Take up your cross daily and follow Jesus Part 3/3.

Key Stages in How Rees Howells' "Self-Life" Was Dealt with by the Cross

In this post, I want to explore the key stages in the life of Rees Howells, an intercessor who profoundly understood the application of the cross to his self-life. For a more detailed biography of Rees Howells, please refer to the first part of this teaching.

A) Surrender of Personal Ambition

Early in his life, Howells had many aspirations. He had business prospects and personal plans. However, God required him to relinquish total control over his future. This was a significant turning point for him.

Cross Dynamic: It was about letting go of self-determination. Howells learned to accept God’s direction, even without guarantees. This was not easy, but it was essential for his spiritual growth.

B) The Crisis of Full Surrender

A defining moment in Howells' journey was when he yielded his will, his rights, and his entire life to God’s control. This moment is often described as a decisive “death to self.” But importantly, it was not the end of his journey; it was just the beginning.

C) Repeated “Tests” of Obedience

After his initial surrender, God continued to work on deeper layers of self through specific, sometimes uncomfortable commands. For instance, Howells was asked to give away money when it felt unreasonable. He had to obey promptings that risked his reputation and accept situations that exposed his pride or independence.

Pattern: God would ask, resistance would be exposed, and surrender would be required. This aligns closely with the progressive application of the cross in our lives.

D) Identification with Others Through Intercession

One of the most distinctive aspects of Howells' life was his belief that God called him to identify with people or situations in prayer. This often meant bearing burdens that were not naturally his own. He understood that intercession required a kind of “death to self-interest” so that God’s purposes could flow through him.

E) Breaking of Self-Reliance

Throughout his life, God dealt with Howells' independence, natural strength, and personal reasoning. As a result, his reliance shifted fully onto God. This echoes Paul the Apostle’s principle: 'strength perfected in weakness.'

The Theological Framework

The book reflects a particular stream of teaching that emphasises union with Christ in death and resurrection. It presents the “crucified life” as an experiential reality. Obedience becomes the pathway to deeper spiritual authority. In simplified terms, the more we yield our self-life, the more God can act through us.

Important Clarification

While the book Rees Howells: Intercessor by Norman Grubb is powerful, it should be read with discernment.

Strengths:

• Seriousness about obedience

• Recognition of the real cost of discipleship

• Consistency with the call to “take up your cross daily.”

  
  

Potential Risks if Misapplied:

• Over-subjectivising guidance (“God told me…”)

• Confusing personal impressions with divine command

• Placing all believers under identical patterns of experience

  
  

It’s crucial to remember that not every believer will be led in the same way or intensity.

How It Connects to “Taking Up Your Cross” in Luke 9:23

In Howells’ life, cross-bearing looked like:

• Surrender of will → “deny yourself.”

• Obedience at cost → “take up your cross.”

• Ongoing responsiveness → “daily.”

  
  

But crucially, it was not a single event; it was a lifestyle of repeated surrender.

Final Conclusions

The biography portrays the “self-life” being dealt with in two layers:

1. Decisive Surrender: A clear yielding of the whole life to God.

2. Progressive Outworking: Repeated situations exposing deeper self-will and ongoing obedience shaping character.

   
   

Bottom Line

According to Rees Howells: Intercessor, God deals with the self-life not only through a one-time surrender but through a lifelong process of testing, obedience, and deeper yielding. This process allows the believer to become increasingly aligned with His will.

Remember how Jesus viewed the cross. Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) reminds us: “Looking unto Jesus... who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross…”

Fix your eyes on Jesus and follow Him in cross-shaped living. What cross is the Lord asking you to take up today?

Personal Prayer and Waiting on the Lord

Amen.