“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.”
There is an invite to step forward from what may have become monotony and dead into the renewal of life in participating in communion.
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”
Jesus Himself will come to distribute the bread and the wine as the Holy Spirit enables our encounter and revelation to open our eyes and hearts to the significance that removes the shroud of religiosity from the shared divine supper.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.”
We need again to consciously put death to death by participating fully in Christ’s death, His burial, His resurrection and His ascension.
Every reenactment at the Communion table puts the enemy more surely under our feet. The victory is already certain but satan’s deceit would attempt to convince us otherwise.
This is our strongest defence to deny death and curses and live in the fullness of life and blessings.
Our old self has been crucified with Him we are no longer enslaved by the spirit of death and sin.
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”
Our outer self which is the old man of our flesh is diminished and our inner self which is the new man of the spirit increases daily.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”
If we cannot be crucified we cannot rise. If we cannot rise we cannot reign.
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Our being in Christ becomes the birthplace of our kingdom full potential. Not my will but Yours. None of me , all of You. Not a spectator but a participator.
The spirit of death feeds on our flesh and our misdeeds. The root of any of our issues lies in where we are not fully dead because in that part Christ cannot fully live.
We press on to take hold of what Christ fully lays before us. We choose life because death was fully broken at the cross. We will then see the enemy fully flee.
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”
The illustration shows Christ crucified for our sins on the one side of the cross and us dying to our sin on the other. The redemption that emanates light that pushes back the darkness.
Seven Scriptures that come to mind:
“He must increase, but I must decrease.””John 3:30 ESV
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV
“that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”Philippians 3:10-11 ESV
“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.”Galatians 2:20 ESV
“For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”Romans 8:13 ESV
“We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”Romans 6:6 ESV
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”Matthew 27:46, 50-51 ESV
The song Just Be Held. Casting Crowns
https://youtu.be/waPpxKOBxSc
Lessisgreater 