At the Cross At the Cross

What is this cross, and how do we take it up?

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary (cross) the one to the other: so that you cannot do the things that you would.” Galatians 5:17

There is an ongoing warfare, a struggle between our natural desires and His spiritual desire for us. Thus, there are two contrary wills at war with each other – “I will” and “Thy will.” When the “Thy will” (His purpose for us) is contrary to and crosses out the “I will” (our own wants), our cross is formed.

As we die to our own self-will, and then submit to and come into alignment with His will for us, we are indeed taking up our cross, thereby becoming one with Him (because our life is merged into His life, only the vertical member of the cross is left, we have become one with Him).

We are to overcome all self-centered feelings, such as spiritual indifference, laziness, self-will, and rebellion, and then apply these to the cross, that we might prosper in the outworking of His will for us. We then become an upright, fruit-bearing branch on the tree of life, as a reflection or extension of His life and purpose. We are doing as He would do.

The Apostle Paul cried from the depths of his being:

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12

Notice that Paul said, “That I might apprehend.” He understood that he had a choice to make. We too have a responsibility to apply the cross to the very root of our self-lives; our hungers, fears, and our reactions, that we might better follow Him.

“…The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

There is a spiritual battle to be won in entering the Kingdom realm. Those who truly love the Lord, and who desire to be rightly related to Him in His Kingdom will press through every hindrance or obstacle.

The most important time for us in all of eternity is “right now.” We are making choices and decisions today that will affect our eternal position and reward. Eternal life is not future; we have that now as part of our redemption. “Where” we will be is a settled fact.

“What” we will be in eternity will be the result of the accumulated choices and decisions that we are making now, in our daily life experiences. Our “new creation life” is as a “seed” that has been deposited within us, which is being formulated and developed into completeness. When eventually it is released into the “soil” of eternity, it will unfold, revealing the full manifestation of what it had become during our present life experience.

Any seed, when planted, grows to express its particular nature. We need not add anything to it, but simply expose it to the right elements. Then, it will develop into the fullness of what it is. The extent to which we spiritually develop in the “here and now” will become our “measured state” (30, 60, or 100 fold) for all eternity.

Our present life (our spiritual development), primarily involves the formulation of this seed through the outworking of our willing obedience to Him (overcoming) in taking up our cross daily. Then, when we find ourselves in the “atmosphere of eternity,” the life that had been developed within this “seed” will be released into its full expression, in His eternal presence and purpose.

The promise of the Lord is “To him that overcomes.” As we overcome through our willing obedience to the Lord (taking up our cross), He will bring into our life experience this “good land,” providing the atmosphere to fertilize and water the soil of our obedience. This will prepare us for the coming harvest, in which that which we have become will be lifted up from the earth into His higher purpose.

We must allow this process to find its full outworking in our lives. Then, when we stand before Him in that day, He will look upon each one of us and give us a new name, according to what He sees.

“To the one overcoming, I will give him to eat from the hidden manna. And I will give to him a white stone, and on the stone a new name having been written, which no one knows except the one receiving it.” Revelation 2:17 Literal translation

As we look back over our lives, the price that we paid will be as nothing, as we will be satisfied and fulfilled as we enter into our eternal relationship of communion and fellowship with Jesus.