2012-10-14
Free, Free, Free at Last! Pt. 2
Steve Lane

Building on Firm Foundations Lesson #25
Romans Part Nine
Homework
Free, Free, Free at last!

Introduction -
Have you been brought by the Holy Spirit to utter despair of yourself and are you ready to now own the fact that no good thing dwells in you? (Romans 7:18)

Let’s now in simple faith:
1. Look to the cross once again, and see that the Deliverer, our Savior, did carry us in Himself to His cross – as well as our sins.
Romans 6:3; Galatians 2:20

2. Take our place with in Him on the cross, and say that by the choice of our will we have died with Him.
Colossians 3:3; Galatians 2:20

3. Then day by day, as any trace of the old “natural” life is revealed, yield it to the cross, and reckon it crucified with Him.
Romans 8:13

4. Count on the living Christ in us to manifest His life continually.

If we quietly rest on the Word of God, “For you died” (Colossians 3:3), and claim the severing power of the death of Christ over every appearance of the “old Adam” life or old bonds of sin, the Holy Spirit will put to death the ‘old nature’ and it’s fruit and we will walk in the freedom Christ has purchased for us.

Five points to consider as we take these things to God:

The Lord has never promised that we shall be able to look within and say to our own satisfaction that “self” is gone. As we reckon these things to be true, others will see the life of Christ in us.

There is no need to make an effort to abide if we count on the Holy Spirit to keep us abiding unconsciously.

If we begin to focus too much on the question, “Have I died with Christ or have I not?” He has to wait until He can get us to look away from our selves, and rest on His Word again.

Be prepared that the adversary will dispute every inch of ground. The devil is not dead and he does not just hate us now, we are dangerous. Remember, he is a defeated foe.

5. It is vain to ask God to set us free from ourselves if we retain one single thing that ministers to the self-life. An honest desire to let Christ entirely possess us, and a practical committing to the cross all that is revealed, will bring full deliverance. Let us trust Him to do His work while we yield to His dealing. Trust Him implicitly and obey promptly.
Adapted from Dying to Live, by Jessie Penn-Lewis