Summery:- Our longing and even our best efforts can not bring victory ultimately, but our death to self, Satan and the world makes it possible for Christ to live in and through us.
“This year I am going to take a strong decision”, declared a young brother during the special prayer service welcoming the New Year. He was referring to his irregular attendance of the church gatherings in the past. But the irony is that not only he even none of his family members could attend the fellowship for most of the first month. I am sure, they may have genuine reasons and our young brother may be even sorry for such unexpected turn of events that nullified his ‘strong decision’. My purpose is not to accuse them, but to point out a truth involved in it.
Our strong decision has no strength in itself to grant us success. In other words victory in Christian life is not based on the power of our resolutions and efforts. The Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed it unequivocally, “with out Me you can do nothing.” John.15: 5c. It is not a suggestion, but a total truth. We can do nothing, absolutely nothing to improve our spiritual life, with out Christ! This is a lesson we ought to remember always as we strive to excel and be successful in our Christian life in the days ahead.
Going little further Paul makes it more clear and certain, “always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body…....So then death is working in us, but life in you” 2Corinthians.4:10, 12. Yes, ultimately it is death of our self that is essential for fruitful life. Oh, how strong and deceptive is our self. Even when we show ourselves as humble and godly, it could be full of self, pride! Our spiritual activities and even charitable works could be to boost our self! Dying to self-effort, self-interest, and self-glory etc alone is the answer to the frequent failure and frustrations of Christian life.
The Lord in His sovereign will and wisdom reveals our helplessness so that we may throw away our dependence upon our self and trust in the sufficiency of the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ said referring to His own life, “Unless a grain of wheat falls in to the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” John.12:24. Death is imperative for life. It is applicable in our life too.
How do we confirm the death of our self? I think the short cut is to examine, ‘how do we react to the world, flesh, and Satan?’ One of the distinguishing features between the dead and the living is this: dead never respond! Let us reckon ourselves crucified with Christ and allow Christ to live His life in and through us. Then there will be victory and fruitfulness, not because of our self –efforts, but by His grace and working, for His glory.
"Grace & Peace" is an e-periodical for spiritual enlightenment,