Every human being is naturally born
with an inherent and innate strong will to stay alive and to attain success in
life, which is seen in the ability of humans to do just about anything it takes
to achieve self-preservation and self-sustenance... The human instinct to
survive is known to be our most powerful drive, because even though its effects
on our lives can be seen physically, it works in our subconscious to determine
our decisions and actions often times even without prior or initial
consideration or reasoning on the matter in question. It often affects how we
think, what emotions we experience, and the ways we behave and interact with
others…
Our reaction of fight or flight in
response to a given situation is triggered when we (and also all animals)
perceive the situation as a threat to our existence. For instance, the survival
instinct of a soldier in a battle field pushes him to fight his enemies putting
in his best efforts to save his own life even if it means taking the life of
others. Also, situations such as hunger, pain, fear, distress, worry, loneliness,
anxiety, frustration, depression, anger, guilt, and so on can also trigger
swift and sudden emotional or physical reactions in response to the natural
human instinct for survival…
Different people react differently to
their survival instincts, based mainly on their mind states, belief systems,
values, trainings, amongst others… However, in the context of true
Christianity, one is expected not only to a times completely disregard the tendency
for self-preservation, but also to sometimes do the direct opposite of what one
would have done, if one were to follow the dictates of one’s natural survival
instinct… But such ability is never attainable by natural efforts or means,
hence the need for new birth, being born again and being filled and led by God’s
Holy Spirit, Who is our Helper in the Christian life-style…
Jesus Christ our ultimate and perfect example
being fully human and sinless, would never have accomplished the work of
salvation by the death on across if He had let His survival instinct get in the
way; just as no one would love to die especially for doing nothing wrong… He had
this to say: “…He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his
life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal…” John 12:25 “…If any man come
to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and
brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And
whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple…” Luk.
14:26-27
From the above, we can deduce that one’s
love for one’s own self or one’s love for any loved one can hinder one from
being an effective follower of Christ; because the call to Christianity is not
a call to self-preservation, but a call to self-crucifixion, and that sacrifice
can go as far as displeasing one’s own self and even everyone else so as to
please God or to endure a period of pains and persecutions, all for the sake of
Christ and the cause of the gospel, even when the natural feeling may be rather
uncomfortable or unbearable for a while… Therefore, the Christ-like life
becomes a struggle when one is still alive to one’s natural survival instinct…
Same reason Paul the Apostle said, “I die daily…” He was definitely not
speaking of a physical death, but a death of his survival instinct which He
consciously achieves by putting his body/flesh and his self-will under
submission to the will of God by the help of the Holy Spirit…
Also, Christ’s disciples who fled for
the safety of their lives when He was arrested simply did what any natural
human would have done at the time, to ensure life-preservation; but many of
them later preached the gospel with boldness even in the face of danger and became
self-sacrificing martyrs who died for what they believed, after the Holy Spirit
came upon them and their survival instinct died… Same applies to every true believer;
the death of one’s survival instinct is a daily task which can only be carried
out successfully by the empowerment and constant infilling of the Holy Spirit and
by maintaining a consistent fellowship/relationship with God in prayer and in continuous
study of God’s Word…
Without the help of God’s Holy Spirit,
one would keep giving a natural response to the natural human survival instinct,
when faced with situations such as the fear of death, fear of poverty, fear of
tomorrow, loneliness, frustration, guilt, and so on; which often leads to a
non-productive and non-effectual Christian life … If one must gain Christ, then
one must be willing to lose self with all its entanglements… If one must
fulfill God’s will, then one must be willing to repress self-will; and until
one is ready to die to self and all its selfish lusts and wants, then one is
not ready to live for Christ… The safety of tomorrow is not guaranteed by
worries or anxiety, or by proper planning and saving; the safety of tomorrow
and the assurance of eternity with Christ is only guaranteed by living and
doing the will of God each and every day with the help of the Holy Spirit…
“Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall
we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For
after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth
that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God,
and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you…” Matt.
6:31-33
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