02/03/2026
HALFWAY THINGS
Matt 16:24…Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
The word deny means a total disconnect from, or to abstain from. So when Jesus told his disciples to deny themselves, He was implying a total surrender to the cross, to the one who was nailed to the cross. This cannot be done halfway. A halfway denial of oneself implies a halfway surrender. If there is a halfway surrender then sin is still there, and if sin still resides, then holiness does not exist. One cannot be halfway holy. Its either we are holy or not, and without holiness no man will see the Lord (Heb 12:14).
Divine Holiness is the Character of Yahweh. “Holy” (קָדוֹשׁ) first and foremost describes the very essence of God. His holiness is unrivaled (Exodus 15:11), awe-inspiring (Psalm 99:3), morally flawless (Habakkuk 1:13) and eternally constant (Isaiah 57:15). The thrice-repeated acclamation of the seraphim…“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts” (Isaiah 6:3)—underscores the idea that no attribute of God is more defining than His holiness. This holiness radiates moral perfection and utter set-apartness, demanding reverence from all creation (Psalm 22:3; 99:9).
Therefore, halfway surrender will mean that you are not fully prepared for the heaven that God has prepared for you.
I suggest to you, speak with the Father, ask His forgiveness, make Jesus your Lord. Deny yourself, and take up your cross, and follow Jesus. Everyone needs to hear this.
Shalom.
Pastor Mitch