THE POWER OF THE CROSS

THE POWER OF THE CROSS – Part 1

• It is the power to repent.
• Power to dethrone sin from your heart.
• Power to lead a new, holy life.

Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

Heb 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Heb 9:24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
Heb 9:26 … he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

The cross has delivered us from the reigning power of sin and given us a new master, God, so that we might obey and serve Him.

2Co 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.

• The power of the cross is not merely a change of conduct.
• The power of the cross is a new life. Life flows from the cross — a living stream flows from Calvary — not only able to wash us clean, but it is able to break the strong bars of sin which would hold us in bondage.
• The power of the cross is able to open heaven’s gates, and to bring our steps into holiness, to bring joy into our heart and thanksgiving to our souls

Through the cross God has made available this glorious inheritance to us:

A New Nature. We who were “slaves to sin” (Rom. 6:6) are now “partakers of the divine nature.” (2 Pet.1:3,4) “The law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:2)

A New Ruler and Lord – Jesus Christ. No longer do we need to be ruled by the flesh and the devil. “He who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son.” (Col. 1:13)

A New Mind. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17 )

A New Friend and High Priest. “I have called you friends,” Jesus said. (John 15:15) And we are told that as our high priest He “…always lives to make intercession for (us).” (Heb. 7:25)

Victory over Satan. “[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them…in it [the cross]. (Col. 2:15)

Continual Washing from Sin. “If we walk in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) Is the liberating power of the cross of Jesus Christ alive in you?

• The Cross is a way to supernatural strength and power.
• Through the Cross, the life of God is lived through us in the person of the Holy Spirit.
• The Cross is the power of God in Christ to overpower all the forces of darkness.

So how do we embrace the power of the Cross?

The answer is simple. You can stare at the Cross in unbelief, or you can reach out by faith and take the victory. We cannot harbour sin in our life and have the power of the Cross. You have to choose to walk out of sin and walk into the power of the Cross.

Col 1:19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,
Col 1:20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

• [1 Cor 1:18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
• [Eph 2:16] And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:

Rom 6:6 And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin.

Rom 6:7 For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin.
Rom 6:8 Since we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Col 2:14 having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Col 2:15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

1Pe 2:24 Christ himself carried our sins in his body to the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness. It is by his wounds that you have been healed.

There can be no permanent victory in the lives of God’s children until they see and appropriate the fact that Satan was defeated at Calvary.

1Jn 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.
Heb 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— Heb 2:15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.