What Does It Mean To Take Up Your Cross, Deny Yourself and Follow Jesus? Looking at Mark  

I want to make Jesus Christ my everything.. I’m working on it. He has changed me i did a complete 180 of things I did before. I don’t want my Lord to deny me. I don’t care what I lose for Jesus

I love the sound biblical teachings you produce. It's so hard in these times to find them.

Dear Melissa... Last night I was watching John MacArthur and he was talking about denying one's self. I had a very vague understanding of what this meant, so I wrote down a reminder to pray about it in the morning, as I've been doing the last few days. Literally prayed about learning more about what this meant this morning and BAM there you are. May God bless you and may you continue to spread His word. Many, many thanks to you for all you do.

The way you explain things is nothing short of a blessing to me, Melissa. I wait eagerly for all of your videos, knowing I will walk away from it with new understanding. Thank you so much, for that. 😭🙏🏼❤️

Love the explanation. It reminds me of when I studied this passage years ago and this is the result of it: Matthew 16:34, "If any man will come after me [be my (Jesus's) diciple], let him deny himself [renounce self dependence], and take up his cross [bear troubles and difficulties in the Christian walk], and follow me [be an imitator of Christ]. Mind you, that was years ago.

This year will be my 28th year as a follower of Jesus Christ. I’m all these years, including my studies for a bachelor’s degree in theology, I’ve never heard a more satisfactory, concise, biblically sound explanation of to take up one’s cross and follow Jesus. Thank you.

35 yrs of being a Christian and this is the literal first time I’ve heard this taught this way. I’m so grateful for your ministry and your cross, God bless you 💖🙌🏼

To follow Jesus, we want what he wants, we desire what He desires. amen 💕

Praise God praise be to Jesus! I was saved by Him out of a lifetime in the occult. I am struggling with how to truly seek and follow him. This helped me so much.

I really enjoyed this teaching! As a pastor, this is one of the most persistent themes in my preaching. That and, "There is a cost to following Jesus!". My life is not my own, I was bought with history's heaviest price! It is no longer I who lives, but Christ who lives in me! Phil 3: 7-11 is a passage I'd love to hear more ministers teach on, too!!

Your teaching is so valuable in this time of much twisting of Scripture. We can come to you for the truth.

I lived for myself many many years on fact over 20years and called myself a Christian.. But I wasn't.. I can see that now... I lived for self. It's only when I canme to true repentance and died to self I believe then I got saved.

Awesome video! I’m getting baptised tomorrow, this was perfect to watch. 😊

I have been a Christian for many years, and am a senior citizen now...but your teaching is Excellent, and you keep it simple, as I believe teaching the Bible should be. Keep on, sister, your ministry is a blessing to all ages.

Deny yourself it means obeying Him no matter what happened.

I love Jesus so very much. I was absolutely giddy through this entire video. I can hardly wait to be with Him 💖🕊👑

27th September 2021, yesterday's was the day I realised the new age belief was taking me so far away from Christianity and how I was manipulated just because I was extra curious trying to dig in starting with the law of attraction. I had my eye opener yesterday and I'm so glad that my Lord Jesus has always got my back to save me in different ways. We are so so blessed. I want to thank u and Doreen for the informative videos and interviews you'll posted because that gave so so much clarity. You'll have played such an important role that I cannot thank you both enough. Thank u thank u thank u sooo much. God Bless 🤗

Not sure if this has been done already but a video discussing the difference between a “believer” and a disciple. A chicken is involved in breakfast, but the pig is fully committed. Not the best comparison but you get the point.

Newbie here. Thanks for clearing that up. I'm reading in Judges now and I have LOTS of questions.

WOW! I find myself falling so short of this. Just don't know if I am capable of truly living this out. How will I ever make it?

Galatians 2:20. Powerful verse. One of my favorites.

Melissa, I just watched this video of yours this morning and God has definitely used you as a vessel of His glory. I was so edified and fulfilled, both spiritually and emotionally by this video. Such an eye opener.... new knowledge and understanding on this passage. My Men’s Group here in Tampa just had a discussion on this last week so I’m definitely going to pass along this video and share with them. Thanx. God Bless, sister!!!

Such an important topic thank you so much for covering it! Praise God, Jesus is everything!!!

I've never heard this verse said this way! So blessed to have found your channel! I'm a new subscriber as of today. Glory to God!

thank you for taking the time to make these videos i literally wait from the one to the next because your explanations are biblical and easier to understand can you do one that explains speaking in tongues there are so many explanations i would love to hear your thoughts on that kind regards

☕🔨 ) " The cup of the carpenter is a profound analogy. Thanks for sharing this message from the Word of God with your viewers, Melissa Dougherty. "

Melissa, “Excruciate” Nabeel said “Crucifixion was such a horrifically painful death; they had to invent a word to describe it!” Powerful words and they really help put Our Lords sacrifice into perspective! God Bless

That was really good. I like how you worded the definition of denying yourself.

Shortly after getting married to an unbeliever thinking he would convert later on, I was at church by myself feeling sorry for myself since mostly everyone around me were there with their families, their husbands, except me. I heard Jesus ask me, "do you accept this cross?" I knew immediately he meant the cross of going to church by myself. I realized God knows best and told him yes. Since then and 11 years later I continue to go to mass by myself. It is very difficult specially because we never had children but I am no longer angry about it. For everything, it's best when it's God's time and He is God, not us. Thank you Melissa for this beautiful video. God bless.

You’ve blessed my life today with this teaching. Thank you!

Thank you for sharing. I did learn a lot. I learned that living for Jesus worth everything!

Amazing!!! So many Christians need to hear this. Thank you😊

I think the answer is not to deny our desires, but to deny the evil in ourselves, as Amos 5:15 says, "Hate the evil and love the good, and establish judgement in the gate, ..." Your desires are not evil. Feelings are not evil. If you deny your feelings you are judging them incorrectly. What is evil is possibly the intention attached to a desire; a desire is a feeling that motivates an intention. When you analyze a desire, if you find an evil or imbalanced intention in it, then all you have to do is repent for it to God, with all your heart, and do it repeatedly until the intention actually disappears and you grow a healthy desire. So, the idea is to deny the evil in yourself, not the good. The good is what emanates from God, which is light and life, and hence truth, love and justice. The soul is life, and life is feeling; you are not alive if you don't feel. Even hatred is not evil if no intention is attached to it, and as long as it is directed toward the evil (Luke 14:26). The evil is that which is contrary to loving God because evil destroys truth, life and the way of justice, which is what emanates from God, but contrary to popular opinions, the Will of God is not limited to the good happening exclusively in the world right now, because if that were true, evil would not exist, but God creates the evil for a good purpose (Isa. 45:7); so to say that only certain things, specifically the good and not the evil, is the Will of God is incorrect, since evil is still necessary for our spiritual growth, as we need to learn how to get rid of it, with love and not by creating more conflicts like we usually do. By the way, love is necessary for life; a child without love may even die. So, a lack of love, as when there is no mercy or compassion, is of course evil. Note that an absence of feeling, specifically, when we suppress or deny our feelings, is much more evil than having the feelings and expressing them in private, while repression of feelings is scientifically accepted to be unhealthy. It is what we do with our feelings that may be evil, but not the feelings themselves. Feelings are all good because they express the soul, and so they actually come from God because the soul comes from God (Gen. 2:7), but our intentions come from our own free will and hence they come from us and not from God.

This has come to me in the most amazing timing!! 👏 thank Jesus for leading me to good teaching of his word. Praise the Lord.

I have been a christian for many years (about 40 years) and I have never heard this scripture explained so well. thank you. The Lord is giving many people clear understanding in this day and is preparing his people for what is coming shortly.

I love the examples: 1. Who do you say I am? (Not ascended master, prophet, a good man, but The Son of God) 2. I too loved Indiana Jones the wooden carpenter cup scene....He came in humility, to serve and your reminder He will come back to rule and reign.💛💛💛

Wow, that was so well explained and very helpful! I have been struggling for a long time in this area and praying that i can live for God and follow Him rather than seek happiness from the world. He’s still working on me. I want so badly to have a passion for His desires and no longer desire anything opposing what He wants for me and from me!

In the Indiana movie, just after the scene you talked about, came one of my favorites, the Knight Templer says, "He chose poorly." That said, this was a very fine tutorial on taking up one's cross. Well done.

Melissa this comment is in reference to this video as well as the others that you have posted. You do an excellent job breaking down scripture into biblical teaching and discussing a variety of topics utilizing scripture to drive home to a point. You are striking a balance of tact without mincing words. The Holy Spirit is working through you greatly and I enjoy how the Holy Spirit is utilizing your personality. There is no one size fits all with the Holy Spirit. God Bless.

This is the definitive key to real discipleship and all that is entailed in living as a true Christ-follower. This passage and Romans 6 are the greatest and complete discussion and mechanism for living as a genuine Christ-follower. This sister is doing an extraordinarily marvelous ministry for the Body of Christ!!! Praise for you, Melissa! The Lord bless you richly forevermore and may you continue to give us such necessary meat from God's word!!! This is authentic Christianity!

Great video, Melissa. You do an excellent job of explaining some difficult passages and teachings. When I was studying Mark, I noticed that in subsequent passages, he shows us what it looks like to deny yourself, such as Mark 9:33-41, Mark 10:13-22, and 10:35-42. I love how Scripture interprets Scripture!

What you said about Indiana Jones, reminded me of Samuel and David.

Thank you and thank God for your commitment. ❤

Thank you Melissa! Your videos are great. I am always excited when I see that you've uploaded a new one ❤👍

Thank you for this Melissa!💖🙏

Excellent message as always, Melissa!🙏🏻♥️

Once again, thank you soo much Melissa! God bless.

Thank you for the encouragement and for being solid. I enjoy listening to your videos. God bless you.

Always a joy and a blessing to hear the Gospel message done right! As always, well done, and thank you!

Thank you Melissa for these videos and taking the time to explain the Gospel.

That’s very well explained!!! Absolutely a blessing!!!

Thank you Melissa! God bless you and this ministry.

Awesome job!!! It's surprising that many don't know this really important teaching on following Jesus. The reason is because the church of today is focused more on a feel good motivational messages. God Bless you.

Another video that made me 😭 He’s DEFINITELY got me!! Thanks for this

This is brilliant...so helpful..so needed. You are a really good teacher. Thank you for this Melissa!

Excellent teaching, Melissa. Thank you!

Thank you, Melissa!

Love the way you explain things, very clear and simple. Blessings to you.

Nice Melissa 👍🏻 Peter allowed his emotions to go against what Jesus was saying and Jesus stopped those words and thoughts immediately, which were planted by Satan. Satan always tried to disqualify or prevent Jesus from doing what He came to do, but Jesus was so focused on fulfilling the Father’s Will.

I have been blessed by this video. Thank You so much for break down of these verses. ❤️

Thank you so much Melissa for working so hard for God in breaking down God's truth! I've been sharing your videos with my sister in a different state. You're Blessing!!🙏🌿🤍🌿

Wow...just wow! You explained that so well. Thank you and thank God. ❤️

Amen sister!!😇 Very well explained too! Keep up the good work! Love you sis!! God bless you!!!❤️

I’ve been on a long bus ride home for Christmas and I’ve been binging your videos. Your teachings are so clear and concise and it’s just a breath of fresh air. Love your interview with Dallas Jenkins and how unafraid you were to ask some tough questions. Thank you for your content

I have often wanted to hear the exegesis on this scripture. Thank you. Very well done. x

Really enjoyed this video melissa, great work.

I was amazed when this video showed up. I had recently studied these very same verses a few days ago, and though I understood them on the surface, I couldn’t seem to get away from them. My thoughts weren’t so much focused on the denial of oneself where it concerns giving up our desires for the things that are not of God; rather, I looked at the: “taking up of our cross”. After research into the Greek definition of the word: “up” ... I found that according to Thayer’s Definition to take “up” could infer: a moving from its place, or to cause to cease. Maybe I’m overthinking things here; nevertheless, and based on another of your videos wherein you discuss “Faith without works”, I’m somewhat lead to draw the conclusion that the, “taking up” of our cross could carry the meaning of: moving our self-efforts from their place and causing them to cease to exist. How often do we try in our own strength, not only before salvation, but also after salvation; to crucify our fleshy desire for sin? We have our virtual “cross” so to speak. Yet, the very fact that we have received Christ Jesus by faith, we are, or have now been crucified apart from our own self efforts, and there remains no need to rely on our “old cross of good works”. We can uproot it, move it from its place, rely on it no more; thereby, we deny ourselves to follow Christ and trust in what He did for us on His Cross.

Excellent job in explaining this Melissa, it makes perfect sense. TY

I'm so glad I accidentally clicked on this! Thank you God! Melissa, this video was so very enlightening!!!!!

👑" King Jesus" 👑 " Our Lord Jesus Christ is welcomed and honored on this channel ! " 💜📖

Thank you Melissa and Jesus. I love the way you explain the scriptures and help me apply the Word to my life.

This is the greatest challenge of our lives. I struggle with this.

Thanks Melissa. Totally on point... as always. Praying for your channels to all gain many more followers to lead people out of darkness and into Jesus’ marvellous light! You go girl. God is with you!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS VIDEO. It's so important for us not to deceive ourselves and think we are CHRIST followers, if we aren't picking up our cross daily and turning from the flesh and walking the narrow path with JESUS. THANK YOU AGAIN🙏

Your explaination of this video was so helpful. Love your videos. God bless you and your family

Excruciating! Wow! This is so deep and I am humbled. Yet again God speaks depth into our souls! Amen💗

So blessed to hear your Biblical teachings and the way you explain it is so amazing!

A very encouraging video! Thank you for your work

All thanks and praise be to Jesus, Amen !

Beautifully explained... I love your gift of teaching.. You are a treasure my Dear Sister...

Thank you🙏🏼💕and God bless you.

I agree totally with Jennifer Wilson. You a blessing to so many in how you explain the Gospel. Even as a new minister, I am learning so much and these help.

Your description of Jesus and your reference of it to the Indiana Jones movie can be found in Isaiah 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, [there is] no beauty that we should desire him.

Praise the Lord You are a blessing and I am so much blessed. Stay in the narrow path and enter in the narrow gate. God bless you sister Melissa

So Beautifully said. Thank you very much for your great video and message. Words I needed to hear at this very moment. God bless and much love to you.. ❤️

Dear Melissa, Thank You for the gentle, soft way You deliver your faith videos, Something i think is iimportant when helping us to see a truth in His word, and the error in the world. I believe that you are far more effective than you even know. God is using you in ways you don't know. I am thankful to have you as my Kingdom Sister always. Much love to you and your family. :)

I love that you used the cup of the king vs. carpenter line! That's one of my favorite lines in the whole movie (Next to "My soul is prepared! How's yours?) Man, I love that movie!

Excellent video, thanks for sharing this! I’m sharing this. 🙏♥️

Thanks for your help. We have limited options to learn about the Scriptures and study the Bible during these covid times. I am so grateful and love how clear your videos are. I love having tough questions answered.

At first i was hesitant to listen because there are way to many ministers on social media, so i don't eat from everyone's table, but this proved to be a huge blessing. I look forward to your next video😘

Wonderful teaching . Thank you and bless you.

Wow. Absolutely incredible. God bless you 💛

Amen melissa well said, a beautiful way to explain the gospel, I love that a cup of a carpenter, he came to serve not to be served. I love your videos well done, thorough, it's a hard road but I don't see walking any other road, I love him so I serve him God bless you and your family love you too sold out for Jesus

Great video, I know the basic meaning of the verse but ur helped make it more clean. I have a better understanding of what it means to pick up my cross and follow Jesus. Thank you and God bless you and ur family.

This was an amazing study. Thank you for posting it.

I really needed to hear this, thank you.

Thank you for this great explanation of a somewhat confusing Bible verse. May God bless you and your ministry!

Very well explained thank you so much for your wisdom and time to put these videos together.

Thank You Melissa!

Your videos are making me cry. I needed this teaching. So very much for clarity. I've had to walk away from a lot of things I've wanted to say YES to...but like you mentioned, they were pulling me away from God. What good would it have been to go after an unequally yoked relationship just to say I got married and fit in like everyone else? What good would it have done to bear children to man that fought me at the most fundamental level that Jesus is Lord AND God? How heartbreaking it would be to bear children and do what I did to mom when she wanted to send me to church, "Dad doesn't go, why do I have to?" Fathers have an extremely huge role in the life of their children. What good would it have been to learn misery when God did not want that for me? Even scripture tells me what good is it to be patient when we are at fault and messed up (essentially have try to bless the mess we create). He won't BECAUSE He loves us. It's not easy. But...the JOY is incredible. The peace. The knowing God is for you. That He finishes what He started. Thank you so much for your channel...I feel God is trying to wrap His arms around me by letting me know I'm not alone. It wasn't until I said, "God...I don't care if I stay single forever. It's not what I want...but if it is Your will. Then, I surrender." After trying to hold onto every relationship with total failure, surrendering to God has been the BEST thing I've ever done. It does NOT mean I don't have moments where I break down in my car and cry. It does NOT mean, I don't sob at the loss of my dreams and desires. It does NOT Mean I don't have absolutely human moments. But it does mean He is telling the truth and believing Him is all I truly have. He's shown me so much, and I am able to love people FOR REAL. I wish I knew this joy when my grandma was alive. I would have showered her with hours of affection instead of trying to hide from the phone as a kid. The life and quality is different even if it means not getting what you want all the time. Wow...that last sentence coming from me...thank you, God!!!