"NO LONGER!"

"NO LONGER"

Galatians 2:20-21                                (ESV)
"20 I have been crucified with CHRIST. It is "NO LONGER" I who live, but CHRIST who lives in me. And THE LIFE I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I live by faith in the SON OF GOD, who loved me and gave HIMSELF for me.
21 I do not nullify the grace of GOD, for if righteousness were through the law, then CHRIST DIED FOR NO PURPOSE!"



A Roman Crucifixion was one of the most brutal forms of capital punishment ever known to mankind.  JESUS' crucifixion was made all the worse for HE was beaten and tortured even before being hung on a cross.  The price JESUS paid in order for my Spirit to have the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven is unimaginable.  When I see people who claim to be BELIEVERS talk about themselves in the past tense (in the flesh), I cringe with shame as my SAVIOR paid a heavy price to release us from the bondage of the flesh!  We BELIEVERS should never refer to our OLD statuses as the price JESUS paid to remove us from that status was so great!

Everybody is susceptible to this lie, as even I formerly was.  Isaiah 44:18 says the enemy has blinded our eyes so we cannot see, and closed our minds so we cannot understand, when THE TRUTH (John 14:6) is right before us, just as JESUS stood in the midst of HIS persecutors!  CHRIST died a horrific death on Calvary in order that I could allow myself to yield myself to HIS SPIRIT and become a NEW CREATION (2 Corinthians 5:17) in HIM.  My old self has been regenerated into a NEW CREATION, so why do I allow the enemy to bring up my past?  If I do, then 'CHRIST DIED FOR NO PURPOSE'!!

THE LIFE I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH has surrendered to the SPIRIT of CHRIST JESUS living inside of me!  I "NO LONGER" get to make decisions about my life and what I may perceive as "best" for me, as I have been crucified with CHRIST!   While it is true I am still housed in this 6'6" frame, HIS SPIRIT has control of my operations center and I need to submit to HIS Plan for my life.

GOD speaks to us in numerous ways (Job 33:14 "For GOD speaks in one way, and in two, though man does not perceive it."), but then in scripture goes on to say in the following verses " THEN HE opens the ears of men" and we can hear TRUTH from HIM.    Our hearts have to be seeking HIS WILL for our lives before we can have our eyes and ears opened by the FATHER (2 Chronicles 16:9a "For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward HIM).  My prayer is that I will keep my heart blameless before HIM and that I will "NO LONGER" try to hijack this vessel I now live in with HIM!