“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
The closer and deeper we go in our relationship with God, the less we focus on ourselves. Sometimes, when we are full of ourselves, busy thinking and taking care of our personal needs, celebrating our own breakthroughs, dealing with our weaknesses, struggles and pain, we actually miss out on what God is currently doing within us. The enemy wants us to be in that state—focusing our eyes on ourselves so that we cannot see what God wants to achieve through us.
But John 3:30 says that Christ must increase and we must decrease. John the Baptist told his followers that he must decrease while Christ must increase, after his followers told him that Jesus was also baptizing and that many were coming to him instead. John the Baptist knew that Christ was the answer! He exalted Christ above himself because Jesus had come and everything that they had been looking for was in Jesus Christ, not in him.
When you focus on yourself, there’s no satisfaction or rest, because you will always see your flaws, your needs and your weaknesses, but when your focus is on Christ Jesus, He provides all the answers you need—that you are God’s beloved, God’s child, the light of the world, an overcomer, more than a conqueror, someone who is called to be His anointed. When you suffer pain, rejection and persecution, you are blessed because you share in the suffering of Christ Jesus! You don’t need to think about your needs, your own pain, or your personal breakthroughs, and there’s no need to compare yourself to others, because as you exalt Jesus Christ in your life, the Holy Spirit in you manifests Christ through you! You become like Jesus as you focus more on who He is, and you also begin to think of others who are in need of Christ in their lives. At that point, you become fruitful for the Kingdom of God.
So, when you come to God in prayer, give thanks and glory to Him, as He will empower Christ Jesus in you. Exalt Christ and magnify what Jesus is doing in your life and surrender every care and matter of your heart to him. Declare your strength in Christ, who will continue increasing as you think less of yourself and more of Him. You don’t need to look for a breakthrough… you are the breakthrough! Christ is already in you! Give praise and glory to God!
