Downward Dying – Upward Rising Part 1
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward.” Isaiah 37:31
The Rhythm of the Gospel
The rhythm of the Gospel is down – up, down – up, down – up. Jesus went down in His earthly life, then up on that cross, then down in that grave, then upward in resurrection into Heaven. Though at the moment He sits on high, soon He will descend downward as He returns for His beloved people.
God’s aim is that His Son will be glorified to raise up His people, and yet He will not do such until the individual disciple takes “root downward.” (Isa. 37:31) This involves personal agreement and participation in losing our lives in Christ that we might find them (Jn. 12:24-25).
It’s only the bowed down remnant of Christ’s kingdom that He will raise up to fruitfulness and eternal glory with Him. Living the “raised up” life consists of laying down flat before the LORD in utter humility before His Majesty – taking “root downward” so He can then cause you to “bear fruit upward.” (Isa. 37:31)
Jesus taught us that only the seeds that fall into the ground and die are going to bring forth fruit unto eternal life for God’s eternal glory (Jn. 12:24). Our hearts and minds must be permeated with this truth that is central to the Gospel message. May God bless us to “receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save (y)our souls” as we take in, meditate upon, and obey our LORD’s message of the cross (Lk. 9:23-24; James 1:21). This volume is designed to do just that – impress and invest this message deep into the heart of the saint.
The downward bowing saint is perpetually upheld by His free Spirit (Ps. 51:12). As we are “Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus,” His resurrection life is propelling us upward (Jn. 11:25; 2 Cor. 4:10). The crucified disciple, by the divine power of Jesus Christ working in him, is moved forward and upward into blessed fruitfulness to Heaven’s glory. As the cross is taken up, “the life also of Jesus” is “made manifest in our body.”
“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you … Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-14
The early apostles had the life of Jesus in them, which was evident to all who ever came into their presence. They didn’t have seminary degrees nor were they educated men, but were wholly given over to the LORD Jesus. Observe with me what the Holy Ghost inspired writer pens in Acts about what others witnessed concerning Peter and John:
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
An undeniable and “notable miracle” had just been done by the power of God working in these men, and look at what the Bible says concerning how the power of Jesus impacted their world:
“Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.” Acts 4:16
There is no shortcut – “So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” (2 Cor. 4:12) It is only as we are being ushered into His holy presence in daily communion with Him, that His life swallows up and consumes us. The Holy Spirit is then working in our vessels to suppress and crucify sin and self, and bring glory to Jesus Christ (Rom. 8:13-14; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 2:20; 6:14). By His blessed power, we are then made able to accomplish anything and all He leads us into. We are then equipped by Him, not before. Paul the apostle prayed:
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man … Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:16, 20
As death works in us by the daily cross, His divine life empowers us and bellows out of us, working for His glory in and through our vessels.
Any person who is walking in the Holy Spirit is dying downward and being simultaneously lifted upward by the resurrecting divine power. He is fruitful and blessed; his leaf shall not wither (Ps. 1; Jer. 17:5-9). There can and will be no resurrection life working in me unless there is first the killing power of the cross in me. And when there is that downward dying, there is simultaneously that upward raising by His Holy Ghost, raising up this vessel to His glory.
“Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10
The divine muscle of the cross cannot be overestimated. The power of the embraced cross and the consequential raising up by the Holy Spirit, is inestimable in value. All aspects of the cross should be considered, beginning with the redeeming blood of Christ’s cross.
“What does this mean for us? Remember that there are two aspects of Christ’s death. He died for our sins. He died for us – substitution. But then Paul tells us that we are also to die with Him. ‘I have been crucified WITH CHRIST’ (Gal. 2:20): ‘Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin’ (Rom. 6:11). The Israelites in bondage were delivered by the blood shed and sprinkled. But they are pursued by certain of their foes. These foes are slain at the Red Sea, but they themselves escape and are free. Egypt stands for the world of sin. Christ found us in ‘Egypt,’ and by His death in our stead delivered us from the penalty of sin. But even after our conversion some of these sins followed us and harassed us – temper, pride, jealousy, lust, worry, avarice – causing discomfiture and misery, and occasionally temporary defeat. Where is there any escape, any real victory? Only through the Red Sea – baptism, or what baptism implies; i.e., a death to sin and a rising again to righteousness. That is a crucifixion with Christ, so as to be able to ‘reckon ourselves dead indeed unto sin.’” How to Live the Victorious Life, by an Unknown Christian
see part 2
todd tomasella
safeguardyoursoul.com
womenwhofeargod.com
