"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
"He must increase, but I must decrease."
Galatians 2:20; John 3:30
I have a friend who, for years, has been living by the motto, "If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger." He applied this to athletics. He felt that if he survived a difficult practice and didn't "die" then he was getting stronger. He viewed all his difficulties in life as God’s way to make him stronger. After all these years as a Christian, he has come to realize that this is a very false way to live life.
He has now come to realize that God does not just want to make him stronger but wants him to learn to "die" to himself. God’s goal was to make him totally dependent on Himself not on his own strength.
This is a wonderful Biblical principle that God wants to teach all of us as believers. This was clearly understood by the Apostle Paul when he said:
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20 NIV)
God's goal for you and me is that we learn to die to ourselves and live for Christ. Even John the Baptist grasped this:
"He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:30 NAS)
How are you doing learning to "die" to yourself? Are you demanding to be treated fairly? Making sure that you have your needs fulfilled? Being treated the way you think you should? Demanding to be recognized and honored?
We all want these things, but Jesus has told us that the only way to have these things is that we must first die to ourselves and then let Christ live through us by totally surrendering to Him. It is not in our strength we live but His!
This may not seem natural. It is not. It is supernatural. But would you want to live any other way?
Here's for a great week living supernaturally!
Pastor Mark
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