Lay Down Your Life!

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." Galatians 2:20

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him..." Romans 6:6

Are you still alive? Where is that heart? What do you think about, most of the time? Are those thoughts stayed upon Him?

The Holy Spirit can only raise the dead! To the extent one loses his life, he, in fact, finds it. In other words, when any believer makes a quality decision to remain on that cross of death to self, and obedient to the Most High, the very power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead is made available, will consequently flow from every atom, pore and fiber, impacting this planet, as never before, with the very nature and essence of the Father.

Oh, how He longs to hear these words from a people, hungering and thirsting for truth and reality: "These that have turned the world upside down are come hither, also...Acts 17:6!" We are talking about a manifestation, the likes of which will result in a mighty outpouring and harvest of souls, while ultimately adding that last cell to the Body of Christ, prompting Jesus' return for the Bride.

We have been called to lay down our lives, moment by moment, for the Gospel and each another. That is not just a weekly or daily procedure, but a moment by moment decision, involving total surrender and many mid-course corrections, in obedience to the Word, those nudgings and promptings on the inside.

The key to all this is learning to live out of the spirit man. There is something about the call of the soul that is creative. It brings things to pass. When the supreme yearning of your heart goes out to God, a special unction is perpetuated, faithing into being what the soul is actually calling for, that Heavenly vision or blueprint. This is known as the creative action of faith, Daddy and you, together, working out and evidencing the power of creative desire.

An example of that process was evident at one of our miracle crusades. Sister Dorothy Shaw, a Roman Catholic Nun at St. Joseph's Convent, reports: "On August 8th, another Sister from our order, and I, attended a special service at the First Congregational Church in Gorham, Maine, and witnessed the greatest move of the Holy Spirit we have ever encountered. Scores received Christ, were filled, healed and overcome by the Third Person of the Trinity. We, too, went forward and were blessed by the Master, as Paul laid hands on us. I, personally, decided to stand in proxy for a friend who had accompanied us that night and, incidentally, did not realize what was transpiring in the front. She was unable to see clearly out of her right eye (40 percent vision) and wore dark glasses, as light produced severe pain. The retina had received serious damage and was the cause of this problem. Everything was a complete blur! As the evangelist touched me, I found myself on the floor, overwhelmed by the precious Holy Spirit. The blind companion, unaware of that proxy prayer, suddenly fell to the floor, while in a standing position. Those nearby said, they actually saw those glasses fly from her face, as she went down. This individual could not believe what had taken place. She had been instantly made whole! On the way home, in semi-darkness, license plate numbers could be read, without effort. The pain had left, and sight was miraculously restored. Physicians at the Maine Medical Center, Portland, where she is a registered nurse, verified this miracle, the following day."

Sister Shaw was listening that night, not to what others were articulating in the auditorium, but instead, to the Power Agent, who prompted her to vote in a direction of bearing the burdens of the weak, not pleasing herself, preferring that friend who required more of Him. By the way, Dorothy did have a physical need. I remember so well what was declared, while standing before that obedience vessel. "Paul, my neck has a painful disorder. But, I want the lady, back there, to be healed, instead. She is fearful of prayer and will not respond."

You'll never guess what actually transpired. Not only was the blind woman made whole, but Dorothy's neck instantaneously returned to normalcy that night, as well! Isn't that just like Jesus? She was impacted by the overflow!

Obeying that still, small voice does require courage. Why is that, Paul? Well, when you yield to Him, it's an upstream swim, a going against the current of logic, reason and sometimes, religiosity. The believer has chosen to resist the flow of the world, along with its way of thinking.

Whether you are persevering, standing on that Word, for healing, attempting to get out of debt, or procure a better job, all acts of obedience require courage, a laying down of one's life, that personal agenda, even an old belief system. Courage, stamina and determination are requisites in standing for that revelation, especially when the world has what seems to be an easier, quicker way to get there.

When everyone around, as well as those circumstances, is screaming unbelief into your ears, it does take courage to stand on God's Word and not be moved. I often think of what Smith Wigglesworth said: "I am not moved by what this man thinks or feels, but only by what he knows!"

Once a decision has been rendered to stand and be courageous, you will be in position and ready to activate the Father's three-part formula for success, plainly spelled out in Joshua 1:8:

1. "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth..."

2. "But you shall meditate on it, day and night..."

3. "That you may observe and do, according to that which is written in it; for then, you shall make your way prosperous, and then, you shall deal wisely and have good success."

There they are...three simple steps from the mouth of God, the same that enabled Joshua to conquer the land of Canaan and bring the Israelites into their inheritance. They are the very components that will allow His children to live as the conquerors He designed us all to be. So, don't give up!! Obey the inner-promptings. Let peace be the deciding factor. Put Him and others first. Those circumstances will surely change, as did Dorothy Shaw's, as long as we refuse to give up and continue to be courageous.

Dr. Paul Gervais

Speak the Word

I am strong and very courageous.
Joshua 1:7

For Further Study:

Joshua 23:1-11
1 Samuel 15-16
1 Corinthians 6

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