Yesterday I preached a sermon dealing with 5 non-negotiables of the Christian walk. Regretfully, today's average church and many Christians are best described by the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-22. Those 5 non-negotiables are: commitment, rejecting unGodly influences, being willing to suffer rejection from the world, self-imposed limitations, and living to glorify God. Anyone desiring the “Christian walk” must start with these 5. The root reason why many Christians fall short of these 5 has to do with “personal crucifixion.” It has to do with what the Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20 -
“I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (AMP)

The Amplified Bible is helpful in defining “personal crucifixion” as “[by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting].” It means putting aside everything...every relationship...every personal agenda...every self-generated entitlement and replace these with “relying on and completely trusting” Christ and His word...and...living it out.

Today's My Utmost for His Highest shares these sentiments:

“In the Christian walk, God has to deal with us on the death side as well as on the life side. On the death side of my walk in Christ, I identify myself with the death of Jesus Christ, allowing Him to crucify my old life for the sake of the new. There is always a battle royal before we can walk as Christians...always something that tugs at us with resentment against the demands of Jesus Christ. The battle begins the instant the Spirit of God shows us what the Christian walk entails: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26).

In the process of walking as Christians, the Spirit of God strips me until I have nothing left but myself—no father, no sister, no friends, no self-interest. Am I willing to be simply ready for death? The Christian walk requires it. No wonder Jesus said that He “did not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). This is where the battle comes, and where so many of us faint. We refuse to be identified with the death of Jesus. “It's too severe,” we say. “He can't want me to do that.” Our Lord is severe, and He does want us to do that.

Am I willing to reduce myself simply to me? To strip away everything my friends think of me, everything I think of myself? To hand that naked self over to God? The moment I do, He will sanctify me wholly, and my life will be free from all attachment that is not in Him.

If I pray, “Lord, show me what the Christian walk means,” He will show me. It means being made one with Jesus. Our Christian walk isn't some quality or ability that Jesus Christ puts into me. It is Him in me.”

I think today's affluent, self-indulgent, American Christian has lost sight of being crucified with Christ. As a consequence we cling to those things that become road-blocks to our walk with Christ. Some of us need a “reset”...some of us need to confront this Truth Matter for the first time.

My prayer for you and me this day is this: Lord, “crucifixion” is a harsh word for us personally. It's scary and humiliating. But we know it's the way we must live if our Christian walk is to be strong. Help us Lord to get over ourselves and totally allow You to take over. Amen.

Walk with the King today and be a blessing.