in print. If I were asked to leave a personal testimony to posterity, I would say it in three words. God is faithful. Now tonight, the Spirit of God is here. He's very personal. He's not just an abstract influence. He has been speaking to some of you. Maybe he'll be speaking further to others. I'm not calling for volunteers tonight. But I want to speak to those of you who feel that God, through the Holy Spirit, has said, follow me, give your life to me, for my sake. I want you to ponder that, just for a few moments, quietly. Just chat yourself in with the Lord. If God has something to say to you, be willing to hear it. You maybe came to this meeting without any anticipation of God claiming you for his service. But that was like, Andrew and Peter, they were just there casting their net. And Jesus walked past and said, follow me. Another situation I didn't read. There was Matthew, a Levite, sitting in the tax receipt office. And Jesus preached the shortest sermon ever preached. He said, follow me. And he left the security of that job, the prestige, follow me. Basically speaking, God's call is usually unexpected. And one thing I can tell you is, if he calls, you have no right to demand that he will call again. I know when God called me I was very ignorant of spiritual things. But I knew one thing. I had no right to expect that he would call twice. And I responded the first time. So now, if there are those of you here tonight, who feel God has laid his hand on you. Said, follow me, into whatever kind of life I'm going to lead you. Without reservation. I recommend you to respond. And I'm going to give you an opportunity to do so. If you want to respond to that invisible hand of God that's tapped you on the shoulder. And that inaudible voice that's spoken in your ear. This is your personal response. It's nothing I'm trying to persuade you to do. But you would miss God's purpose for your life. If you walked out of here tonight without making a response. I want to suggest you make a very simple personal response. Don't worry about the people around about you. But in order to make that response, just stand to your feet. Right where you are. Say, God, here I am. Send me. Don't be immotivated by other people. It's got to be your personal decision. What you're saying is, God, here I am. Send me. Young or old. It's not a question of age. It's a question of your heart relationship and attitude to the Lord. I tell you, there are many retired people today. Retired by the world's standards. Who could be extremely valuable in the kingdom of God. They have experience, they have maturity. Often they have a certain measure of financial provision. They can fill vitally important positions in the work of the Lord today. Don't ever write yourself off as being too old. Nor as being too young. Think of the little boy Samuel. In the temple when Eli called. If there are others that want to stand, we're not going to prolong this. Because of Ruth giving her testament tonight. And because we pray so much together. I'm going to ask her to come and join with me. In praying for those of you who are standing. First of all, I would like you to make a very, very simple response to the Lord. We don't need to say a lot of words. I would just like you to say to the Lord, direct. Here I am. Send me. Just say that. Just loud enough to hear yourself. Know that you said it. Here I am. Send me. Say it once more. Here I am. Send me. Now we're going to pray for all of you who are standing. Father, we want to thank you for your spirit here tonight. For the open hearts of your people. For the way you're moving and working, Lord. Lord, I want to stand back. I don't want to get in your way. Holy Spirit, move in to everyone that's made that commitment. We just offer them up to you. Father, in the name of Jesus. May they be yours. Totally yours. From this night forward. Lay your hand upon them. Guide them. Show them your way. And work out your way. For your glory, Lord. In Jesus' name. And all God's people say, Amen. God bless you. Remember now, expect to be led by the Holy Spirit. If I may say it in a certain sense, expect the unexpected. Get out of the rut. And see what will happen. It's going to be exciting. Bless you. For further teaching on this theme, we recommend the cassette, Your Calling is Holy, number 4135. For further information and a complete list of cassettes and books, contact Derrick Prince Ministries, Box 300, Department T, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 33302. Telephone 305-763-5202.