What does the Bible say about denying oneself?

In Matthew 10:38-39, Jesus states that to follow Him, one must deny oneself, take up their cross, and lose their life for His sake. This concept of self-denial is central to the Christian faith, emphasizing the renunciation of personal desires and ambitions in favor of obedience to Christ. To deny oneself means to forget, lose sight of, or utterly disown self, as genuine faith recognizes the futility of relying on one's own merit for salvation. The essence of this teaching is that the pursuit of self leads to spiritual loss, while the forsaking of self leads to true life in Christ.