The death of Jesus is what gives us life forever. He died and then rose from the dead. The most basic message to us is to die to self and then Jesus will give us new life. Die to self is the most often given and most emphatically given principle by Jesus to His disciples for character growth and fruit bearing.
Luke 9:23-24 “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.
Luke 17:33 Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.
Our biggest problem is our ego. Probably almost every relational conflict we have is because of our ego. It is our biggest problem in our relationship with God. Because of our ego God doesn’t use us. Because of our ego God doesn’t bless us. Because of our ego God doesn’t know us. Those with ego problems are easily offended, they seek recognition, they gossip and slander, they are quick to defend themselves, they are not easily taught or corrected, they feel sorry for themselves, they are people pleasers, they argue, and they often feel they are being taken advantage of, they are fussers and whiners. We all are born with major ego problems, but if we are going to be blessed and used by God we must figure out how to die to self. If we die God gives us new life, if we die like a grain we bear much fruit. It is counter intuitive to lay down and let people walk on us, but if we do God exults us, and He does great things through us. But you say people will take advantage of me. That is true only if your God is dead. My Savior is very much alive and very involved in my life, and He will protect me and He will exalt me.