For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. ~Philippians 3:18-20 (NIV)
God forbid we ever find ourselves enemies of the cross…right? Or have we? Do we even know what an “enemy of the cross” looks like? Jesus was very clear in Matthew 16:24-25 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (ESV) We become an enemy of the cross of Jesus Christ, when we choose not to follow Him. Not to take up our own cross and lay down those sins that so easily beset us. Jesus came to eradicate sin. To give us a new life in Him. But we have to choose that life, or we default to the one we were born into. A life of sin that brings hopelessness, despair, and dire consequences. Those consequences are death, the second death. The bible refers to it as the eternal death. Are you living for Christ? Have you set your hopes so high on His word that what is going on in this earth doesn’t affect you anymore? That’s the goal! That should be our daily desire. We should be ready to lay down anything and everything that does not bring glory to our Lord. In Philippians 3:8-9 Paul says “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith.” (NIV) Just what do you think Paul would have considered “a loss” because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus”? Paul had to lay down his ideas, his will, his perspective, and he had to take on Jesus’ ideas, His will and His perspective.
My perspective doesn’t always line up with God’s perspective. I have to choose to take on His perspective verses my own…often! For instance, we are told to pray for those who persecute us and despitefully use us. When was the last time you were despitefully used? Despitefully is a pretty serious word. It carries the connotation the offense was willful, on purpose, and even out of meanness. Have you had any encounters with others who cheated or took advantage of you on purpose? Did it make you want to hit your prayer closet and spend some serious time in prayer for them. For me, absolutely not! God’s will and desire is not always my first priority, but it’s my goal for it to be. Taking up our cross and following Christ is a mindset. It is an all in and sold-out mindset that my will takes second place to the will of God. Many would see that position as martyrdom. But it holds the greatest of rewards! We are told in Philippians 3:10-11 “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (NIV) We have the opportunity to lay down our life to a point where we attain the resurrection from the dead. Now I know to many that might sound like craziness, but it’s right there in the word. It was Paul’s number one goal. He wants to lay down his life, his will to a point that he shares the sufferings of his Lord. Has telling your body “no” ever hurt? How about your mind? Have you ever read something in God’s word and made up your mind it wasn’t God’s will for you to do that anymore? That usually brings at least a mild amount of suffering…in the form of discipline. Disciples are disciplined people. They are disciplined to the instruction, will and desires of their teacher. Ask God to show you His good and perfect will and to help you to live the resurrection life that He wants for you to be walking in. That life that supersedes anything this world has to offer. Ask Him to show you every minute of every day where you need to take up your cross. Then do it! Go follow Him. There is no better life to live and no better choice to make.
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)
Have you had any encounters with others who cheated or took advantage of you on purpose?
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