Crucifixion Moment

Posted on June 6, 2019 by America's Keswick in Victory Call

…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death… Philippians 3:10

Resurrection is defined as “the rising of Christ from the dead; the rising again to life of all the human dead before the final judgment; the state of one risen from the dead[i]” (and that is from a secular dictionary)

Resurrection follows death.

Every day, in fact numerous times a day, we face temptations and with every one, we have the opportunity to choose.  We may choose to go our own way, in our own strength (in our own flesh) or we may choose to die to our own way, die to our own flesh and live by the power of Christ in us. To choose the first results in sin and thwarts resurrection power. To choose the second results in obedience, victory and resurrection power.

That moment of decision has been coined a “crucifixion moment.” It is a crossroad.  To choose life requires we first choose death.  Resurrection power follows death.  It can be no other way. “God exposes flesh. I can choose to ignore that flesh and relegate it to its rightful crucifixion. I have come to call that a crucifixion moment. When that flesh succumbs to its prescribed death – crucifixion – then the power of resurrection takes its place.”[ii]

Crucifixion moments are evident throughout Scripture. I hesitate to start listing them because there are so many, so I will share this one:

Abraham – Abraham had many crucifixion moments – probably the most obvious crucifixion moment in his life was when God called him to sacrifice his own son, Isaac. He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [iii] We are told Abraham obeyed, leaving the very next morning to the land of Moriah. He chose to die to his own desire, fears and understanding and instead chose to trust and rely on God.  He experienced resurrection power – when God delivered Isaac from death. He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”  And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.[iv]

To experience resurrection power requires we first chose to crucify the flesh (refuse self-sufficiency) and embrace the cross. Then Jesus told his disciples, “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.[v] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.[vi] For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.[vii] 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.[viii] For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.[ix] Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God[x]

I want this fundamental truth to be embedded in the core of my being so that moment by moment it will rule my heart and I will experience more and more of His Resurrection power.  …that I may know him and the power of his resurrection.

Lord, may it be so.

Blessings,

Diane

Written By Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and provides ministry support from her home in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

The Daily Bible Reading: Jeremiah 3-5, Matthew 21:1-22| You can download our 2018 Daily Bible Reading Plan by clicking here

Think About This: “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

This Week’s Verse to Memorize: Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. – Galatians 3:24

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the doctrinal and theological views held by America’s Keswick.

[i] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resurrection accessed 5.30.19

[ii] Jennifer Kennedy Dean. Altar’d. New Hope Publishers. 2012.

[iii] Genesis 22:2

[iv] Genesis 22:12-13

[v] Matthew 16:24-25

[vi] Galatians 5:24

[vii] Romans 8:13

[viii] Galatians 2:20

[ix] Galatians 6:8

[x] 1 Peter 4:1-2

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