Christ Lives In Me

Christ Lives in Me

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20

In this verse Paul tells us the condition under which Christ lives in us: the death of our old nature or old self. Have you known the frustration of trying to put your selfish nature to death? It’s about as easy as putting a fire out with gasoline. We can’t destroy the old ways any more than we can make ourselves righteous. And therein lies the key.

Just as the living presence of the Holy Spirit in us through Jesus is our righteousness, only he can cause us to become less in ourselves in order that he might become greater in us. Our life in this earthly body must be captured by the revelation of God’s unconditional love for us, which is manifested in the life, sacrifice, and resurrection of Jesus. This love is not merely a future hope; it’s a present reality that he lives within us now! Just as light dispels darkness, Christ in us will displace what needs to die as we focus our attention on him in the best of times and worst of times. He will use our circumstances to bring us to the point where we truly learn to put our trust in him. And that is one of the main purposes of our time on this earth. —CHERI

O Lord, thank you for loving me and giving yourself for me. What an incredible thing that you desire to live through me! May the truth of your words give me the vision to trust you with all that I am, so all that you are may dwell in me.

God does not expect us to imitate Jesus Christ. He expects us to allow the life of Jesus to be manifested.

—OSWALD CHAMBERS (1874–1917), SCOTTISH BIBLE TEACHER, YMCA CHAPLAIN IN EGYPT