I never understood what it meant to be a “new creature” in my years of growing up in the church. As a teen-ager and then as a college student, I struggled to live in victory, always falling short and never knowing why. After years of failure and discouragement, I became bitter and left the church and my Christian friends. I rejected the values of my parents and entered a lifestyle of self-centeredness and pleasure-seeking.
After 10 years of this prodigal living, I reached the point of ultimate futility. I had nothing to live for except “me,” and that was just not enough. And like the prodigal, I “came to [my] senses” (Luke 15:17) and began my journey home. Returning to my spiritual roots, my lifestyle of partying, clubs and drugs began to change. And a new lifestyle of “letting go” and “saying no” replaced the old lifestyle of “if it feels good, do it!” However, it was only a matter of time before I became, once again, painfully aware of my inability to live the Christian life. Once again I felt like I was failing God. I began to pray and seek the answers to a victorious and fulfilled walk with God.
Then God led me to the truth that would set me free. A friend recommended Charles Solomon’s book Handbook to Happiness. Reading Dr. Solomon’s book, I came to an understanding of what the apostle Paul meant when he said, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17) and I began to apprehend the truth that I am crucified with Christ and it is not longer I who live, but Christ in me (Galatians 2:20). I understood Jesus’ words to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24).
In brief, I learned:
I had a new identity in Christ,
I had a power over sin so that I truly did not have to sin anymore, and
I had a purpose and destiny.
That first “revelation” of this truth was just a seed that grew inside me over the years. But it was not easy! It was going to be “heart” surgery! I did not know the Lord would lead me through many “death” experiences—death to my will, to my “self.” This path of personal transformation was often painful as God broke me of my natural resources and defensive behaviors. And when I resisted, He loved me too much to allow me to retreat to my old ways. I am afraid I was too much like Achan after the battle at Ai, holding on to “stuff” and thinking I could “hide” it. But when I repented of those “hidden” things, more of Jesus’ life was released into my soul. Yes, indeed, “heart work is hard work!” Because it involves breaking your heart! It means you have to die! But fortunately, God’s breaking has purpose: God never tears down without building up; through trials and suffering, He builds you up in your faith. And like Paul, you will exult in your tribulation because through it, God has produced a vital union with Jesus Christ: Living by Jesus’ Life inside you! This is Abundant Life!
I grew and was tranformed: “little by little.” And as I did, I experienced more of His life, until I really did know what it was to live the Abundant Life. Wanting to share this truth, and the process I had learned, I have written a book, Are You Dying to Live the Abundant Life? which shows how the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to Cannaan pictures our personal journey to abundant life. My book also shows how these “dying to live” principlest effected my own personal journey and transformation.
I have developed a half-day seminar to teach these truths. You will find the details of this in the Seminar Tab of the menu.
I also write a a daily blog called Dying to Live Please check it out.