It’s What You Are
I realize that the title for this chapter might leave one puzzled. Is this going to be some kind of self-esteem or even new age teaching to help someone liberate their “inner self;” as if their outer self isn’t enough of a burden to everyone around them? Actually, this teaching is about how to benefit from what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. Then, you might wonder, what does the phrase, “what you are,” have to do with the cross? And what on earth does the phrase, “It’s what you are,” even mean? Admittedly, from the very onset here, things are looking a bit shaky. Bear with me though. I am confident that you will be blessed with countless gems from the following teaching. You might find some of the teachings here to be flat-out life-changing. Let’s get right to it.
Its What You Are
Romans 6:11 instructs the believers, to reckon or consider themselves to BE dead to sin. This is not just a determination to not sin, or a strong sentiment, although this truth does include such sentiments and commitments. But, more than these, this verse relates to a genuine deliverance from sin, which is one of the benefits of the cross. By relying on this particular truth of the cross, the believers ARE something that they otherwise would not be.
Another truth of the cross that is mentioned often in the New Testament is forgiveness. We are forgiven and redeemed through His blood. Forgiveness and redemption are also benefits of the cross. Again, by relying on these truths of the cross, the believer IS something that he would otherwise not be. Another benefit of the cross is that we were healed. Now, how does all of this play out in our lives? How can we actually experience some of these benefits? This teaching attempts to show us how to believe for (or appropriate) the benefits of the cross.
When I use the term “cross,” I mean that Jesus died on a cross FOR humanity. This historical event has numerous benefits for us today. Now everybody eventually dies. But, they usually don’t die for someone else. Although, once in a while, someone might take a bullet for someone else. But, normally, people just die because they have to, and that’s the end of it. Other than an inheritance, their death does not and can not bring about any benefit for us all. In fact, if they had wanted to help anyone, they had to do it while they were still alive.
The Bible teaches that not only did Jesus die, but He died willingly for us and the whole world. “… One died for all, then all died, and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him, who died for them and rose again” 11Corinthians 5:14-15. Again, this scripture shows us the “deliverance from sin” benefit of the cross. “One died for all…” The “for all” is a huge part of the cross and speaks of the grace of God (and the love of God). By the grace of God his death has benefits for everyone. As we will see later, anyone in this world at any given time can reap some kind of help from this historical event. This event was truly an act of love and grace by Jesus for the world.
Now there was also the resurrection of Christ from the dead which is also vitally important, but for right now, let us consider the cross. We will quickly move on to teaching about the Holy Spirit and the resurrection.
The important question is how does the average “Joe” benefit from this historical event. Well, the reader might object that we are being selfish. How dare we try to “cash in” on someone else’s death. We should be thinking about what we can do for Jesus , not what we can get from Him. The answer to this objection is that the Lamb wants to see the fruit of His suffering. He wants us to reap the full benefits of His death. He went through more trouble that we can imagine or describe, in order for us to reap these benefits. He doesn’t want His efforts to be in vain. Also, He doesn’t want to see us go without.
So, you might ask, well how do I benefit from this historical event? What do I have to do? Well, you really don’t have to do anything. In fact, you don’t have to lift one little pinkie. You don’t have to even twitch your ear or wink an eye lid. You don’t have to sit in any particular position or be in any particular place. You can benefit from His death if you are located at the lowest depth of the ocean or if you are on the tip of the highest mountain. Any one at anytime can benefit from His death.
One man in the Book of Acts asked, “What must I do to be saved?” The answer given to him was “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved; you and your household.” Scriptures tell us that if you repent (turn from your evil ways) and believe in Jesus Christ, you shall enter into what we are here calling the benefits of the cross. In other words, by wanting it badly, and by believing what God in Christ did for me at the cross, I can start to experience these benefits of the cross. In this teaching we want to use some words that might make this even more clear to a serious seeker. These words come directly from the Bible. Clarity is everything in this realm. How exactly do I believe?
It’s What You ARE
In Romans chapter six, the apostle Paul is trying to teach us how to believe for and experience a particular benefit of the cross; namely, deliverance from sin. Now, how we believe for this particular benefit, will help us believe for all of the rest of the benefits that Jesus died for.
At the beginning of Romans six, Paul says, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it.?” Notice that Paul is not saying that we need to try hard to not sin in appreciation for all that Jesus did for us; although this is also a mind set that we should have. Paul is not saying that we need to strive and try to reach a state of perfection over time; although this is also a noble and admirable idea. Paul is not saying that we need to make a once and for all, major, life time decision to never sin again, although this would be a good idea.
No; Paul is basically saying in Romans 6:1-2, that just because we have forgiveness, this doesn’t mean that we can keep on sinning. The reason being is that there is another benefit of the cross that we should experience and have the responsibility to walk in. He is clearly writing that this benefit has to do with our identity. “How shall we who died to sin …” He is saying that our identity or condition (state of being) was somehow by grace changed at the cross. Because of Jesus’ death on the cross, we believers are now dead to sin. In other words, by grace this historical event caused us TO BE something that we formerly didn’t think was possible. And later in this same chapter the apostle Paul asks us to live out, or act out of our NEW IDENTITY (or new condition) in our everyday circumstances.
Paul explains a little in Romans six about how this new identity was brought about. He says, “don’t you know that as many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death?” He further says, “we were united with Him in His death.” He says in Romans 6:6-7, “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with; that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died is freed from sin.” Then in Romans 6:11 Paul writes, “reckon or consider or think of yourself as BEING dead to sin…” In other words, because of the changes made to you by grace at the cross, agree with what God did, even though you might not fully understand it or feel it; and now think of yourself as being dead to sin.
As we can see in Romans six and throughout the New Testament, deliverance from sin is fundamentally an identity issue. There are ten thousand and one do’s and don’ts and words of wisdom, that are all very good. We should heed them all. But, there is something more fundamental than all of these admonitions. It’s our identity. It’s what we are! Jesus died for us and therefore we are dead to sin. “One died for all, therefore all died…” Exactly how did the cross accomplish this? Romans six gives us an idea. But all we really need to know is WHAT WE ARE because of all of this. In other words, as Romans 6:11 says, we need to consider ourselves as BEING dead to sin. We need confidence in this truth. Action follows our new found identity. We don’t act to get delivered, we act because by grace we are delivered (saved) through faith. Whatever the besetting sin is, you can come out of it now. Don’t mind the pain; act on the word. The pain will eventually subside, and be replaced with relief.
Just as God opened the Red Sea for the children of Israel so that they could come out of Egypt and Pharaoh’s dominion, so Jesus opened the way out of our sin and sin habits at the cross, so that we can come out of our sinful bondages and Satan’s dominion. (Gods opening of the Red Sea is a picture of Jesus delivering believers OUT OF their sin at the cross. The blood of the Passover Lamb being applied to the door posts so that the angel of death would pass over, is a picture of Jesus delivering believers from the PENALTY OF their sin at the cross, i.e., redemption and forgiveness) Like the walk out of Egypt, our walk out of sin is a “straight walk on dry ground.” But, we not only need to believe our deliverance that was won at the cross, we also need to want it. He opened the Red Sea for us, but we need to walk across . Without our “want to” we are just looking at the opening; maybe even admiring or respecting the opening; but we are not walking through it. In other words, without repentance the cross can’t help us.
Now, regarding the original point I was making, as it is with the “deliverance from sin” benefit of the cross as explained in Romans six, so it is with most of the other benefits of the cross. Each benefit becomes an identity issue. We are forgiven. We are redeemed. We are justified. We are healed. We are saved.
Or, let’s say it another way. Let’s say it as commands. Be forgiven. Be redeemed. Be redeemed from the curse of the law. Be healed. “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Be dead to sin. Be free. Most every benefit of the cross can be termed as part of our identity. We can describe these benefits by using a form of the verb, “to be.” Now, an English major might say things a little differently. He might say that each benefit would be part of our condition (state of being) now that we believe. But, however you word it, each benefit is what we are; thus, the title to this teaching.
At the end of His suffering, and right before He died, Jesus said, “It is finished.” “It” has changed what we are.
The Biblical and direct way to believe for any benefit, is to declare and think of it as being what we are because of the cross. Recon or consider or think of yourself as being forgiven, healed , and free. Insist upon being what Jesus on the cross made you. It’s what you are. Your fundamental identity or condition is that you are these great things. Rebuke the devil who is a deceiver and the enemy of our souls. Fight the good fight of faith. Persevere until you see the fulfillment of the promise.
If you have ears to hear, hear this. Jesus already died FOR YOU. This new identity was custom made for you by Jesus Himself. You already are these wonderful things by grace. This is what “FOR YOU” means! He changed YOU. I’m talking about YOU. He changed your YOU! You don’t have to do one solitary thing to make this happen. It’s already been done perfectly for you by grace. Just be what you are. Your actions will follow your newly found identity. This new identity was yours all along, you just didn’t know it or want it. I don’t know if it is possible for God Himself to make it any simpler than this. I know from experience that God makes things simple, while man makes things difficult.
When Jesus died on the cross, He made everyone these wonderful things. He forgave everyone. He delivered everyone. He healed everyone. He died for everyone according to the Bible. Does this mean that everyone is saved and going to heaven? No! Only those who repent (want these benefits) and believe for them, get to experience these benefits. Jesus died for the unbelievers too. Their new identities are right there waiting for them, like tailor made suits; a perfect fit. They just don’t believe or don’t want these benefits. They reject the free gift. Many don’t know what is available for them.
Maybe you need to take some time and meditate on these truths. Don’t just rush on by. These truths of the cross; your new identity truths, are the foundation of your Christian life. Let the Holy Spirit who is also called the Spirit of Truth speak to your heart. Let Him reveal these identity truths to you so that you will be truly convinced of and know what you are because of the cross.
Therefore, what we are saying here is that when Paul wrote in Romans 6:11 for the believer to recon or think or consider himself to be dead to sin; we can use this same approach for any other benefit of the cross. What we are trying to do is become assured of, and convinced of, and believe what our new state of being (condition) is. This is how we begin to experience each and every benefit of the cross. Can it get any easier? If He gave us fifteen difficult tasks to do in order to achieve some goal; now that would be hard. But, by grace He built all of these benefits into our identity. Exactly, how did He heal, deliver, forgive and do all these other wonderful things to us and for us at the cross? Each benefit has its own logic. He paid the penalty for us, therefore we are redeemed and forgiven. By His stripes we were and therefore are healed. But really, who can explain the grace of God in detail? All we need to know in order to experience these benefits, is to know what we are. We need to become convinced of what we are. This is incredibly simple. Absolutely anyone can be what they are. They just need a little faith for what God through the cross made them.
When you start to feel condemned over a sin you repented of, remember what you are, forgiven. Be forgiven in Jesus‘ name. When sickness attacks your body, above all, remember what you are, healed. Be healed in Jesus‘ name. When lust or some sin begins to consume your thoughts, remember what you are, dead to sin. Be dead to sin in Jesus‘ name . We fight the good fight of faith. We contend for our identity won at the cross. These benefits are all true about us because of Jesus’ death; no other reason. These benefits are not yours because of your family upbringing. These benefits are not yours because of how great or disciplined you are.
Remember, you are not trying to make something true in your life, when it really isn’t. It already is true. It has been true for you all along. You just hadn‘t figured it out up to now. Jesus died for you before you ever knew His name. These wonderful things have been true for you and for everyone else from before the foundation of the world, if you can fathom that. You just didn’t know it or want it. Somewhere along the line, you started to want it and believe it. Others have rejected what Christ did for them.
I find it amazing and thrilling to tame or subdue a sin problem with the truth of the cross. When ungodly sexual passion rages in me, for example, I can declare with confidence, “I am dead to that!” For me, sometimes, it is like letting air out of a balloon. Any particular sin loses its power as I declare with confidence my identity because of the cross. Sometimes, it’s like a disruption in sin’s supply line. The particular sin in operation seems to lose its vitality. Other times, the sin has no chance. As I exercise my authority, it dies instantly. I have experienced thousands of small, silent deliverances during my life; like anyone who understands their deliverance. My only problem is with my “want to.” I know that I am dead to sin and can rely on this rock solid truth at any time for my deliverance. I only need to want to be delivered at any given time. If my “want to” is weak or indecisive, that’s where my problem lies.
This all seems so ridiculously simple. While writing this, I feel like I am just belaboring a point that is so patently obvious. Can the massive, mind boggling problem of conquering the power of sin be resolved by just being what we are because of Christ’s death? Can the accurate preaching of the cross solve what billions upon trillions of dollars of research, projects and effort can hardly touch? Where is the wisdom of this age? What I can barley fathom is how simple the grace of God has made things. The grace of God through a historical event has changed what we are! This might seem silly, but I feel like I need to complicate this in order to make it seem more plausible. Do we need to add a complex formula just to make people feel more at ease with this? Woe to him who does!
People ask the age old (and boring) question, “Does being dead to sin mean that I never sin?” What they often are really asking is, “Does this mean that I don’t get to sin any more?” “Being forgiven is one thing. Being dead to sin is going to ruin my life.” They might add, “This ‘cross’ business is going to seriously interfere with a lot of what I do!” So true. Some might say, “Chris, will you get off this Romans six fixation of yours? You are killing me with this stuff! Can you please find some other reading material?” Well, I do tend to obsess on things.
So, does being dead to sin mean that we never sin? The Lord gave me the following answer to this question. Jesus died to set us free from all sin. Once we see that He set us free at the cross, our willingness to take any and every particular sin to the cross will determine how much freedom we actually walk in. Our “want to” determines how much deliverance or freedom we actually experience. With unbelievers and many church people, they can’t help but sin because they don’t rely on the cross even though it is available to them (Jesus died for them too). Even if they want to come out of some sin, they can only exchange one sin for another, at best. With us who rely on the truths of the cross, our willingness to repent and take a particular sin to the cross will determine how much freedom we actually experience. God’s salvation is perfect. Our willingness to enter into it is imperfect, and that’s where the problem lies.
Nobody has a perfect will. We all have areas of weakness in our wills, and areas of indecision. We all have blind spots, some ever so subtle, where we won’t even acknowledge our sin in some area. The Holy Spirit will try to enlighten us and strengthen our wills and give us the “want to.” Also, God will chastise us at times in order to give us the “want to” (1Peter 4:1-2, Hebrews 12:3-12, etc.).
Also, with new or inexperienced believers, they need to seek God so that He might give them confidence in their deliverance. Just repeating over and over again that one is dead to sin, won’t necessarily be fruitful. This is not wishful thinking. This is not positive thinking. The believer has to know that he is delivered. He needs “the eyes of his understanding” opened. He needs confidence in this truth. He needs to ask the Holy Spirit to give him this confidence in his deliverance won at the cross. Then, as he begins to speak, he speaks with authority.
Regarding God’s chastisement, remember how Pharaoh chased the children of Israel out of Egypt. (God said that He raised Pharaoh up for God‘s glory. Pharaoh was so bad; he chased the Israelites into the arms of God. Thus God was glorified for His goodness.) They had a strong “want to.” Pharaoh unknowingly helped them with their “want to.“ Again, God opened the Red Sea for them, but they had to walk across (this is a picture of repentance, and the believer acting on this truth of the cross). God wasn’t going to carry them across. He needed or required their cooperation.
As I teach on this subject to people coming out of serious addictions and sin problems; sometimes I’ll see someone who is very serious about getting delivered from some bondage. This person is not interested in playing around on the fringe; maybe enjoying a little sin and then a little deliverance, and then a little more sin. This person wants one hundred percent deliverance from some bondage. I have learned to realize that such a “want to” or desire is pure gold. However they got it; it ultimately came from God’s Spirit and is a gift. Maybe it came from divine chastisement and the “school of hard knocks.” But however it came, it is gold. Just as it is important to know that we are delivered because of the cross, so it is also important to have the desire to take a sin to the cross. The Holy Spirit will help us get the desire. We should ask Him to. You might pray at times, “God, I am willing to be made willing.”
What does it mean to “take a sin to the cross?” “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” If we realize we did wrong and know that Jesus has forgiven us for it through the cross, we have taken our sin to the cross. If we realize that we have a sin habit that we don‘t want, and know that Jesus has set us free through the cross, we have taken our sin to the cross. When we agree with and INSIST UPON the truths of the cross over a sin or sin habit, we are taking our sin to the cross. When we agree with and insist upon the truth of the cross (forgiveness) over out guilt, we are taking our guilt to the cross. These are examples of fighting the good fight of faith. We can also take all manner of death and curses to the cross. We can insist upon our deliverance from curses. (Curses are essentially penalties for sin. At the cross we are forgiven and therefore delivered from curses.}
All manner of sin (and sin habits) and death (curses and condemnation and guilt) DISAPPEAR at the cross. All that is wrong with us and the world is summarized in the words “sin” and “death.” With desire and faith in the cross, we can start to make it all disappear. The world can only exchange one sin for another at best. The world can only put on a show and make a lot of commotion, and spend truck loads of money to try to solve sin problems. The purpose of Jesus dying for us, the purpose of the cross, is to, by grace, make it all go away. Behold the grace of God through the cross! And, as we will see later, one of the main purposes of the Holy Spirit is to raise up a brand new life where sin and death once reigned. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise us up into newness of life.
More importantly, through the cross we are delivered from hell in the next world. Hell and the second death are places of unending death. Hell is a place of eternal punishment (death) for our sin. Jesus told some people that they were in danger of dying in their sin, thus, going to a place of unending death. Through the cross we were delivered from hell. The previous paragraph refers to how the cross makes sin and death disappear on the earth in this life.
Through the cross we are also reconciled with God. Notice that this is another identity truth. Through the cross, we now have a relationship with God, as a son or daughter to their father. The Bible calls us sons of God. We now are part of God’s very family. Talk about an identity thing!
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. Having peace with God is another benefit of the cross. Because of the nature and meaning of the word, “peace,“ there is no value that I can see in making this an identity statement. “Having peace with God” can be worded as follows, “We are at peace with God.“ By making this truth an identity statement, we don’t reap any real advantage or help. This is because of the nature of the word, “peace.” Thus, this particular benefit of the cross is an exception to our general rule.
Remember, Romans 6:11 REQUIRES the believer to make deliverance from sin an identity issue. Now, thinking of yourself as being dead to sin is a revolutionary thought to the average mind, or the average Christian or church mind. Such faith is world-changing. Imagine if groups of Christians started to reckon themselves to be dead to sin. Even through the persecution that would result from such radical faith, things would change dramatically.
Regarding healing, I have read a great healing evangelist write that when he hears people say that they believe that God is going to heal them, he pretty much knows that they are not going to experience their healing. He wrote that they need to see and become convinced that they already are healed in order to experience their healing. In our teaching, people need to make healing an identity issue; they need to become convinced of what they are because of the cross; namely, healed. Ministers throughout the Bible would say, “Be healed, in Jesus’ name.” In other words, because of what Jesus did for you on the cross, BE what you are, healed. Recon yourself to be healed.
The message of Romans 6 and other scriptures mean that we have authority over our sin nature or flesh. This truth does not mean that we never sin. Similarly, our healing won at the cross means that we have authority over sickness. This truth of the cross does not mean that we never, ever are sick. All truths of the cross require the good fight of faith. They all require backbone, tenacity, courage and persistence.
Now, to change the subject slightly, there is a common practice among some major denominations and teachers to take the “dead to sin” message of the cross, and say that we are “positionally” dead to sin; or “positionally” crucified with Christ. Somehow this sets people at ease. They kind of give a collective sigh of relief. “Whew, He doesn’t really mean what I was afraid He was getting at.” “Positional” to some might mean that it is some truth that I will experience when I get to heaven. To others it might mean that it is a truth that is a goal that I can take my sweet time achieving. (Basically, folks are looking for wiggle room so that they can do as they please.) But, to make it simply a goal, would be to put us under the law again. We are trying to achieve a benefit of the cross that is freely given to us. .
Now, our first clue that there is a problem here, is the fact that the word “positional” is never found in the Bible. Being “positionally” dead to sin or “positionally” crucified with Christ, is not ever, ever mentioned in the Bible. Unfortunately, when some ministers have taught on this subject down through the ages, the word “positional” was their key to understanding this deliverance message of the cross.
This word is added to a fundamental truth of the cross, and it literally guts this truth of its vitality, authority and power. Beware of the leaven (false teaching) of the Pharisees! Jack the Ripper could have never even imagined doing as much damage as some of these false teachers. They can destroy you, without you having the slightest clue as to what is happening. Without your authority over your flesh, which is what the “crucified with Christ” message of the cross gives you, where would you be? I’ll tell you where you will be. You will BE destroyed by your sin! Apart from the truths of the cross, we have no way out from sin and death. We, in this generation, might think that we have alternatives, but we are in error. Psycho-therapeutic drugs, self-esteem teaching, psychology, self-help programs, self-effort, and even the law and good principles are no substitutes for the truths of the cross.
Beware of the word “positional” when considering the truths of the cross. These truths of the cross are truths about our identity, or our state of being (condition). These identity truths are freely given to us by God. They are our authority over sin and death. They are our gateway out of sin and death.
The Cross and the Holy Spirit
We cannot talk about the cross for long without beginning to include the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the believers’ lives. Jesus’ finished work on the cross and the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit are the heart and soul of Biblical salvation. In fact, whatever we’re doing in our Christian walk that is not intimately related to the ministry of the cross and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, is probably not from God. It is probably some sort of man made substitute.
The Holy Spirit teaches us about and leads us to the truths of the cross. Then, our living in the Holy Spirit is what REPLACES our old life. In other words, the Holy Spirit raises up a new life in us, just like He raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11, Romans 6:4-5, etc.)
17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17
Salvation is not just what we are saved OUT OF at the cross, but what we are saved INTO, which is our living in the Holy Spirit. Life in the Holy Spirit is life in the kingdom of God. Heaven will consist of our living in the Holy Spirit. Living in the Holy Spirit here on earth is a foretaste of what is to come (Hebrews 6:4-5).
At the cross we were delivered from sin (set free or sanctified) and death (redeemed, forgiven or justified). The word “death” here, means all of the horrible consequences of sin; not just physical death. The word “death” means all manner of earthly curses, eternal hell, physical death, sickness, poverty, destruction of all kinds, loss of all kinds, all manner of corruption, loneliness, boredom and, in short, everything bad that you can think of. The term “sin” means every kind of wrong action that exists; as defined by God in the Bible. The great Biblical truth is at all manner of wrong actions (sin) lead to conditions of all manner of death. In short, sin leads to death. If you took all of the earthly curses of this world and made them last forever, you would have hell, a place and condition of eternal punishment. People who die in their sin, i.e., those who don’t embrace (want and believe in) the cross and the ministry of the Holy Spirit, go to hell.
Heaven is a place and condition of experiencing life without end or interruption. Heaven is also a place where only righteousness exists; there is no sin in heaven. Heaven is a place where the Holy Spirit is continually ministering life and righteousness to and through the saved.
When we take our sin and death to the cross as explained previously in this teaching, the Holy Spirit seeks to replace our sin with righteousness. The Holy Spirit is also called the Spirit of Life. He also seeks to replace all manner of death with life. For example in my life, He replaced my jealous nature with a spirit of encouragement. This new attitude and spirit in me lead to better relationships which was and is life to me.
The Holy Spirit needs the truths of the cross to do what He does. He is urging us to take our sins to the cross for forgiveness and deliverance, so that He can lead us into a brand new pattern of living, righteousness. The Holy Spirit will replace any given sin with a new life style. It could be said that He raises us up into a new life style or righteousness; and righteousness leads to life.
The following are some distinctions that might help make the ministries of the cross and the Holy Spirit more clear:
The cross is a historical event while the Holy Spirit is a person.
The cross is a one time finished event, while the Holy Spirit is being continually supplied to us and is likened in Scripture to a flowing river
(Be sure to read Philippians 1:19, Galatians 3:5, John 7:38).
The cross gives everyone exactly the same benefits and privileges, while the
Holy Spirit will give different gifts and callings to different believers.
You don’t have to pray for more of the cross; all of its benefits are available to you at any time; while you do have to pray for more of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).
Regarding the cross, you don’t have to pray that God would help you, He already has. You don’t have to pray that God would deliver you or heal you or forgive you, He already has. You need to pray for a clearer insight or revelation that you are these things because of the cross. (You can pray for anything you want. But, when it comes to the benefits of the cross, they are already yours. Why ask for what is already yours? Rather, ask that God would open your eyes to see what is already yours.) (Prayers relating to the cross tend to be as follows: “Be healed in Jesus name! Be set free! Be saved!”) (Prayers relating to the Holy Spirit tend to be as follows: “I pray that the Spirit of healing, the virtue of Jesus would flow into this body. I pray that God would give you the desire to stay away from pornography.) You do have to pray for more of the Holy Spirit. You do have to continually pray for the Holy Spirit to help you.
The cross is an event that you need a better understanding of. The Holy Spirit is a person whose help and fellowship you need continually.
The cross is an event that we benefit from, while the Holy Spirit is a person that we have a relationship with.
You can’t have more of the cross because it’s all available to you already, but you can have more of the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13).
The cross empties us of sin and delivers us from death (curses), while the Holy Spirit fills us with righteousness (the opposite of sin) and ministers to us or gives to us life and blessing (the opposite of death).
Thus, the cross EMPTIES us of sin and self, while the Holy Spirit FILLS us with righteousness and love.
The cross takes away our judgment and death, while the Holy Spirit ministers and gives life.
The cross makes the bad disappear while the Holy Spirit brings in the good to replace the bad (Baby Talk).
Both the cross and the Holy Spirit need our cooperation to be effective in our lives.
The cross has to do with us in Christ while the Holy Spirit has to do with Christ in us. All of the benefits of the cross relate to us being in Christ, while the ministry of the Holy Spirit is Christ and all His fullness in us..
The truths of the cross have to do with authority, while the Holy Spirit has to do with power.
The cross gives us authority over sin and death while the Holy Spirit gives us power and enablements to live right and minister or impart life (gifts of the Spirit).
The cross has to do with Jesus’ death while the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us to raise us into newness of life
The truths of the cross are the entrance into the kingdom of God, while life in the Spirit is life inside the Kingdom of God (Romans 14:17).
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