BEARING THE CROSS OF CHRIST

The secret of victory in Christ is the crucifixion of our old man on the cross. But there is a further mystery: the old man can still live upon that cross and actually get stronger! Just as a criminal can be in jail but still directing his mafia syndicate so his influence gets stronger! The cross must not only immobilize the soul away from the body so the flesh is neutralized but you must also pick up your cross daily or continuously put the old man to death by denying him. The soul must not come off the cross to take over the body and it must not talk or influence you! The cross immobilizes and it also finishes. The cross seals the old man and it drains him of all life. The old soul must get weaker and weaker as your spirit gets stronger and stronger. All scriptures are from the Amplified Bible. Psalm 43:3 WE NEED LIGHT 3 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling. Romans 6:3-4, 11, 13 WE WERE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST 3 Are you ignorant of the fact that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life. 11 Even so consider yourselves also dead to sin and your relation to it broken, but alive to God [living in unbroken fellowship with Him] in Christ Jesus. 13 Do not continue offering or yielding your bodily members [and faculties] to sin as instruments (tools) of wickedness. But offer and yield yourselves to God as though you have been raised from the dead to [perpetual] life, and your bodily members [and faculties] to God, presenting them as implements of righteousness. Colossians 2:11-12 OUR CRUCIFIXION WAS A CIRCUMCISION BETWEEN THE SOUL AND THE BODY 11 In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision not made with hands, but in a [spiritual] circumcision [performed by] Christ by stripping off the body of the flesh (the whole corrupt, carnal nature with its passions and lusts). 12 [Thus you were circumcised when] you were buried with Him in [your] baptism, in which you were also raised with Him [to a new life] through [your] faith in the working of God [as displayed] when He raised Him up from the dead. Matthew 10:37-39 SOUL AFFECTION 37 He who loves [and takes more pleasure in] father or mother more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves [and takes more pleasure in] son or daughter more than [in] Me is not worthy of Me; 38 And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me, conforming wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying also] is not worthy of Me. 39 Whoever finds his [lower] life will lose it [the higher life], and whoever loses his [lower] life on My account will find it [the higher life]. Mark 8:32-35 SOUL PRESERVATION 31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [from death]. 32 And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Him by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mind intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on God's side, but that of men]. 34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. 35 For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the lower, natural, temporal life which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save it [his higher, spiritual life in the eternal kingdom of God]. Luke 17:26-36 SOUL ATTACHMENT John 12:24-26 SOUL AND THE COVERING OF THE SPIRIT OF FRUITFULNESS 2 Corinthians 4:10-18 THE WORK OF THE CROSS IS ONGOING Numbers 17:7-9 DEATH AND RESURRECTION ARE THE BASIS OF LIFE AND SERVICE BEFORE THE LORD. THERE MAY BE A FULL NIGHT IN THE SANCTUARY BEFORE THE DAY BREAKS.