Crucified with Christ: Embracing New Life Through Daily Surrender"
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20
When we think about the process of being crucified, we can often forget about the slow, painful death and only see this as a fast, one-time occurrence. Yes, Jesus' death was one and done and sealed the deal for our eternal life with God, but He also tells us to pick up our cross daily and deny ourselves before the Lord. The picking up of the cross signifies the obedience and sacrifice that we choose to walk in daily. It is a renewal of our minds, bodies, and souls being restored from death and the constant dying of our flesh. As Jesus' flesh died on the cross, His spiritual body was raised to life. Similarly, if we deny our flesh, our spiritual being is raised to life and is being made new in the Lord.
God wants to restore us all to Himself. Because of Jesus' agape love for us and His sacrifice on the cross, we get to experience the fullness of God's love poured out in every part of our lives. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we are saved and made whole and alive again.
If you are human like me, it is hard sometimes to turn away from our desires, sin, temptations, and worldly possessions. Lust, anger, and so many other things that the enemy has enticed us to believe are good, but God says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.
Sin does lead to destruction, but our new identity is not bound by a serpent who has thrown chains of bondage on us to hold us captive.
We are new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17) created in the likeness of God Himself (Genesis 1:26). We are in God's original promise ( Genesis 12:3); we have been set free from bondage (Exodus 19:4); we are victorious (Revelation 2:17); we are set apart ( Psalm 4:3); we are the new church; the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:2); we have access (Mark 15:38); we have dominion and power (Genesis 1:28); we have goodness (Genesis 2:9); we are redeemed and free indeed (John 8:36); and we have been truly crucified—every spirit, desire, dominion, power, and authority that was created to hold us bound—and we are now RISEN with Christ Jesus, who has come into the world with full authority to love and give life. Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to you!
