1. We must not trust self. “That we should not trust in ourselves but in God” (2 Cor 1:9)
“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” (Jer 17:5-7). Self will always disappoints you and lets you down. We are not sufficient of ourselves (2 Cor 3:).
2. We must not promote self. “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Cor 4:5) The message of our life and lips ought to point to Christ, not to ourselves. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)
3. We must not live for self. “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.” (2 Cor 5:15) Now that I am saved I no longer live for myself, I live for my Saviour. My slogan used to be, “For me to live is SELF”, But now, “For me to live is Christ”. (Phil 1:21) We must learn to say “NO” to self and “YES” to Christ: “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)
4. We must not please self. “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” (Rom 15:1) Our focus was once on pleasing self, but now pleasing God (Gal 1:10) and helping and edifying others (Rom 5:2). If we must focus on self, then let us focus on cleansing ourselves (2 Cor 7:1), Judging ourselves (1 Cor 11:31) and being a vessel fit for the masters use (2 Tim 2:21)