The only way for self to be handled is at the Cross of Christ. There, self is humbled and broken. Until our faith is no longer in our own ability to overcome that which hinders us and we totally, completely and purposefully place our faith in Who Jesus Christ is and what He did at Calvary to both pay the penalty of sin for the believing sinner AND break the power of sin for the believing Saint, we are unable to follow Jesus.

Try as we might, we can not cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit via self help methods. 40 days of purpose will not bridge the gap between natural man and spiritual man. NOTHING…and I do mean NOTHING we can do other than faith in the Cross of Christ will give the Holy Spirit latitude to do what only HE can do…develop in us His Fruit unto God; perform in us a circumcision of our heart that is made without hands; remove in us those things that are not pleasing to God and create in us a new creature.

This is the moving of the Holy Spirit in our heart that occurs as we look unto Jesus Christ and He draws us nearer and nearer to Him. Old things do pass away and all things become new. Bondages are broken when we look to Christ. The lame walk when we look to Jesus. Blind eyes are open when we look to Jesus. Signs and miracles follow those who believe…they chase us down and overtake us so that we may be a witness to a lost and dying world.

“²³ And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me

²⁴ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.

²⁵ For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23 – 25

Until we learn to deny our self ability to control or manipulate the problem at hand and trust in the Finished Work of Christ Jesus to supply our every need according to His riches in glory, we will never know the power of God. Natural man cannot cultivate the power of God through vain philosophies being taught as Scriptural doctrine. It is faith the Cross of Christ and that faith alone that gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do a mighty work in our lives. The Cross of Christ IS the power of God to us who believe and to others it is foolishness. Prayerfully consider how you receive the preaching of the Cross. Are you perishing? Look to Jesus. Return to your First Love. He stands at the door knocking.

“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 1:18

-Donna Clark Warren