Love Yourself?

[Matthitjah]

As someone who has been struggling with self-hatred, the Lord recently showed me that "my flesh" is not me. Hating my flesh, my sin, my sin nature, is not hating myself. Even more, you can and should hate your flesh without hating yourself.

Sis, wouldn't that be the nature of your flesh?

I don't quite understand what you are getting at Nebula? I think I see where you are going with the flesh thing, but as Matthitjah says, is it not one and the same thing?

I am not understanding what you are confused about.

Maybe you are not understanding self-hatred? I hate myself because I speak my mind and discover my words hurt someone. I hate myself because I respond in judgment rather than grace. I hate myself because I don't love as Jesus loved, and in many ways still don't know how to. I hate myself because I'm a louse. I hate myself because I keep messing up. I hate myself because . . . .

Now, can I truly be patient with someone else when I can't be patient with myself?

Can I show grace to another where I can't show grace to myself?

We may appear as if we are extending grace and forgiveness, but the truth is that we are doormats allowing people to plow over us and resentment is growing in us like mildew in the forgotten parts of the basement.

So what the Lord showed me was that I need to hate what is the "flesh" that needs to be overcome without seeing myself as "the flesh" - view the flesh as a parasite or a virus rather than a part of me.

Absolutely Beautiful! Nebula, your perfectly on track here. Once I learned that I was not the flesh, nor the sin dwelling in my flesh, I was on the right side of the battle field! Today, I simply rebuke him when he speaks. Being able to recognize the difference between thoughts offered to you and your own personal thoughts is a major part of the victory over sin in your life. Guard your heart, for out of it proceed all the issues of life. May the Lord take you to the next level of understanding the war on sin in you and in me, that you might excel in your walk with him, knowing the truth and being set free from sin.

God bless you Nebula!

However, you are your Flesh. It is an integral part of your Triune nature. Sin is the virus and it is slowly killing the Flesh. it has been since it came into the world through a willful act of transgression and disobedience. The ultimate disgarce for it then is to Master it, make it obey, and use it to Bless, in Christ Jesus of course.

Sincerely, I have a question, did God come to completely Liberate you from the cursed effect of sin?

Dave, your response is the expected one that I receive quite often. The topic of discussion is to love oneself. Please stay on topic.

We are on topic and I'm not trying to be sly.

The topic is in relation to Loving yourself as you Love your neighbor. It's been defined as Agape Love. You feed and clothe your flesh. You are to do the same for your neighbor because honestly, they are your Flesh.

The Lord is talking about exactly what I am trying to elaborate on.

He is telling you that you are to Master your Flesh. You are to Master it in Love.

You can't help anyone if you don't Love God and if you Love God you will Love your neighbor as yourself. you will treat your neighbor as if they were your own Flesh.

[nebula]

Perhaps we are arguing over expressions? I've always heard "flesh" and "sin nature" as synonymous terms.

You can hate the effects that the sin nature have upon your Flesh but you can't hate your Flesh, it is an integral part of your being and it will be Ressurected to new Life.

So let me see if I can rephrase myself using your terminology?

The Lord recently showed me that "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" is not me. Hating "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" is not hating myself. Even more, you can and should hate "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" without hating yourself.

[nebula]

Maybe you're saying that you should beat it into submission and treat it harshly as Paul did?

Telling this to a person with my struggle, we will tell you that we do beat ourselves every day - beating ourselves with words of wrath, words of worthlessness, words of hate, words of condemnation, . . . .

[Matthitjah]

Perhaps we are arguing over expressions? I've always heard "flesh" and "sin nature" as synonymous terms.

You can hate the effects that the sin nature have upon your Flesh but you can't hate your Flesh, it is an integral part of your being and it will be Ressurected to new Life.

So let me see if I can rephrase myself using your terminology?

The Lord recently showed me that "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" is not me. Hating "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" is not hating myself. Even more, you can and should hate "the effects of sin nature on my flesh" without hating yourself.

Amen! I believe that your Flesh is an integral part of your Triune nature and that it's Gods intent to restore it and you completely to the intent of your original estate.

[Matthitjah]

Maybe you're saying that you should beat it into submission and treat it harshly as Paul did?

Telling this to a person with my struggle, we will tell you that we do beat ourselves every day - beating ourselves with words of wrath, words of worthlessness, words of hate, words of condemnation, . . . .

I just tell my Flesh that it is already dead and crucified therefore I'm not going to yield to it. I choose to Live in the new man, Christ Jesus.

Although, I am not at all immune to what you are describing.

[nebula]

I just tell my Flesh that it is already dead and crucified therefore I'm not going to yield to it. I choose to Live in the new man, Christ Jesus.

Although, I am not at all immune to what you are describing.

Well, when dealing with chronic depression - the spirit of death - it's a different kind of bondage that requires a more aggressive surgery.

[Fez]

Maybe you're saying that you should beat it into submission and treat it harshly as Paul did?

Telling this to a person with my struggle, we will tell you that we do beat ourselves every day - beating ourselves with words of wrath, words of worthlessness, words of hate, words of condemnation, . . . .

I just tell my Flesh that it is already dead and crucified therefore I'm not going to yield to it. I choose to Live in the new man, Christ Jesus.

Although, I am not at all immune to what you are describing.

Now we are getting somewhere, and I agree.

Two weeks before I was saved I was in hospital for depression. It was bad, read my testimony.....

The first person, Helen Roome, who is a friend today, and was a counselor then (and a Christian but she could not go down that road for policy reasons. It was tearing her apart..). said to me after the first (very dark) session I had with her. "The person you hate most in the world is yourself".

I am never going back there, ever.....

[Matthitjah]

I just tell my Flesh that it is already dead and crucified therefore I'm not going to yield to it. I choose to Live in the new man, Christ Jesus.

Although, I am not at all immune to what you are describing.

Well, when dealing with chronic depression - the spirit of death - it's a different kind of bondage that requires a more aggressive surgery.

Sister, I am not immune to what you are talking about. In fact, It's part of my testimony. God fought the devil over my very soul in a dark Doctors office. I was suffering from anxiety and depression. I was also very angry.

There is no more an aggressive surgery;

Joh 19:30

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.

I'm by no means deamening your experience.

As I've said, "When I look in the mirror I see a man that God Loves and one whom He has forgiven."

Love ya sis.

[Guest]

Someone asked me a couple of days ago about self hatred. What do you do about it if there's a problem in this area?

Curious here, because I've heard several people mention this in different conversations we've had. (They are believers as far as I know.) Its mostly been in relation to self destructive behavior and things of that nature though.

Edited January 10, 2013 by walla299

[Jayyycuuup]

Someone asked me a couple of days ago about self hatred. What do you do about it if there's a problem in this area?

Curious here, because I've heard several people mention this in different conversations we've had. Its mostly been in relation to self destructive behavior and things of that nature though.

Only advice I have Walla is that they are unsatisfied and need Jesus, their life is in a spiral and need to be reborn in the blood of Jesus Christ. How can one accept the Love or even love others if they cannot even love themselves? If the hatred is shined upon yourself than that is rather your light that is shewn rather than the light and love that is supposed to be displayed.