“He must increase, but I must decrease.” These are words from John the Baptist about Jesus. John’s disciples didn’t understand that they were there to point people to Christ.  

We are too!

Our Text

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:29-30 KJV

John the Baptist’s Ministry was to point people to Christ

Our whole lives are supposed to be lived in service of pointing people to Christ. That’s why it’s so important to not compromise what the Word of God tells us to do.  We are representing Jesus!

John the Baptist didn’t care about “his ministry”. 

When Jesus comes into our life, we no longer get to be the most important thing.  We must decrease so that Jesus can increase. 

I wrote a song where one of the lines says, “The more of me that I lose is the more of You that I choose”  This is the truth! 

The ministry wasn’t his.  Instead, John decreased so that Jesus and His ministry could increase.  This is what we are supposed to do. 

Our Joy will be Made Full

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:29-30 KJV

In verse 29 it says, “this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”  When we lose ourselves, we find our life in Christ. This will give us more joy than anything else in the existence of the world could ever bring!

Jesus is the greatest man to ever walk the earth and He is the reason that I am here today.  

The truth of the matter is that without Jesus my life is in shambles.  It ends up being the “Nathan show” and sadly there’s not much to really see.  Just a man trying to find success in his own strength – and spoiler alert! – it never seems to work.

Our joy can only be found in removing ourselves from the equation.  

By letting the mind of Christ be in you, not thinking of yourself, and always seeking to serve others we die to our own selfishness and press into God.

Notice most mental disorders when researched stem from selfishness. Also if you look at many homeless shelters you’ll find the same thing.  

That’s because selfishness breeds all other kinds of bad mental habits.  

You will never progress in life past what you think.

Selfishness will keep you thinking about your problems, your issues,  your needs instead of the needs, problems and issues of others. 

From this place we can only find unhappiness. 

Our joy is only made full when we decrease and God increases.

Wrapping things up

So what are you going to do with a post like this one?  

For me, I am reminded that everything I do in WORD or DEED do ALL to the glory of God.  That is what my dedication is today.  

I will work harder than ever to be and do exactly what God wants me to do.  It starts with a mental mindset that says, “Ok God I am going to do the best that I can to follow your spirit in every location and place that I go.”

If you enjoyed this post, consider sharing it with your friends on social media.  I promise you if you need it then someone else does too. 

For most posts like this one about John the Baptist click here.