“⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him (Jesus), that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:6-7

Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh, came to die on Calvary’s Cross to pay the sin debt for fallen man and reconcile whosoever will believe unto God.  Through the Blood of Jesus we are reconciled unto our Creator, our Healer, our Provider, our Sanctifier, our Peace…our God Almighty, El Shaddai.

This Reconciliation unto God that Jesus Christ provided on Calvary’s Cross is maintained by the Believer through our continued faith in the finished work of Jesus.  Our faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified, which maintains our reconciliation unto God, gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do that which He is commissioned to do; free us from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2), break the power of sin and give us dominion over sin (Romans 6:14).

Here is a brief list of activities, ordinances, rituals and traditions that do not maintain our reconciliation unto God.  Some of these items are in fact Scriptural but not for reconciliation unto God.  Reconciliation unto God comes only by way of Jesus Christ and His Cross is the means.

• Humanistic psychology (worldly methods for victory sprinkled with Scripture to deceive the Believer)
• 40 days of purpose (Purpose Driven Life)
• Speaking things into existence presuming them to be God’s Will which is nothing more than witchcraft.
• Jewish feasts and festivals
• Water baptism
• Church membership classes
• Civic and social good works (Toiling in the world to make the world a better place.)
• Religious traditions and ceremonies (Lent, Ash Wednesday, Sacraments)
• Deliverance sessions (vain attempt to cast sin out of a Saint, break soul ties, family curses, etc.)

“And He (Jesus) said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23

We cannot follow Jesus Christ until we deny ourselves.  Denying ourselves includes the turning from our sanctimonious ceremonies that appeal to the lusts of our flesh as a form of “righteousness” and maintaining our faith in the Cross of Christ.  Depending on the strength of our will power to “just say no” to the sin that so easily besets us must be put away and the reality of our brokenness understood in order to pick up our cross and follow Jesus.

The Cross of Christ was a place of great suffering for our Lord but for us it is a place of great blessing.  Picking up our cross is not a form of suffering or denial of material items but the ability afforded us through the Cross of Christ to have access to the very Throne of God. We cannot follow Christ until we deny ourselves and pick up our cross DAILY, not once but daily.  No, we don’t get saved daily…that’s silly.  We fight the good fight of faith daily, faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified to maintain our dominion over the world, the flesh and the devil and to be led by the Spirit of God into all Truths according to the Word of God.

“¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.

¹³ Neither yield you your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for you are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:12-14

Jesus Christ died once to pay the penalty of sin and He is alive, sitting at the Right Hand of the Throne of God making intercession for whosoever will believe upon Him.  His finished work is our constant and Everlasting intercession unto God.  In Jesus, we are forever reconciled unto our God.

Knowing this, knowing Who Jesus is and what He has done for whosoever will believe, yield unto God…yield as those who are alive unto God. Whenever the devil tempts; submit unto God, resist the devil and the devil will flee (James 4:7).   Because we are reconciled unto God, we have the ability to yield/submit unto Him.  With our faith placed in our abilities (self will and self efforts), the devil can overpower our will and failure soon follows.  This repeated failure, resulting from corrupted faith can lead to the destruction of one’s faith at the worst or defeated Christian living at the best.

There are many born again Believers who are living a defeated Christian life because the devil has successfully corrupted their beliefs.  Just to be clear, the devil uses religion to do such.  Religion is the worst form of bondage because it is so deceitful.  Seeing, the religious see not and think they are doing well.  The Lord is raising up the preaching of the Cross of Christ and calling those out of religion’s snare.  To some, this is foolishness but to those who have heeded the call and yielded unto God, they have seen the power of God.  They have seen lives changed, the sick healed, the blind see and the lame walk by the power of God unto Salvation.   You can tell us no different and we are determined to know no different…we are determined to know nothing, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

“¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

¹⁸ For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:17-18.

Reckon yourself alive unto God.  Submit unto Him.

-Donna Clark Warren