Wild Abandon Pt 2

Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)

20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Retreat Vision (summer 2024)

No longer I who live

Galatians 5:16 NLT

16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

300 Sermon Illustrations from Charles Spurgeon Christ in Us Is like Heated Iron (Exodus 3:1–6; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4–6; Colossians 1:27)

Christ in Us Is Like Heated Iron

Exodus 3:1–6; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:4–6; Colossians 1:27

Preaching Themes: Holiness, Union with Christ

You thrust a bar of cold, black iron into the fire, and keep it there till the fire enters into it. See, the iron is like fire itself—he who feels it will know no difference. The fire has permeated the iron, and made it a fiery mass. I would like to have seen that bush in Horeb before which Moses took off his shoes. When it was all ablaze it seemed no longer a bush but a mass of fire, a furnace of pure flame. The fire had transfigured the bush.

So it is with us when Christ enters into us. He elevates us to a nobler state; even as Paul says, “I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). Jesus sanctifies us wholly—spirit, soul, and body—and takes us to dwell with him in the perfect state above.

When we let Jesus truly rule our lives and dwell in our hearts and minds, we can’t help but to be like Him

Our lives reflect His glory and mind.

Abandoning ourselves starts with an understanding of what place Christ has in our lives

Freedom

When we understand that it is not us who is living any more, but truly Christ in us, we can see that sin starts to automatically take a back seat to Him.

Sin and death have no part of Christ, therefore no part of us when we He is in us.

Surrendering completely to Him is like this rod in the fire, there is no determinable difference between Him and us.

We live for Him and He lives in us

Sin is blotted out and cannot take the heat and holiness of Jesus in us.

Freedom to be who we are designed to be!

Why would we give Him control of our lives?

For what He has done for us, taking our place out of nothing but love.

We are able to fight the enemy and have victory over sin.

We gain purpose, our designer knows what we are best suited for and has our best interest in mind.

His love is already proven, endless and pure for us.

We can trust Him more than anything or anyone else in this world.

He is constant, we are not.

Why do we need to surrender all control?

If we retain anything, start to do anything in our own flesh, we are saying to Him that we do not trust Him with our lives.

We will mess up every time, we are sinners to our core, without Christ we are hopeless in our endeavors.

We will try to shape things to our perception of what we “think” we need.

Our perception is tainted by our selfishness, His vision for our lives is pure and for our benefit.

Abandoning our sin, our selfishness and our fleshly desires.

we have freedom from sin when we allow Christ to dwell in us

Jesus did not have to give His life for us, He had the power to summon a legion of angels, to wipe out all of humanity, and leave us to die, physically and spiritually forever,

But he CHOSE to endure the cross for us

Jesus literally DIED from a broken heart.

I just can't get over it What kind of self-control is this? When You had angels at Your fingertips But on the Cross You remained And I can't repay that kind of love But I can praise with everything I've got Since death had all of it's power robbed Then just like the grave

Romans 6:5 (NKJV)

5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

His Resurrection is what conquered sin and death once and for all

we get to take part in this victory

not even just take part but in claiming the victory!

Romans 6:6 (NKJV)

6 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 si

No longer I who live

When we crucify our old selves, It is no longer us who is in control

we give up control of our thoughts and actions to the Holy Spirit

The designer is able to help us reach our true potential, He knows what is best for us and when we give Him control of our lives we are able to walk in freedom.

In a sense we become a living testament of Him.

Live by faith

When we choose to abandon ourselves to Christ we must then have faith that He will take on the rest of the battle.

Proverbs 3:5–6 (NKJV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Faith is the foundation of our lives with Christ.

if we continue to try and take control of our lives due to a lack of understanding or proof so to speak, then we remove the ability of the Holy Spirit to direct us and guide us.

we must pray continually for faith, that we might lean on Christ alone and let Him take full control of our lives, leaving NOTHING to ourselves.

Luke 9:23–24 (NKJV)

23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)

1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.

Alter call

God is pulling at your heart tonight

He is asking, no begging, knocking, at the door of your heart to enter and give you true freedom!

Abandon all to Him who loves you!

There is no better time than now

don't wait

Let go of your pain, sorrow, sin and shame.

Sand in the forgiveness and freedom of Jesus!

Let God take hold of your broken heart

let Him mend it and stop giving it over to what is hurting you.

you are precious to Him