Here we learn where dying to self is required in our spiritual growth.
"That which is worthless and evil grows spontaneously; whatever is precious and valuable requires labor—constant, diligent work. The symmetrical character does not come naturally; it is of slow growth, the reward of industrious, patient toil, a daily dying to self. Moral culture through Jesus’ merits alone will bring the desired harvest. The knowledge and cultivation of the minds of our children should make parents feel a weight of responsibility that will drive them to God in prayer." {Ms2-1875.}
"You can now at this late date make a success of perfecting Christian character, but it will require efforts, constant dying to self, constant help from God. Money cannot buy for you a pure heart or a single victory or a peaceful conscience. I know your dangers. I know your adversary. I know from whence your help must come. Many are looking upon you as if you would make a failure of establishing a character of strict integrity, of developing an unselfish character before God, and being used as an instrument for good. But I have yet strong hopes." {Lt 32, 1875, par. 53}
"The solemn warnings against backsliding, presented in the Word of God, ought to make us afraid, greatly afraid, for our own souls. The Lord has been giving message to His people, urging upon them the necessity of enthroning Christ in the heart, of dying to self, of obeying the Word of God. The solemn realities of eternity demand that we do this." {Lt 197, 1904, par. 4}
"Pray, O pray that the Lord will reveal Himself to you, and will maintain you ever to work for Him. You must often feel the necessity of dying to self. Then you will not yield to [any] influence but the influence of the Lord Jesus Christ." {Lt 112, 1901, par. 10}
"Until you shall humble your heart before God, and cease your murmurings and reflections, you would prove a hindrance and not a help. When you are willing to obey God, when your mind is prepared to see and understand that it is your own mistakes that have involved you in difficulty, when your headstrong spirit is subdued by the Spirit of God, then your services will be a savor of life unto life, and not of death unto death. You need and must have a dying to self. You need to humble yourself before God. If your ideas and opinions are crossed, you must not break out like a roaring lion. You have not manifested the meekness and lowliness of Christ, but a harsh untamable spirit which God will not permit to be exercised in His cause and in His work, for you put Christ to open shame by your rudeness and disrespect. {Lt 64, 1897, par. 16} These things you must see. These things you must understand. If Christ is enthroned in your heart, you will never manifest that impetuosity of spirit which is a trait in your character, and which will, if indulged, surely close the gates of the city of God against you." {Lt 64, 1897, par. 17}
"Great learning and talent will not make a man sufficient for a responsible position which will make him a wise master workman, unless he is proportionately balanced by a symmetrical character, and by making Jesus his heavenly guide, not trusting to his supposed smartness or his talents. Men should never exchange the heavenly Guide for an earthly guide, who is himself only a part of the great web of humanity, like unto themselves, finite and fallible. We often find in human character strong contrasts of light and darkness. The only safety for men and women to whom God has given reason is to subdue an ambition that is earth born, and they themselves feel the necessity, like Mary, of choosing the better part, which shall never be taken from them; sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning of him meekness and lowliness of heart; dying to self, that their life may be hid with Christ in God." {Lt 8, 1895, par. 46}
"Would you not feel that if Christ is praying for you, you can pray for yourself with an intensity of perseverance, and that all inferior aid is just what it is—finite and worthless? With Jesus as your Advocate, and you believing, confessing your sins with contrition of soul, and dying to self, would you not feel assured your suit is indeed gained? Would you not feel the evidence in your own soul that Jesus was amply able to do all things for you and that the foot of the cross was the only place of safety for you? {Ms 40, 1891, par. 15} How can I present before you these facts that are eternal truths? Here you can say, “In my hands no price I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling.” If your prayers—yes, your prayers, feeble as they may seem—are sincere, if they are mixed with faith, then you may know that Jesus liveth to make intercession for you. The persevering, sincere seeker will surely be the finder, for as soon as you approach the mercy seat in faith, then Christ regards you as His client. He espouses your cause; He makes it His own. He is standing before the Father, your Substitute, your Surety. When you seek the Lord with all your heart, “In quietness and in confidence shall be your strength.” Isaiah 30:15." {Ms 40, 1891, par. 16}
"Your only hope for salvation is in dying to self. You are worshiping a false god. Self is your god, and you have carried self in a highly exalted manner. This has had a tendency to spoil, in the minds of the members of the conference, the high ideals of a true Christian." {Lt382-1907.4}
"Seek earnestly for the faith that works by love and purifies the soul. Let self be crucified. You will find that your hardest task will be to deny self. Some have cherished self for so long that it has become a giant, exceedingly difficult to control. Laborers together with God—this is what we are to be, not trusting in self or exalting self, but dying to self and living to Christ." {Lt343-1905.14}
"The sin which is indulged to the greatest extent, and which separates us from God and produces so many contagious spiritual disorders, is selfishness. There can be no returning to the Lord except by self-denial. Of ourselves we can do nothing; but, through God strengthening us, we can live to do good to others, and in this way shun the evil of selfishness. We need not go to heathen lands to manifest our desire to devote all to God in a useful, unselfish life. We should do this in the home circle, in the church, among those with whom we associate and with whom we do business. Right in the common walks of life is where self is to be denied and kept in subordination. Paul could say: “I die daily.” It is the daily dying to self in the little transactions of life that makes us overcomers. We should forget self in the desire to do good to others. With many there is a decided lack of love for others. Instead of faithfully performing their duty, they seek rather their own pleasure." {2T 132.1}
"All who desire to be among the number who will stand before God without fault must begin without delay the practical work of overcoming. The Lord permits trials to come in order that we may be cleansed from earthliness, from selfishness, from harsh unchristlikeness of character. He desires to create in every heart a deep and earnest longing to be cleansed from every stain of sin, that we may come forth purer, holier, and happier from every trial which He permits. Our souls become darkened by selfishness, but if we can only see Jesus, there will be a dying to self. Changes will be made in word and action. If we are patient under the crucial test, we shall come forth reflecting the image of the Master. “He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light and thy judgment as the noonday.” [Psalm 37:6.] “Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.” [Psalm 97:2.]" {Ms 61, 1900, par. 16}
“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.” We do not see ourselves as God sees us; therefore we do not see the necessity of repentance, of humility, and of continual reliance upon him. There are efforts made in our own strength, but there is not a dying to self; the soul is not surrendered to God. Many are making a mistake here. They are hoping to overcome through their own efforts, and by their goodness gain the assurance of the love of God. They do not exercise faith; they do not believe that Jesus accepts their repentance and contrition, and so they toil on day after day without finding rest or peace. When the heart is fully surrendered to God, love springs up in the soul, and the yoke of Christ is easy, and his burden light. The will is swallowed up in God’s will, and that which was a cross, becomes a pleasure." {GW92 440.2}
"Church-members should show greater devotion. They should labor with greater zeal for the promulgation of the last message of mercy. Now is the time for all to work. Now is the time to cut away every species of self-indulgence and idolatry. Those who are engaged in Christian ministry are to labor unselfishly for the Lord, dying to self, and pressing together in unity. They are to love as brethren; they are to be kind and courteous; their influence is to be a savor of life unto life." {RH December 24, 1901, par. 8}
"Our morning meeting was held in the tent. I spoke again about thirty minutes in reference to genuine sanctification which was nothing less than a daily dying to self and daily conformity to the will of God. Paul’s sanctification was a daily conflict with self. Said he, “I die daily.” [1 Corinthians 15:31.] His will and his desires daily conflicted with duty and the will of God. In the place of following inclination, he did the will of God, however unpleasant and crucifying to his nature. The reason many in this age of the world make no greater advancement in the divine life is because they interpret their own will to be just what God wills. They do exactly as they desire and flatter themselves they are conforming to God’s will. They please self in everything and have no conflict with self. Many battle well at first against selfish desires for pleasure and ease. They are sincere and earnest, but grow weary of protracted effort of daily death, ceaseless turmoil with resisting Satan’s temptations, and indolence seems inviting, death to self repulsive, and [they] close the drowsy eyes and drop under temptation instead of resisting it. Fashionable sins, pride of life, do not seem so very repulsive." {Lt 49a, 1878, par. 4}
" It will require more than an ordinary effort for the church in Monterey to clear their souls from sin and roll back the cloud of darkness which encloses them. God will be found of those who seek earnestly for Him, but there will be a dying to self, and individuals in struggling to the light will have severe conflicts and buffettings of Satan. It will be indeed like the death struggle. Men have wanted their own way and God has let them have it, but sent leanness into their souls. Now He invites them to seek the true rest in Him by cheerfully taking His yoke and bearing it. O, how light will this yoke be to the consecrated soul!" {Lt 2, 1873, par. 10}