While brushing my teeth this morning my wife off-handedly said to me, “I could tell you were preaching to yourself yesterday.” After the perfunctory brushing etiquette was over I sat on the edge of the tub and asked how she knew. She sort of chuckled and inferred it was hard to hide my frailties on stage when I had exposed my frailties to her off the stage. As usual she was right. I don’t always preach to myself. Sometimes I just take a text and unpack it for the people God has entrusted me with and I trust that God will speak to their own areas of brokenness. But sometimes it’s impossible not to let my own emotional and spiritual battles find their way into my words. In those moments it doesn’t matter who is sitting before me in a church sanctuary because the only one that I know that needs to hear these words is me. I’ll share later what I was preaching to myself about, but the point is simply this: it’s good to preach to yourself.
Preaching to yourself simply means that you are aware of the issues in your marriage, sexuality, work, parenting, value, vision, etc… and you stand toe to toe with them all the while embracing Jesus’ strength by his shed blood and resurrection. Preaching to yourself is not limited to those who are pastors, but to those who need daily reminders of eternal worth and why this world is not our real home. And when I use the word preach don’t let your mind drift to a guy on stage. Simply, think about a person that contends with your heart on weighty matters and inflicts your soul concerning what will last for eternity. Unfortunately, if the only time you have someone preach to you is on a Sunday, it’s not enough. Preach the gospel to yourself every day!
I know that “preaching the gospel to yourself” is a weird phrase–it’s not original to me. The first time I heard it was in an interview with Jerry Bridges and then later in his book Discipline of Grace. Some hear that phrase, “preach the gospel” and immediately think, “I’m already a Christian. I don’t need the gospel any more. I need deeper teaching!” That response only reveals a shallow understanding of the gospel’s intent for us. If the only goal of the gospel was to save us and make us citizens of heaven then immediately after trusting Christ we would be taken to heaven. The gospel is the transformative power to save us, shape us and send us so that Jesus will be glorified in all the earth. But what does it really mean to preach the gospel to ourselves?
Take Every Thought Captive
As thoughts enter our minds that are contrary to who we are in Christ, we are commanded to “take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). Taking thoughts captive mean we treat them as enemy combatants. Not just any thought is allowed space in our lives. When we preach the gospel to ourselves, we are protecting spiritual real estate that has been made holy by the blood of Christ and we are kicking out unholy squatters. Paul reminds us that we “… beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another (2 Corinthians 3:18). In other words, personal growth takes a while. One degree of glory to another. Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and promise of life abundant is not just found in believing the gospel one time. We are forgetful people. Any thought that causes us to drift from the reality that Jesus is enough for us must be dealt with harshly.
Let the Scriptures Define Your Identity
Preaching the gospel to yourself means you remind yourself everyday what God says about you. Your new identity as son/daughter/redeemed/called/restored is only possible because of what Jesus has already accomplished on your behalf. We need reminding lest we begin to think it’s up to us to be awesome. The only way we are truly reminded is through the Scriptures. For example, if you battle fear, preach the gospel to yourself! Jesus has overcome fear by overcoming the author of fear (1 Peter 5:7, Isaiah 41:10, John 16:33). Feeling anxious? Preach the gospel to yourself! Remind your soul that Jesus will provide everything you need (Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:33-34, 2 Corinthians 4:8-9). Are you wrestling with the idea that you’re not doing enough? Or maybe Jesus is disappointed with your performance? Preach the gospel to yourself! When Jesus breathed his last on the cross he was putting a nail in the coffin of spiritual performance.
Don’t wait until Sunday for someone to preach the gospel to you. Do it now! Sure up the walls of your mind and heart. Take the time to memorize verses so that you can walk in the fullness of God and his freedom. Preaching anything other than the finished work of Jesus, his ferocious love for you and his redeeming plan over your life is foolishness.
