Four Steps: If anyone (1) DESIRES TO COME AFTER ME, let him (2) DENY HIMSELF, and (3) TAKE UP HIS CROSS, and (4) FOLLOW ME (Matt 16:24). Before you see what you must do to fulfill these four steps, you must be prepared to put your total faith and trust in what Jesus will do to help you live this kind of life. If this verse falls on you and what you are capable of doing, being willing to do, or even considering it as a possibility, it will crush you. But, if you trust Jesus, you will believe He will make this possible.

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus gives you four broad, all inclusive steps for “anyone” who wants to be involved in His worldwide Christian movement.

1. Desires To Come: You must have an intense desire to join Jesus.

2. Deny Himself: You must give up your own plans, abilities, opinions, efforts, desires, and goals.

3. Take Up His Cross: You must accept the death instrument that begins, carries out, and finalizes your victory over various areas of bodily activity in your life as the Holy Spirit reveals and works on them in you.

4. Follow Me: You must accept the life provision, Jesus, to start living out the walk in the Spirit as each of your human activities are replaced with Jesus’ life.