You MUST Die

You MUST Die!

"And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it."

(Mark 8:34-35)

Daniel Kolenda affirms that the cross is an instrument of death. Jesus Christ called His disciples to a life which is not their own.

Our opening verse indicates that if you want to follow Jesus it must cost you something and that thing is not something you purchased in the store; it's your very life! It will cost you your very life to follow Jesus!

Being born again and being a disciple of Jesus Christ are two completely different things.

You see, when you are born again, you receive the life of God into your spirit. Thus, all that Jesus did for you becomes a vital reality in you.

Let me put it this way:

Jesus suffered, and was crucified on the cross.

Jesus was buried.

Jesus was raised from the dead.

Jesus ascended into Heaven and is seated at the Father's right hand.

Now, you heard that Jesus Christ went through all that for you and then you believed the Gospel.

It was thus credited to your account because faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God.

Remember that Jesus is the last Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45) so He did all that as a representation of the human race. That means he took your place; everything Christ went through, you also went through- legally.

That's why Ephesians 2:6 says you died with him, you were buried with him, you were raised with him and made to sit together with him! Hallelujah! What a blessing!

Now, these are all in the past tense, which means they have already taken place!

That means you have already died, been buried, raised and are sitting in heavenly places with Christ right now.

If that's the case, then why do I say you MUST die?

You MUST die because it is only when you are dead that Christ can live. Christ came to be Lord of all! There can't be two lords over your life!

It's either Jesus reigns in your life or the devil does!

You can have only one Lord over your life and that must be Jesus but in order for that to happen you MUST die!

How do you die? Crucify your self on a cross?

No!

You die by yielding to the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

You see, your mind is a very important tool in your journey of faith. Your mind receives information, processes it and makes decisions, causing your body to act.

Now, the 'self' or 'flesh' is a mindset that is in opposition to all things that are godly. Romans 8:7 says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be."

The flesh is the "you" that MUST die. The flesh will tell you it's OK to "fit into" today's corrupted culture. The flesh will tell you to do things that you know are wrong that you don't want to do. The flesh will tell you to yield to temptation "just this once".

Simply put, the flesh wants you to live like a rebellious enemy of God- even though you're not.

...and often, it 'feels good' when you're walking in the flesh. But we walk by faith not by sight- or feelings and pleasure (2 Corinthians 5:7). If you walk in the Spirit, you will not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

No wonder after Paul spoke about presenting your body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God...then he shows you how to do that-- be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Look, if you're going make any headway in your walk with God, your mind has to be synchronized with His mind at all times. Decide consciously by the Spirit to fill your heart and your mind with the Word of God. Dominate your thinking with the Word of God. Study the Scriptures. Think the Scriptures. Talk the Scriptures to yourself and to others. Walk the Scriptures. Empty your mind of the worldly garbage flying around.

This is how to become like Jesus! Look into the mirror of the Word (2 Corinthians 3:18). As you do, you put of the old man and put on the new man.

Fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Pray in the Spirit frequently.

Take a look at the following verses:

Romans 6:11-14 KJV
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. [12] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. [13] Neither yield ye 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 ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I believe that Colossians 3:1-16 sums up how you die:

Colossians 3:1-16 KJV
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. [2] Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. [3] For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. [4] When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. [5] Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: [6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: [7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. [8] But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. [9] Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; [10] And have put on the new man , which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: [11] Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. [12] Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; [13] Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. [14] And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. [15] And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.