Why should you not “end it?”
REASON #3: You are not your own, dear one.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 in the Easy-to-Read Version, it says, “You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. God paid a very high price to make you his. So, honor God with your body.”
Are you going to strangle it? Are you going to blow a hole in its head with a 44-Magnum? Are you going to take a bunch of pills? Are you going to cut its wrists? Whose body is it that you could be destroying? Whose is it? You might say, “Well, it’s my body.” Is it? Actually, it’s been bought and paid for with a very high price, and before you do anything to it, you need to go to Him and tell Him that you’re thinking about doing this to His body and see what He says about it. Do you think He is ever going to give you permission to blow a hole in the head of His body? Or cut its wrists or any such thing? No. He’s going to tell you, “No. Don’t you dare do that to My body. I bought it. I paid for it. I’ll heal it. I’ll help it. I’ll resurrect it. I’ll transform it.” But no, you don’t have a right to do just anything that crosses your mind with it; it’s not yours. It’s His.
Don’t you think that the phrase when He said, “Do yourself no harm,” would also include not cutting yourself, defacing yourself, maiming yourself, or hurting yourself with large quantities of drugs or other kinds of things that you know are damaging and hurting you?
It’s not just your body—it’s His. Do you believe it? So, let’s take care of His body and do what He says to do with it. Sanctify it to His service. If it’s sanctified to His service, He has an obligation to maintain it. Did you know that? I count on that. I say, “Lord, now this body is in Your service. I’m counting on You to keep it up and keep it working until I run my whole race and finish my course.” I say it frequently, “This body will serve me well as long as I need it.” It will serve me well. God will keep it that way. You are not your own.
Before you leave this world, there are some vitally important things you need to do. Death is not the end. What we do in this life affects the next life.
First, are you born again? Please do not leave this place unsaved, dying in your sins. You need to know that you are saved and right with God. Second, have you finished your course? Do you know that you’ve done everything you’re supposed to do? And third, realize you are not your own.
SALVATION PRAYER:
Father God, I believe in You.
I believe in your Son Jesus.
That He went to the cross
And paid for all my sins and failures.
That You have raised Him from the dead.
Jesus, I receive You and all You have done for me. I confess You as Lord of my life.
I am not my own, but I belong to You.
As You help me, I will follow and serve You All my days.
If you have contemplated suicide or you’ve attempted suicide, and you see the truth, just repent before the Lord. Nobody else has to hear it. Close your eyes and look up toward the Lord in your heart. Just tell Him, “Lord, I’m sorry. I repent for listening to the devil’s lies. I repent for yielding to hopelessness and helplessness. You are greater than all. Nothing is too hard for You.”
Say this out loud:
By the grace of God, I will not quit.
By His strength in me, I won’t give up.
When my strength is gone, and when I’m not enough, You are with me, Lord.
Your grace is sufficient for me.
And when I can’t in myself, I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me. As You help me, I will fight the good fight.
I will keep the faith.
I will finish my course.
Hallelujah and Amen.
“Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone,
Because I know the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives”
