By: David McFadden

“…he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” Matthew 10:38-39 

Take your sins to Christ’s cross, for the old man can only be crucified there: we are crucified with Him. The only weapon to fight sin with is the spear which pierced the side of Jesus. To give an illustration—you want to overcome an angry temper, how do you conquer that pesky sin?

It is very possible you have never tried the right way of going to God with it. Ask  yourself, how did I get salvation? The Father introduced Jesus to You so you could know Him and come into His presence. You came to Jesus just as you were, and you trusted Him to save you. You must kill your angry temper in the same way? It is the only way in which you can ever kill it. The Apostle Paul explains, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”  

You must go to the cross with a change of heart about your condition, knowing it grieves the Father. “LORD, I trust You to deliver me from it.” This is the only way to give it a death-blow. Are you covetous? Do you feel the world entangle you? You may struggle against this evil so long as you please, but if it be your besetting sin, you will never be delivered from it in any way but by the blood of Jesus. Take it to your Heavenly Father. Tell Him, “LORD, I have trusted You, and in Jesus’ completed work on Calvary, for He saves people from their sins. LORD, this is one of my sins; save me from it!” There is salvation in no other name but Jesus, given among men by which we must be saved.” 

—Charles H. Spurgeon, adapted from Spurgeon's Morning & Evening, Inc. All rights reserved.

Taking God’s Word Back to Him

Heavenly Father, thank You for the cross of Christ where You dealt with sin once for all time. Thank You for Your resurrection power to raise anything surrendered to You, and that place of surrender is the cross of Christ. LORD, help me learn to surrender everything to You, whether celebrated in the world’s eyes or breaking your heart—good or bad—resurrect them so they will have Your Life; set apart and dedicated to You. Help me answer Your call to come up higher, ever higher, even into Your presence. For I know that is where You take my heavy sin-laden burdens. I trust You to deliver me and give Your easy yoke instead. LORD, I so much want run with endurance the race You have set before me, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. Help me lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares me. I trust in His completed work on Calvary. It is my confession that there is salvation in no other name but Jesus, given among men by which I must be saved. I praise You and ask these petitions in Jesus’ precious name. Amen.

Excerpted and adapted from David McFadden’s “Deeper Life Series”.

For more articles from this series go to: https://www.deeperlifeseries.com/devotional-archive

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