I have Been Crucified with Messiah
- Galatians 2:20 -
“It is no longer I who live but Messiah 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 up for me”
“Before [Josiah] there was no king like him who turned to Yahveh (the LORD) with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might…” (2 Kings 23:25) This equates to “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:23) you who do the will of My Father and obey and serve Him. A spiritually circumcised heart, free of idols and earthly preoccupations, longs to do his Father’s will. “I delight to do Your will, O my God.” (Psalm 40:8) As “born again” “new creations” we will say, "I have been crucified with Messiah; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah 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 up for me.” (John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 2:20)
Self is the biggest idol it says, “I crave, I need, I want, I must have, I ask for my good pleasure. “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures.” (James 4:3) It is time for little idols, medium idols, and giant idols (self) to be smashed in our lives. Yahveh is going to ultimately purge this land of our hearts. Josiah is foreshadowing what Yahshua (Jesus) our Redeemer is going to do to this world. Everything is going to come down, be smashed, demolished, and destroyed. He will have a purged earth of all sin and all who cause sin. Upon this cleansed foundation, The Almighty God will establish His home of righteousness that only the righteous will enter. Like Josiah, His called out chosen children are compelled to search their hearts and their lives. They will, out of humble repentance, remove what the Holy Spirit points out as idols and they will forthrightly demolish them.
King Josiah did not send other people to do this demolition work. He, himself, did it with a consuming zeal. He recognized every abominable idol as a grief to the Holy One who was wooing, calling, and directing him, and he knew each idol must come down. Josiah did what was right. Yahveh (the LORD) sees a heart like that. "For the eyes of Yahveh [the LORD] move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” (2 Chronicles 16:9) We have no excuse because wisdom that comes from above is always granted from our Father, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5) His wisdom compels His redeemed elect to rid their lives from idols and self-centered worldly preoccupations.
Temptations, the things we entertain in our minds, and desires and inclinations of our hearts will grow and grow as weeds until they take over, until they blind and enslave us. We become unable to see Yahshua (Jesus) behind the idols. We can remember Him, talk about Him, refer to Him, give Him lip service, but there is an idol (or 2 or 3 or more), a stronghold, between Yahshua (Jesus) and us. It is best to demolish it while it is still small before it grows so big that it becomes encompassing. Praise be to our “Helper, the powerful Holy Spirit” that is mighty to the tearing down of every stronghold and vain imagination and idols that rise up against us knowing our beloved Father and Savior intimately. (see John 14:26, 2 Corinthians 10:5) This personal relationship between Yahveh (God) and us will bring ultimate reward and fulfillment, one that our souls were designed to seek and receive. He alone is our exceedingly great reward! (see Genesis 15:1)
Prayer
Yahshua (Jesus), teach me to walk in Your ways. Your word says, “How can two walk together unless they are in agreement with one another?” (see Amos 3:3) I want to be with You. “A day in Your courts is better than a thousand outside,” (Psalm 84:10) so if I long for anything more important than that, I know that something is wrong in my relationship with You, and I need correction. Mighty are You, at the close of this age, to give discernment and wisdom to all who desire to walk in the light of Your full counsel of truth. I pray You will correct the crooked and idolatrous places in me, so that the simplicity and profundity of worshipping and adoring You will be the greatest fulfillment and desire of my heart. Thank You for the power of Your blood that cleanses me of my confessed sins and clothes me in priestly righteous garments. In Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) name and unfailing love. HalleluYAH!