I have
been reading Pastor Bill Johnson's book When Heaven Invades Earth over the
past few weeks. What I read this morning lit me
up so much, I thought I would share it with you. Here you go. I hope it inspires you as much as it did me:
Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after me, he
must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow ME."
A misunderstanding of this call has lead many to follow His
life of self-denial, but to stop short of His life of POWER. For them, the cross-walk involves trying to
crucify their sin nature by embracing joyless brokenness as an evidence of the
cross. But, we must follow Him, ALL THE
WAY - to a lifestyle EMPOWERED by the resurrection!
Most every religion has a copy of the "cross-walk." Self-denial, self-abasement, are easily
copied by the sects of this world. People admire those who have religious
disciplines. They applaud fasting and
respect those who embrace poverty or endure disease for the sake of personal
spirituality. But show them a life filled with joy because of the transforming
power of God, and they will not only applaud you, but will want to be like
you. Religion is unable to mimic the
life of resurrection with its victory over sin and hell.
One who embraces an inferior cross is constantly filled
with introspection and self-induced suffering. BUT THE CROSS IS NOT SELF-APPLIED! Jesus did not nail Himself to the cross. Christians who are trapped in this counterfeit self-denial are
constantly talking about their weaknesses. If the devil finds us uninterested
in evil, then he will try to get us to focus on our unworthiness and
inability.
In my own pursuit of God, I often became preoccupied with
ME! It was easy to think that being
constantly aware of my faults and weaknesses was humility. IT'S NOT! If I am the main subject, talking incessantly about my weaknesses, I
have entered into the most subtle form of pride. Repeated phrases such as "I am so
unworthy" become a nauseating replacement for the DECLARATIONS OF THE
WORTHINESS OF GOD! By being SOLD on my unrighteousness, the enemy has
disengaged me from effective service.
- An excerpt from Pastor Bill Johnson's book When Heaven Invades Earth - pg. 146-147
CROSSING
CHURCH:
- YOU ARE THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST! [2 Corinthians 5:21]
- You are not unworthy, you are a SAINT! [1 Corinthians 1:2]
- He became poor so you
could become rich! [2 Corinthians 8:9]
- He died so you could live. [John 10:10]
- He suffered so you could be healed. [1 Peter 2:24]
Don't run
to a counterfeit cross! We go through
suffering, yes, but we move on to healing, joy, resurrection, and NEW LIFE because
of Jesus.
