No Man’s Land: Surrendering Self at the Cross

By Drake Hunter | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.

~ Luke 9:23 ~

Jesus calls us not to discover ourselves but to deny ourselves. This moment places us in No Man’s Land—the space between our current identity and the person God is shaping us to be. No Man’s Land is never easy; it’s where our old self resists letting go and fully surrendering to God’s will. It’s also a place where our desire to stay in control is challenged. But Jesus reminds us that this is the starting point of our journey.

Few words of Jesus challenge us more than ‘Deny Yourself!’ Today, many popular sayings promote different ideas: “You do you” and “You are enough.” While these phrases can sound kind, healing, and empowering, they can also subtly tell our “will” to submit to ourselves rather than to God’s truth. “You do you” puts personal preferences above all, and “You are enough” suggests no change or growth is needed. When real pressure comes—like responsibility or suffering—these ideas fall short or even break down completely.

There was a time when I truly believed I was enough. In the early 2000s, Sherrie and I opened The Tivoli Café in Cheyenne, Wyoming. I told myself it was for experience, to learn, to grow. But honestly, I believed my drive, discipline, and willpower could handle it all. I thought asking God to bless what I was doing was enough of a show of faith. For a while, it seemed to work. But gradually, quietly, everything started to fall apart. I was making choices through my own strength, carrying burdens I was not meant to bear alone, relying on willpower instead of surrender.

When it all collapsed, I collapsed too.

I found myself exhausted, burned out, and overwhelmed emotionally. Soon after, I awoke in an ER after an attempt to end my life that didn’t succeed. That moment wasn’t a rebellion against God; it was the end of relying only on myself. It was then that I realized—without sermons, military, or slogans—I wasn’t enough. And I never had been. That’s the point!

That ER room became my No Man’s Land—the place where my will finally stopped fighting for control and where real, genuine faith truly began to grow.

This is where Scripture guides us—not back to self-reliance, but forward into renewal. “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to discard your old self… to be renewed in your mindset; and to embrace the new self, created to resemble God” ~ Ephesians 4:22–24.

Look at the progression: discard the old self. Be refreshed in your thinking. Embrace the new self. Paul doesn’t say to affirm or manage the old self. He says to discard it. This isn’t about self-hatred. It’s about freedom. As Dallas Willard pointed out, transformation isn’t mainly about doing more; it’s about thinking less of the wrong things. Let’s think like Jesus, our Commander.

Your will doesn’t need to be destroyed; it needs to be reshaped. The human will is like a command center. Whatever it says is the most influential force in life. Putting yourself on the throne leads to fatigue, anxiety, and breakdown. Christ on the throne brings peace—even when rebuilding takes time.

Let’s understand what “Denying Self” really means. When Jesus says, “Deny yourself,” He isn’t telling you to disappear. Instead, He’s inviting you into a personal journey of trust, where surrender becomes an act of faith—letting go of burdens and trusting that life with Him is what we’re made for, growing in confidence in God’s plan.

So, this week, try a new war tactic: let go of self-reliance—crucify false independence at the cross. Make a conscious choice each day to surrender rather than rely on heroic independence, and watch your faith grow.

Instead of asking, “How strong do I need to be?’ ask, “Who am I trusting to carry this?” Because No Man’s Land isn’t where faith dies; it’s where true faith is born.

And, as always, remember: God is here. God is able. God is good.

Pastor Drake

I’ll be continuing this conversation later this week on the Just Sayin’ podcast, where we’ll take a deeper look at what it means to No Man’s Land: Surrendering Self at the Cross. 

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so, we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.