The Power of the Cross

The power of the cross isn't power my flesh can use.  If I want the power so my flesh can prosper, then I truly want to replace Yeshua, not submit to Him.

1 Corinthians 1:17-18 NLT — For Christ didn’t send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News—and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

Paul learned to let the great power he walked in be God's. He didn't decide what to do with it. He died to his own will, his own emotions, and his own thoughts about what was good or right, and yielded to God's will, emotions, and thoughts.  This was the process of his purification from the trip to Damascus until Rome. He got the crown before he died.  He died before he died!

This is what he learned from Yeshua. Jesus only did what the Father did, which means Jesus recognized His will was different than the Father's and He yielded:

Matthew 26:39 NLT — He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

This is where the power of resurrection flowed into His life, and, by extension, ours. Everyone who follows Jesus into this death of flesh will live forever. It's only possible by his Spirit.  The power of God raising Yeshua from the dead already proved His way is the way to eternal life.

Jesus already picked this way of life. If I want to be with Him, I must pick it for myself. He will accept nothing less.  Purity of leadership is the absolute One Thing required.

There is no other truth, life, way, or hope.  The power of the cross is real power, but as long as we want it to save this world, or our reputation, or our witness, or our family, His kingdom... As long as we want it for what we think is good... we are usurpers, not lovers.  Lovers lay down their lives.

The Holy Spirit brings true freedom... True power... but we have to make a choice with whatever ability God gives. It isn't for the benefit of our will (what we think God should do):

Galatians 5:13-15 NLT — For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

Where the Spirit moves, the flesh starts moving, too.  This is the time in history where those who will live forever with the Humble King are learning humility. Take the LOW place before the wedding, or He will make a spectacle of your demotion.

Jesus didn't do everything He could because He didn't see the power He carried as His:

Matthew 4:3-4 NLT — During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say,
‘People do not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Right now, the flesh in the church is raging or dying.  Whichever I am determines if I am a tare being gathered to be burned, or wheat being gathered into the Lord's presence.

The amount of shaking, injustice, fear, shame, pride, and lawlessness is causing many to lose sight of what matters.  What really matters is not that the church be filled with power, it's that the power of God be seen on earth. Huge difference.

John 9:3-5 NLT — “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Reader, understand what this means. We are not victims of the flesh if we are beneficiaries of the Spirit, AND vice versa: We are not beneficiaries of the Spirit of we insist on being victims of the flesh. 

God is sovereign in loss and in gain. He gives and takes away. 

I need to find the freedom in the upper room... In turning from my ways, rending my heart, so I am ready to receive what is another man's... To be HIS witness to the ends of the earth.

It's not about us, and it's all about Him.  Saving humans isn't the point of the gospel. God's will being done is the point of the Gospel.  When God's will is done, humans will be the most saved. Just reducing the gospel to  "saving humans" elevates man above God's will and is the delusion that leads to antichrist worship.

2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 NLT — Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God. Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will kill him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming. This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.