Ego vs Radical Authenticity
Ego; the “I” or self of any person.
Ego eime; Greek - 'I am', 'I' in the verb 'to be'
Continuing from yesterday, 'truth' is found beyond self or ego and 'truth' will set you free.
"Radical authenticity strips you naked in public, constantly and ongoingly. It tears away any need to be right or smart, to look pretty or tough or wise, to win at a game that, underneath it all, is not even worth playing. And once your authentic, naked self fully realizes there's really no enemy "out there," anywhere, the real walk and work of life can begin, and you can breathe deeply and freely while doing it, and there's no drama or hurry or panic about it, because there's no "presentation" to put together, nothing at all to prepare, only freedom and real life to enjoy, real relationships to explore and invite, real and unconditional love to give, real and intimate connection to relax into.
When we find ourselves "feeling one way" (regardless of what we're ready to admit) and yet speaking and acting another, still trying and wanting to get the "presentation" to a level of "acceptability" in the eyes of some power we've given ourselves over to (ultimately so that we can get something we still so desperately need - like approval, protection, security, understanding, validation, victory, etc.), we're still lost in our ego need for fear and winning, when, as pure Love, we know we've already lost everything, already poured out everything, in a hopeless and overwhelmingly futile cause, and we're totally accepting of our hand and our role, which, to our sudden shock and amazement as the dust settles, has somehow won the day, and, strangely, we really don't need that anymore." ____ Jim Spivey
My husband, Ken and I sat down and looked at this email to discuss it deeper. What the ego is doing to keep our eyes on circumstances and seeing that the ego lives off circumstances, it is the fake flesh desires and flesh needs about ourselves and the same expectation of others. It is the opposite of our spiritual self. Two opposing entities, like dark and light, evil and good. Ego needs fight with our freedom to dive deep within ourselves and be stripped naked and vulnerable before others and God (and in front of Him who are we fooling, He knows our hearts already). The ego is afraid of pure love, truth and real life or real living. The spiritual man reveals 'truth' every time. Ego, shuts down 'real' relationships, 'real heart', discussions at all cost. Ego makes sure we are preoccupied with circumstances and ravaging self satisfaction and it keeps our minds on the enemy 'within' and the enemy 'out there'.
Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
The battle is within us, first, we must overcome that by the renewing of our minds, crucifying our flesh desires and flesh needs. We have no more fear to become living sacrifices, totally stripped naked of 'self', vulnerable in the presence of God and others. If we see His good, pleasing and perfect will for us, it is because we are no longer 'ego' driven. Then all that comes at us, thrown at us by the enemy from 'within' or from 'out there' has absolutely no power over us, he isn't even worth recognizing. Darkness has no power over us because you are free.
When we overcome fear and and the need to win and be right, (and this is worth repeating) "when, as pure Love, we know we've already lost everything, already poured out everything, in a hopeless and overwhelmingly futile cause, and we're totally accepting of our hand and our role, which, to our sudden shock and amazement as the dust settles, has somehow won the day, and, strangely, we really don't need that anymore."
To dive deeply within ourselves beyond the facades, beyond the need of 'self', 'ego', our 'presentation' of our own perceived 'acceptability', our flesh and our outward appearances and our need for acceptance by others, we find our 'authentic' selves standing, or should I say on our faces before Him, as our spiritual act of worship, recognizing that His is the only great "I AM' and I am (ego) not.
This song is worth repeating for the sake of reliquishing the power of our'self' and seeing there is no enemy or power over us, our greatest enemy is our'self'.
Video & Song
Same song different video...
"Set Me Free' Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSHqtVvAUo0&NR=1
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