IDENTIFYING WITH THE CROSS

Galatians 2:20  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.

IDENTIFYING WITH THE CROSS

I believe that this message on

Identifying with the Cross for

today will help Believers find

their identity in the cross, to die

to self, and to experience the

power of Christ in their daily

lives.

Proverbs 23:7  For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

You see, how you perceive yourself will

determine what you seek after and

what your expectation is. If you

perceive yourself as always having bad

luck, then you will constantly have bad

luck. *

In other words, your identity is critical

to your behavior, habits and ways of

operating. Many Believers today are

confused about who they are which,

in turn, brings about confusion in how

they are to function. We function the

way we function because of how we

perceive ourselves to be. This means

that if your self-perception is

incorrect, your function will be

incorrect as well.

SERMON POINTS: 1. THE CROSS IS CENTRAL TO A BELIEVERS’S IDENTITY

Examine the role the cross plays in

your personal identity.

• Though Peter was a Believer, he put

his cultural identity above his

Christian identity. (Galatians 2:12)

For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.  *

• Paul confronted Peter and reminded

him that he wasn’t functioning in light

of identification with the cross.

Galatians 2:11  But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 

(Galatians 2:14)But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? 

Make the cross the centerpiece of your identity.

• If you have received Jesus Christ as

your Savior, a crucifixion has taken

place. (Galatians 2:20) 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. 

• When you became a Believer, a legal

transaction took place that justified

you and made you one with Christ.

• When we find our identity in the

cross, we will have the power to live a

victorious life that pleases God.

THE CROSS IS CENTRAL TO YOUR IDENTITY

2. THE CROSS GIVES US POWER

Identify with the Cross of Jesus and

find strength.

• Paul found strength in Christ to face

daily challenges. (Philippians 4:13)

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. 

• Believers today have access to the

same power as Paul. Allow Christ to

empower your mortal body for His

service.

• John encouraged believers to let

Jesus Christ live through them.

1 John 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. 

• When we yield to Christ, He will

enable us to function supernaturally,

not just naturally.

• A supernatural life will be glorious

and victorious.

THE CROSS GIVES US POWER

3. IDENTIFY WITH THE CROSS THROUGH RELATIONSHIP, NOT RULES

Identify with the Cross of Jesus and

don’t add anything to the cross

• Paul warned Believers not to add

anything to the cross thus rendering it

null and void.

(Galatians 2:21 NIV) I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"  *

• When we add rules and rituals to the

saving power of the cross, it no longer

has an effect in our lives. Open the

door to God’s blessing by identifying

with the cross.

• God will only flow His power through

you if you’re connected to the cross.

• God wants a relationship with you

through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

Put these scriptures in you ammo

pouch!!!

Romans 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

IDENTIFY WITH THE CROSS THROUGH RELATIONSHIP, NOT RULES

THE CROSS ESTABLISHED A NEW

REFERENCE POINT:

When I drink coffee in the morning, I

get me some creamer and pour it into

my coffee. After I stir it, the coffee

and the creamer are now one. There is

no way that I could possibly

disconnect my coffee from the

creamer once I have stirred it.

However, what many believers will do

in their Christian lives is become one

with Jesus Christ at salvation and

then attempt to disconnect Him from

their thinking, actions, choices,

decisions and all else in their lives. The

union is still there, of course. But they

wind up with a big mess and a lot of

wasted time and effort.

HOW TO IDENTIFY WITH THE CROSS:

Have you ever taken a child on a

piggyback ride? Do you know what

that child believes in? That child is not

just believing in you, he or she is

believing that you believe in you. They

believe that you have confidence in

you. That is why they will ask, “Do you

have me?” In other words, they are

asking, “Do you believe that you have

me?” This is because even though they

may have doubts, if you believe then

they will believe in your belief.

“It is not just that we are to believe in

Jesus Christ, but we are to believe in

Jesus’ belief in Himself. It is because of

your full confidence that Jesus has full

confidence in Himself that you

discover the ability to piggyback on

Him.” *

“It’s not the size of your faith

that matters, it is the object of your

faith that matters.”