Maldonado - Death to Self, the Path to Change and the Power of God

I t is of no surprise to anyone that we live in wicked times in which the worth of human life has been lost, where moral integrity has crumbled, and where innocence is trampled in a seemingly cultural way. We live in times where the innocence of children is no longer protected, the moral integrity of our adolescents is not defended, and social responsibility of adults is not expected. What is bad we call good, and what is good we call bad. We live in an era in which Christianity is persecuted more each day. We have gone from religious freedom and tolerance to a time of open persecution and aggression towards anyone who confesses Christ as the Lord of his or her life. All Christian values today are being questioned and rejected by a society that only seeks not to hear that its conduct is displeasing to God. This generation only wants to hear what aligns with its carnal, selfish, and egocentric desires. It lives for instant gratification of self and refuses to accept limitations or restrictions. This is the reason why homosexuality is the right of each individual to decide how he or she chooses to live; why abortion is the right of women to choose what happens to their bodies; why divorce is the right to seek personal happiness; why the love of money is the right of every individual to achieve great accomplishments and to have anything that is desired; why false doctrines in the Church are the result of the right each individual has to interpret the Word of God according personal o benefit. We live in a time in which the slogan: If it is good for you, and it feels good, do it is practiced regardless of the harm it might cause, the destruction it might leave in its path, or the inheritance of curses it might leave behind. The most important consideration is: Feeling good.

Egocentrism is the root of the present moral degradation in our societies.

T he Bible says that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5). The reason for this bad season is precisely the moral degradation of the human race; moral and ethical corruption and the perversion suffered by the character of the human being, which are irreversible. The phrase: lovers of themselves, in Greek, is the word philautos ( phileo: love, kiss)like lovingly kissing ourselves. This is where depravation of the entire human character begins, because it was not made for selfish love or to turn the self into a god or an idol. Therefore, the root of moral depravation is the love of self, which means to place ones self in first place, above anyone elses need, above the will of God, and above the laws of His Kingdom. This is why the Apostle Paul described them as lovers of pleasure, which in turn gives them a form of godliness. In other words, regardless of how good they appear to be, they live to satisfy self.

Every person centered on their self is an individual in the process of disintegration.

The Origin of Self

I n my experience throughout my years in ministry, when it has to do with changing or with receiving greater levels of the power of God, the greatest enemy of Christians is not Satan working directly against them but rather their old nature full of sin, selfishness, and pridethe Bible also calls this the old man. The person who confesses Christ as Lord and Savior is born again by the Spirit and his or her name is written in the Book of Life. But from that point forward, that person must begin the process of change and transformation that will allow Christ to grow within. For this to take place the person must endure the process of dying to themselves, through which he or she will surrender the willful nature, the selfish and sinful desires, in order to do the will of God through the fulfillment of the purpose for which he or she was created. This death is what I call death to self.

Many Christians still struggle with sinful behaviors and continue to be led by their selfishness in their daily living. They want to release the power of God that Jesus Christ gave them, but they have not learned to travel the path that Jesus traveled. In the beginning of my ministry, I would ask myself the following question: If someone receives healing and deliverance and is blessed by the power of God, how can that person allow his or her miracle to be lost? How can anyone who was rescued from terrible circumstances, where the enemy had held them captive in the world, refuse to sanctify themselves for Him? Why would they continue to steal, lie, commit adultery and immoral acts, witchcraft, or use drugs? Why continue to be prideful, arrogant, and stubborn? Why continue to fight and provoke division, and more? If God is so powerful, why do some Christians never receive the miracles or the change of life that they need? Why are they never able to advance in their spiritual growth, or to develop their calling in Christ, gifts, or potential? As I looked for an answer from God regarding these questions, the Spirit of God led me to the revelation of death to self.

In this revelation, I discovered that Jesus is our best role model of dying to ourselves, of total denial to every desire or personal agenda and how this releases greater levels of supernatural power to bring miracles, signs, and wonders to our generation. He is the best example of how we should love the heavenly Father and how to submit our personal will to His will; only this will bring the most glorious manifestations of power that we could ever imagine experiencing in our life and ministry. Knowing this is what inspired me to write this book, because I know, and I recognize, that none of the things that I have been able to accomplish were done in my own strength or could have taken place without death of selfdeath to my personal desires and to my way of thinking or doing things. I have always had to surrender my will so Gods will could be carried out in my life, my family, and my ministry. The essence of these things has been taking my self to the cross of Christ in order to crucify it. You might ask: What exactly is the self that I must surrender? Where does it come from?