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I was introduced to the depths and riches

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of God's Word from Galatians 2.20 by

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my homiletical mentor, Dr. Stephen F.

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Olford, whose life verse and ministry principle was

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the crucified life.

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In Galatians 2.20 we read, I am

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crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not

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I, but Christ liveth in me, and the

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life which I now live in the flesh

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I live by the faith of the Son

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of God, who loved me and gave himself

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for me.

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Every book Stephen Olford autographed, he wrote his

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life verse beneath his name, Galatians 2.20.

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In fact, the very first time I met

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Stephen Olford, he was doing a book signing

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at Bellevue Baptist Church for his biography entitled,

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Only One Life.

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And as he signed the books for a

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long line of people, my wife leaned over

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him and commented, my, what lovely handwriting you

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have.

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And I blurted out, well, of course he

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has.

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Look at all the practice he's getting, which

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Dr. Olford got a big kick out of

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that.

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And I still have my copy of his

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book with his inscription of Galatians 2.20.

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It was his life verse and he drilled

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it into my thick skull as he taught

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me expository preaching and the doctrine of the

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Spirit-filled life.

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So many Christians miss the mark of the

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abundant life in Christ.

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Because they live an inconsistent life of ups

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and downs and highs and lows and defeat

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and discouragement.

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But it doesn't have to be that way.

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There is a path to the victorious life

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in Christ Jesus.

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And that path runs smack dab into a

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cross.

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On Calvary, the Son of God died under

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the law's penalty and all the law's demands

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were satisfied in Him.

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And by dying with Christ, they have no

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more hold on us.

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Being crucified, moreover, means that we have died

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to self.

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Think of it, friends.

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Think of the Christian life this way.

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The Christian life is lived via the cross.

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The cross stands between me and my past.

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The cross stands between me and the world.

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The cross stands between me and myself.

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It's the Christ life for the self life

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where self has gone to weigh the cross.

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It's no longer I who live, but Christ

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lives in me.

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The indwelling Christ sitting upon the throne of

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my heart.

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Reigning there.

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Ruling there.

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With undisputed authority.

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But there was a time in my life,

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I remember it well, friends, where I had

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to deal with this.

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I had to face it.

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I had to become honest with God and

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admit my failures.

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I had a cross on Rubicon, so to

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speak, and there was no turning back.

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It came on a particular day of prayer

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where God spoke to my heart.

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He said, if I am to use you

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like few other men, then you will have

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to live like few men do.

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This was the final battleground between self and

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the cross.

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It was either future uselessness for God or

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a life of uselessness for me.

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Self had to be willingly annihilated daily on

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the cross and there had to be a

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full surrender to Christ's lordship in consecration from

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that point forward until he came or called.

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There was no turning back.

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Well, how about you, friend?

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Are you ready for a life of consistency

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unto God?

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Are you ready to embrace the crucified life?

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It all begins with a surrender and it

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ends with a submission.

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You surrender all you are to all he

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is and he is lord.

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Then you submit to his lordship for your

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daily living.

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And this is where the power lies because

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we need power from above.

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Second Corinthians 3 17 declares now the lord

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is that spirit and where the spirit of

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the lord is there is liberty.

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This can be understood where the spirit is

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lord.

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That is where he is given his true

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deity and sovereignty.

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There is liberty for when sin is exposed

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and self is executed.

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The holy spirit can filled overflowing and anoint

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with authority and power.

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When you get there, friend, you will not

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want to ever go back to where you

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were before.

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For when you cross over your own personal

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Rubicon, there is no turning back.