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… The Crossing of the Red Sea and the Crossing of the Jordan River: What New Testament Truths Do These Crossings Symbolize? The crossing of the Red Sea by the children of Israel speaks of an essential New Testament truth. Similarly, the crossing of the Jordan River by the children of Israel also pictures another vital New Testament truth. One general observation we can make right from the beginning is that in crossing the Red Sea, the children of Israel were coming OUT OF something bad. In the crossing of the Jordan River, the children of Israel were coming INTO something essentially good, but not without its challenges. And in between, there was a desert or wilderness. The reader can look up Exodus 14 and read about the great deliverance out of Egypt that God wrought for the children of Israel when He parted the waters of the Red Sea. 13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid.… Regarding the cross, the meaning of the bread and the cup can be summarized as follows: BREAD CUP 1 Peter 2:24, Hebrews 10:10, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Colossians 1:14, Ephesians 1:7, Romans 5:9 Deliverance from sin Forgiveness for sin Deliverance from the power of sin Deliverance from the penalty of sin Sanctification Justification Crucified with Christ Forgiven in Christ Deliverance from sin Deliverance from death Deliverance from sin and self Deliverance from death Authority over sin and self Authority over death (curses) Authority over the devil and his ability to keep us in bondage to some sin Authority over the devil’s ministry of death and curses in some area of our life He bore our grief and sorrow, our infirmities and sicknesses in His body. Our bodies are now free to function right. (Isaiah 53:4, Matt. 8:17) He broke the curse of sickness. (Isaiah 53:5, Mark 2:5-12, James 5:14-15) Sickness seen here as a penalty for sin. The blood paid the price Bread… 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 1 Corinthians 10:16 Communing with His Body and Blood When we die to self or reckon ourselves dead to some sin, and are lead by the Spirit instead, we are communing with the body of Christ (I Peter 2:24, Hebrews 10:5-10, I Corinthians 5:6-8, etc.). Whenever we exercise the authority of the blood over some area of condemnation or death (lack, sickness, alienation, boredom, sickness, etc.) and believe a promise for life and blessing in its stead, we are communing with the blood of Christ. If one thinks about it, every minute of our day as Christians is spent acting out one or both of these two basic themes. When a person walks into his or her workplace, he is immediately concerned about what he should be… The Holy Spirit hovers and broods over the message of the cross. By the word, “cross,” we mean His finished work on the cross. Jesus said in John 19:30b, “…It is finished!…” The two great truths of the cross, forgiveness and deliverance, are standing offers for all people until He comes back. Willing believers claim and experience these basic truths and all of the other truths of the cross. What the Holy Spirit Does When we present the Lord’s Supper with understanding, the Holy Spirit will brood over the truths of the cross being proclaimed. The Holy Spirit is convicting us of our sin. He is pointing out the truths of the cross. He is applying pressure on us to confess our sins and take them to the cross (by faith apply the truths of the cross to a particular sin or death problem). Whatever sin we confess and take to the cross, the Holy Spirit will seek to replace…
It’s What You Are
The Crossing of the Red Sea and the Crossing of the Jordan River
Summarizing the Bread & Cup of the Lord’s Supper
Communing with His Body and Blood
The Cross and the Holy Spirit