YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN. Smith Wigglesworth said this, (paraphrase) “if there is anything in you that wants to be seen or heard, it must die. For Christ must have all that is in a man”. I agree. But this message is not being heard because it’s not being preached. Instead a very selfish and self-centered gospel is preached elevating the man above all else. Yet, this preaching is not the Jesus of the Bible, but another Jesus as Paul warned against.
I remember years ago a lady came into our church. She proclaimed how much she loved our church, that pastor Matt preached the Word and she had been starving for the Word the last few years. But as it goes, she wanted to sing solos. She was told to join the worship team, to which she rebutted that her gifting wasn’t with a team. She was only anointed to sing solos. “We don’t do that here”, she was told and so she left badmouthing our fellowship and how we were stifling the Holy Spirit. Blah blah blah.
This is a very common story in today’s church. I have many many more I could tell you. Today’s church has elevated the individual above the Body of Christ so much so that individuals believe it’s all about them and “their gifting” and if they can’t be used the way they want to be used, you are killing the Spirit. I’ve got news for you. Those gifts aren’t even yours. They belong to Him. You are just a steward of those gifts. Those gifts are also not to be hoarded nor used the way you want to use them- the gifts are for the edification of the Body of Christ.
A huge problem in the church is people are being taught that it’s all about them- “my plan”, “my purpose”, “my way”, “me, me, me”. The gospel is not about you. It’s about a holy God reconciling His creation to Himself for His own glory and goodness through the bloody atonement of the promised Messiah. Jesus showed us what life with Him will look like- as He died, we die. As He rose, we rise. As He was despised and rejected by men, so will we be. To live, we must die to ourselves and live as obedient children of God.
“The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him;”
2 Timothy 2:11
You need to hear this. Easy “believism” is a lie and a heretical teaching. There is no life in Christ without death. You must die to yourself. Die to your freshly wants and desires. Die to sin. Die to your pride and ego. Die to your own plans and path. You must be born again of the Spirit. The old man of flesh must die and the new man in Christ must rise. Then you follow His path and are led by the Holy Spirit. This is the gospel way. It is the only way to the Father. There is no salvation outside the way of the cross. If there’s anything in you that wants to be seen and heard, it must die. All honor and all glory belong to Him alone.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20
“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
