Jesus Died
Will You?
Will You?
Death is almost inevitable. It is the source of most fear. There are a few in scripture who appear to have never died, such as Enoch before the great flood, Elisha after the flood, and Jesus proclaiming that John would never die. But we have not run into any of those in the flesh yet, so we are not first hand witnesses yet of their eternal lives.
What we know for sure is that Jesus did die, for his execution was public, and reported by secular writers. Why did Jesus not choose the option to avoid death? It appears that He had faith in His own resurrection, and set the example for us that we too can pass through death and back into life.
Jesus Ministers must be prepared to die every day. As you minister to others, you change, and the world around you changes. These changes are the evidence that will allow you to overcome any fear of death, and all fear. You will know that you are a beloved child of God and that this world exists so you can learn to love as He does.
The death you must experience is spiritual suicide. That means giving up your spirit, which is less than holy, for you have sinned, to allow the Holy Spirit of Jesus to occupy you instead. With this "death of you", Jesus lives in you, and you live in Jesus. Jesus spoke of this several times, our favorite version is in John 14:20, which is explicit.
"At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you."
The day of Jesus in you is when you have your Pentcost experience, just as happened in an upper room in Jerusalem about 2000 years ago to the ancient apostles and disciples, modernly it is known as the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost. When you receive it you are completely transformed, as Paul wrote in Galations 2:20 (ESV)."
"It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me."
This is the day in you when all things are made new. You may have to learn how to do a lot of things differently after this day. Even if you have been previously been "filled with the Spirit", that is temporary, After this day you will enjoy the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit.
This is not the Second Coming, to all. It is the second coming, in you. It is what allows you to be as a little child again, seeing all that happens with faith and gratitude, knowing that you are eternally loved by your Heavenly Father, and that all things work for your good, even as they may seem not to in the short term.