“Have we not power?” (1 Corinthians 9:4).

That question rings out again in the two verses following that one.

Paul makes his case that he does have the power (that is, authority and right) to do or not do certain things.

Then he declares in verse 12, “Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.”

If you haven’t yet, check out verses 4-6 to clearly see what he was denying himself for the cause of the Gospel.

No, God doesn’t call all His people to deny themselves those specific things.

But He does call us all to deny ourselves.

I don’t want to hinder the Gospel either. I do want to deny myself, even to the point of leaving certain rights unclaimed.

I have a lot of work to do in that — a lot of surrendering.

But by His grace, I can. I will.