No Turning Back

I was introduced to the depths and riches of God's Word from Galatians 2.20 by my homiletical mentor, Dr. Stephen F. Olford, whose life verse and ministry principle was the crucified life. In Galatians 2.20 we read, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Every book Stephen Olford autographed, he wrote his life verse beneath his name, Galatians 2.20. In fact, the very first time I met Stephen Olford, he was doing a book signing at Bellevue Baptist Church for his biography entitled, Only One Life.

And as he signed the books for a long line of people, my wife leaned over him and commented, my, what lovely handwriting you have. And I blurted out, well, of course he has. Look at all the practice he's getting, which Dr. Olford got a big kick out of that.

And I still have my copy of his book with his inscription of Galatians 2.20. It was his life verse and he drilled it into my thick skull as he taught me expository preaching and the doctrine of the Spirit-filled life. So many Christians miss the mark of the abundant life in Christ. Because they live an inconsistent life of ups and downs and highs and lows and defeat and discouragement.

But it doesn't have to be that way. There is a path to the victorious life in Christ Jesus. And that path runs smack dab into a cross.

On Calvary, the Son of God died under the law's penalty and all the law's demands were satisfied in Him. And by dying with Christ, they have no more hold on us. Being crucified, moreover, means that we have died to self.

Think of it, friends. Think of the Christian life this way. The Christian life is lived via the cross.

The cross stands between me and my past. The cross stands between me and the world. The cross stands between me and myself.

It's the Christ life for the self life where self has gone to weigh the cross. It's no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The indwelling Christ sitting upon the throne of my heart.

Reigning there. Ruling there. With undisputed authority.

But there was a time in my life, I remember it well, friends, where I had to deal with this. I had to face it. I had to become honest with God and admit my failures.

I had a cross on Rubicon, so to speak, and there was no turning back. It came on a particular day of prayer where God spoke to my heart. He said, if I am to use you like few other men, then you will have to live like few men do.

This was the final battleground between self and the cross. It was either future uselessness for God or a life of uselessness for me. Self had to be willingly annihilated daily on the cross and there had to be a full surrender to Christ's lordship in consecration from that point forward until he came or called.

There was no turning back. Well, how about you, friend? Are you ready for a life of consistency unto God? Are you ready to embrace the crucified life? It all begins with a surrender and it ends with a submission. You surrender all you are to all he is and he is lord.

Then you submit to his lordship for your daily living. And this is where the power lies because we need power from above. Second Corinthians 3 17 declares now the lord is that spirit and where the spirit of the lord is there is liberty.

This can be understood where the spirit is lord. That is where he is given his true deity and sovereignty. There is liberty for when sin is exposed and self is executed.

The holy spirit can filled overflowing and anoint with authority and power. When you get there, friend, you will not want to ever go back to where you were before. For when you cross over your own personal Rubicon, there is no turning back.