I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

There is a lot of preaching these days about the cross and how Jesus’ death is the foundation of our salvation, and that is good. But much less is preached about our death with Christ. The subject is a deep and difficult one but one that must be considered carefully. It is my desire to help you consider this truth that death to self and the world is needed for a life in the love and joy of Christ. Four times in the gospel accounts of Jesus’ life the following words are recorded, “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” We know that when something is repeated multiple times in the Bible it is done to place special emphasis on that truth. In other words it is God’s way of saying that we should pay very close attention.

We must ask God for a willing heart to embrace this crucified life and please know that the answer will bring difficulty in your life because to be crucified with Christ means death to an old way of living and thinking and those old ways die hard. But the answer will also bring peace and joy beyond imagination as Christ truly lives in you and your life brings glory to God.

When it comes to believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, our heart is ready to say, “yes, I believe.” But when it comes to the point of believing that what Christ has promised us regarding the power of the resurrection life is true of His abiding presence every day and all the day—we do not find it so easy to declare, “I do believe.” It seems to be too much to venture. And yet it is just this faith for which Christ asks and which He is waiting to work within us. Let us not rest until we have bowed before Him and said, “Yea, Lord, I do believe.”

Take the time to read over the verse quoted above from Galatians again and remember that spiritual truth is not easy to grasp but experience has taught me that to take God’s word into the heart and meditate on it and pray on it helps me to understand the truth more and more. And remember that only by the continual teaching of the Holy Spirit in your heart will you be able to grasp spiritual truth. It is His work to reveal Christ, the Crucified One, in our hearts and lives.

Let this be your main goal in devotion; complete dependence on God and an expectancy that He will continually work in you through the Holy Spirit to conform you to Christ until you can say with Paul, “I am crucified with Christ…but Christ liveth in me.”