FOR GOD I LIVE FOR GOD I DIE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

[Prophet Gary Becton]

FOR GOD I LIVE FOR GOD I DIE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (Romans 5:19).

YOU MUST BE WILLING TO BE OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH!!

There is no virtue in the cross. Jesus was not the only man to die on the cross. Death by crucifixion was a well known method used by the Romans to execute criminals. The virtue is in the One Who hung on that cross. The virtue is in Jesus.

The cross and the sufferings Jesus endured are indescribable. There is no possible way we can comprehend the humiliation, pain and suffering He endured. The natural mind rejects the thoughts of suffering and death. It hurts us to think about Him hanging there on the cross. It hurts us to think about the price He had to pay. We would rather think about the glorious resurrection. The disciples rejected the idea that Jesus would have to die. Even during their last night together, the night before His death, they were still arguing about who was going to be the greatest in the new kingdom Jesus was going to set up. But unless we are willing to take a long hard look at Jesus’ sufferings and death and be willing to identify with His death, we will not be able to share His glory. Just as it was necessary, according to God’s will, for Jesus to be willing to be obedient even until death; we must be willing to be obedient until death. Just as it was necessary, according to God’s will, for Jesus to be willing to walk the road to Calvary; we must be willing to walk along the road with Him in obedience. To do this we must DIE TO SELF!!!!

Our churches today are filled with Christians desiring to be seated with Christ “in heavenly places.” Like the Apostle Paul, they want to know Jesus in the power of His resurrection but they stop there. There is more!!!

That I may know him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;(Philippians 3:10).

To know Christ in the power of His resurrection, we must know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings and be willing to be conformed unto His death. Paul told the Roman church: “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ” we are heirs of God and joint- heirs with Christ! But, there is more: “ if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Paul told Timothy: “For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us” (2^nd Timothy 2:11-12).

He told the Roman church: “know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is free from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him, likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:3-8,11).

In these verses, Paul was not speaking of the outward manifestation of being baptized in water. He was speaking of an inward manifestation of baptism, a vital union with Christ, whereby we totally identify with His suffering and death, where we consider ourselves dead to sin, where our “old man” with its selfish desires, habits and attitudes is dead and buried.

This “baptism into death” takes place when we are born again. The moment we surrender our lives to God, repent and accept Jesus as our Savior, our old man is nailed to the cross. What many Christians fail to realize, however, is that this death is a CONTINUAL death. Instead of recognizing the manifestations of the flesh as sin, repenting of them and depending upon the Holy Spirit to overcome them, they ignore them. They reason that since they are dead to sin, there is nothing left in their lives that needs to be crucified.

Paul goes on to say that because we consider ourselves to be dead to sin and alive to God, we must exert spiritual energy. We have a responsibility to crucify and put to death our selfish desires and the lust of the flesh daily.

Jesus said, “if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me” (Luke 9:23.) Question can you see yourself in this?

It is in this union together in the likeness of His death, on a day-to-day basis in our everyday lives, that we are raised together in the likeness of His resurrection! There are few Christians today who know what it means to die to self, and even fewer who have experienced it. This is another one of the reasons why there is such a lack of power in many churches today. Most Christians aren’t willing to die to self.

To truly be DEAD TO SELF, to walk with Christ on the road in obedience to God’s will, to be united with Him in the fellowship of His suffering and death, you must be willing to give up all claims to your life. (Will You?). Everyday of your life you must be willing to deny SELF, take up your cross and follow JESUS!

Even before the earth was formed, Jesus gave up all claims to His life. He did not choose to come on His own initiative, He was sent by God. He chose to be obedient. He emptied Himself. He did not come to do His own will. He said “Lo, I come, to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7.)

Throughout His entire life and ministry Jesus did not follow His own desires. He did not live His life to bring honor and glory upon Himself. He lived to glorify God. ( What are your motives?). Are you being lead by the Spirit of God, or by your flesh?

Jesus entire life was spent in setting people free from Satan’s power, setting them free from sin, sickness and death. He lived to die for the sins of the world.

On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus did not shrink or pull back at the thought of pain and death. He was determined to do God’s will, regardless of the cost. In Gethsemane, Jesus wept, He agonized, He struggled with the forces of hell until He totally emptied Himself and said, “Not my will, but thine, be done.” Before His accusers, Jesus did not try to save His own life. He did not defend Himself. He did not strike back. At the whipping post, He stood there in our place, he took the punishment of our sins upon Him. As Jesus carried the heavy cross on His back, he struggled and fell beneath its load. He carried it for you and for me. As His bruised and bleeding body hung on the cross, He did not struggle to hold on to His life, he laid it down willingly. This is what it means to die to self! (Glory to JESUS).

If you want to know him in the power of His resurrection, if you want a full demonstration of the power of God in your life, if you want to be seated with Him in “heavenly places,” you must be willing to DIE. You must be willing to walk the road to Calvary with Him. You must be willing to walk the road of obedience to God’s will. You must be willing to considered yourself DEAD, that you know longer have any rights, that you know longer have a will, that you know longer have desires of your own, The one driving force behind all your thoughts and actions must be knowing and doing God’s will. You must know longer seek to do your own will, to fulfill your goals, your plans, your ambitions. You must know longer seek to promote yourself but live only to bring Glory and Honor to God. You must be willing to suffer misunderstanding, persecution, pain or discomfort that arises as a result of doing God’s will. You must be willing to lay your life down for the lost. As you are willing to identify with Christ’s suffering and death by DYING TO SELF in your day-to-day living, you will be able to know Him in the power of His resurrection. The power of God will be released in your life and you will be able to face every circumstance, every trial, every temptation in total victory. As you daily walk the road to obedience to God’s will you will be able to face Satan knowing there is power working in you that will give you the ultimate victory over the earth.

FOR GOD I LIVE FOR GOD I DIE, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

Father God thy Kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Glory be to God in Heaven.

Prophet Gary Becton 8/29/10 4:14 AM.

GLORY TO GOD