Great and Unsearchable Things

Things the Lord gives me, and then I write them.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Crucifying our Flesh

Lord, Paul said in your written word, "I die daily." Also in Your word it is written that we are to crucify ourselves. Then it is written that "we are crucified with Christ." Then, again, we are to deny ourselves. What does this look like in real life? This daily dying? This denying ourselves? Are we already crucified or are we being crucified? And what does this mean? Does it mean saying "yes" to everything someone else asks of us, if it doesn't violate your standard? Could you give a few examples or is it just something that is spiritually discerned? Lord, if I can be doing something to "purify" myself, I want to do it. So, help us, Lord, understand what is meant by all of this. Thank you, our Father, for what You have revealed to us so far. It has been very comforting and refreshing. We seek and expect to hear from You. Your children need and want their bread.(To do Your will) We listen and wait, expecting to hear.

Please seek the Lord with us and post what you "hear" from Him in the comments section. This post will be opened for 2 weeks. Your contribution is important to the Body. We are equipping one another as we all come to the full stature (or maturity) in Christ Jesus.

posted by Patti Blount @ 6:57 AM  

6 Comments:

  • At 10/08/2007 5:59 PM , Blogger Patti Blount said...

    Being preoccupied with many other thoughts today, I felt that I wasn't really cognizant of tuning in to the Spirit for possible communications He may want to send me concerning the question we raised to the Lord. Nevertheless, we are finding out we don't have to be aware for Him to reveal Himself, as it is His sovereignty which decides that, and He is well able to get through to us whether we are tuning in to Him or not. He proved that to me today in a real life example.
    Without getting too specific, suffice it to say that their was a point in my day in relation to someone else that my flesh wanted it's way so bad, but by the Spirit of God, it was denied. It seemed like such a small little deal, but as far as growth in His Spirit, it was huge. In the past, my flesh has pretty much gotten it's way in this certan area, and it had not even been revealed to me until today that it was my flesh operating. When the Lord showed me that, He spoke to my spirit and said to subdue my flesh, and not to defend myself or try and self-protect. It was very tense and uncomfortable, but by His Spirit, He enabled me. Then He led me to ask Him to let what was coming against me to let it have it's work in me, for the Lord was doing something. I did that with His strength. After the battle, my spirit was so light. I believe He showed me that at the moment of the successful denial of my flesh and it's subsequent subduing, His Spirit was given more ground in me, and I could actually feel it. It was peace with God and His will, and the resulting joy. So, when I asked for examples in daily living, I expected Him to site me a parable or something instead of me being the object lesson of a real interchange in my own life. Wow-what an impact He makes in and through us as He has His way in us! Thank you, Lord for real life and growth in You only wrought by Your Hand.

     

  • At 10/13/2007 12:35 AM , Blogger Micah Hoover said...

    Hi Patti,

    I liked your comment over at societvs, although I'm kind of taking my own side by saying that. I'm trying to keep a low profile over there.

    It seems so common to think about things in terms of what is normative and popularly accepted. Your suggestion about asking God whether or not it's okay to celebrate halloween was frightening to me, but you know what? I think it was a good thing. I think it's like taking up your own cross, you know? Good post here, btw. The true disciple rarely knows ahead of time what it 'looks like' to take up his cross, but once God directs him it is suffeciently clear.

     

  • At 10/15/2007 4:25 PM , Blogger Patti Blount said...

    It just came to me this weekend through a missionary wife who was sharing her "testimony" of how God prepared her heart to become a missionary wife that we can hold out to God what we want Him to do in us as far as removing or adding things in us, but it is only His work that can do it. We can wait for Him to do it and trust that He will, but we can't really DO it ourselves. So, when I earnestly ask the Lord to "be glorified" in my life, that covers the gamut of Him changing me to be like Him so I can glorify Him. And whenever I ask Him to conform me to His image, which involves intense "crucifixion," I trust and wait of Him to do it, being assured that He will as I know it is what He wants too. So, it seems like I have been trying to "crucify my flesh" in the power of my flesh, which now, as I write it exposes the foolishness of such. Have your way,O God, by your power alone.

     

  • At 10/16/2007 6:13 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. (Eph 5:1,2)
    What is an imitator? Webster defines imitator as; to follow as a pattern, model, or example. To be or appear like; resemble. In the beginning, God created us in His own image, not as in the appearance of man, but in spirit. And Jesus said, one must be born again, that is spirit, to enter into the kingdom of God. So to be imitators of God, one who is born again also must be a spiritual being, that of the Holy Spirit. In other words, to be an imitator of God we must be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, apart from Christ, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We cannot be one with the Father without; 1. Christ and 2. The Holy Spirit. It is Christ that brings us to salvation and the Holy Spirit that keeps us in salvation through the submission of God. To die on a daily basis, as Paul says, is imitating God on a daily basis, walking by the Spirit and not the flesh. But we not only "just walk by the Spirit," we do it as dear children. Dear meaning; Noble, precious and affectionate. As noble children, we possess outstanding qualities, ones (qualities) our heavenly Father would say; "This is my beloved, in whom I am well pleased." As precious children, we are excessively refined; as silver being made pure (Psalm 66:10). And as affectionate children, we are loving and tender, as in Eph 5:2; where we become that sweet smelling aroma, pleasing to the Lord. To die daily is not only putting off the old man's ways; the carnality of our flesh, but imitating our Father, in whom we have been drawn to and say that we adore. Pursuing His commandments, His righteousness, and seeking His will on a continual and daily basis. As David would say, "Create in me a clean heart O' God and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

     

  • At 10/17/2007 10:07 PM , Blogger Bill L. said...

    Patti, the realization you came to after talking to the missionary wife is quite a revelation! We really don't have any power of our own do we? It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us that we can accomplish anything. All we can do is to want or desire to be conformed to His image and likeness and He will be the one who accomplishes it.

     

  • At 10/18/2007 1:09 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    I believe God would answer us in this manner:

    There is not much to explain about dying to your self and crucifying your flesh. Whenever God comes to you and tells you something, when you submit to Him and whatever He has said and meant, you are dying to your self and crucifying your flesh. Whenever God comes to you and tells you something and you refuse to receive or obey whatever He has said and meant, you are giving life to your self and your flesh. It IS that simple. Anything further almost always puffs up with knowledge, giving further life to the self and the flesh.

    Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Gal. 6:7-8)

    Go and sin no more.

     

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