Biblical teaching - T115

The Power of the Preaching of the Cross

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"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds". (Col. 3:9). Do not lie to yourself either. Do not claim to be crucified unless you actually are. We are crucified in Christ, but that legal position of ours must become a reality in our everyday lives once the Holy Spirit has revealed it to us. Let none of us falsely claim that we have been crucified unless the evidence of it appears in our lives. It would be worse that saying nothing, for all those around us could see for themselves that we are not crucified. Many Christians are brash enough to claim to be what they are not. They have betrayed many into unbelief, driven many away from Christ, making them so confused as to say : "This man says he has been crucified with Christ and that he is led by the Holy Spirit ; but actually, I can see no difference between his walk and a pagan’s. So where is the truth ?" However, then, could those around us trust the message of the Cross ? However could they turn to a Saviour who is unable to carry out His promises in the lives of those who proclaim the message of the Cross ? I’d rather say nothing at all and come and kneel before the Lord, and cry out to Him : "Lord, reveal your word to me !" If we thirst for Jesus, if we really want Jesus to be manifested in us, we shall spend time in the presence of the Lord to receive that revelation of the Cross, till our flesh is really and truly crucified.

When are you going to deal with the matter thoroughly enough ? On your death-bed ? You could count, then, all the time you have wasted ; but if you had truly thirsted for the Lord, you could have received that revelation much earlier. Have we spent time in the presence of the Lord ? Have we said to Him, out of the depths of our hearts : "Lord, I truly desire to receive that Life from above, the revelation that leads to the manifestation of Your Life. Enlighten my spiritual understanding, so that I understand Your Word and the message of the Cross !" We need to come to a place where we know that message has become real for us, because we have grasped it, received it in faith, and we walk and live in the reality of it.

Do you realise all the difference there will be, for ourselves, for others, and for the Lord when our hearts understand the message of the Cross, and when we receive Jesus’ abundant Life ? It will cause our lives to bear all the fruit of the Spirit, and the glory of Jesus will shine upon us.

People talk about revival, pray for revival, and beg the Lord to send a great revival. Revival begins with the preaching of the Cross. That preaching must be received into the lives of the hearers till their flesh is wholly crucified. Show me a crucified man, and I will show you a revival ! The Cross is always central to a true Holy Spirit revival. When I see those modern revivals where all sorts of things are being proclaimed, but not the Cross, I say : "God is not in the midst of that revival. It is not a God-given revival !" Even if the Holy Spirit does bring repentance, unless there is a powerful proclamation of the Cross, to shed light on this accursed (and blessed) Cross through which Jesus gave us His all, the revival will get sucked into the devil’s quicksands. Then demons and the devil take over, always ready to counterfeit the action of the Spirit, because the preaching of the Cross has been neglected ; then all sorts of dreadful things start happening, which people mistake for manifestations of God, although God is totally absent from all those goings-on.

Can you see how desperately we need to hear the preaching of the Cross? In 1 Corinthians 2:2, Paul rightly said : "For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." In all of his epistles, Paul continually speaks of the Cross. He speaks of the Cross to everyone, of how we need to put off the old man through faith. He keeps saying : "You have received the revelation of it, so walk in that revelation ! Glorify God, and let His glory be manifested among His children who are crucified and risen with Christ !

Beloved, it is profitable to return frequently to the message of the Cross, which is the heart of the Gospel, the heart of the Bible, the divine answer to all our problems. It was there, on the Cross, that Jesus accomplished everything. It is there that we find the fullness of His grace ! If I remain crucified as long as I live, then throughout my whole life I shall manifest the resurrection life of the Lord Jesus.

Let us pray : "Lord, with all my heart I beseech you to expand my own heart, through your Spirit, so that I can understand the work of the Cross. Grant me a full revelation of the depths of this wonderful mystery which You want to reveal to Your children who thirst for You. Lord, You know that I yearn to walk this earth as a man who has received into his life the fullness of the Life of Jesus Christ. Please cleanse me of every trace of my past life, for Your glory !

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