Daily Devotion

“It was a lesson ever to be remembered: to be willing to be defrauded rather than to fight, even when it is right to do so from the human standpoint, for "I have been crucified with Christ," not only dead to sin, but also to that which is right, and to lay down all, so that the life of Christ may be manifested. ... May He enable me continually to reckon myself to be dead unto sin and alive unto God.”

Dora Yu · God's Dealings with Dora Yü, a Chinese Messenger of the Cross (1928)

Scripture

Romans 6:11 So you also must regard yourselves as dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Reflection

We often fall into the vicious cycle of "relying on the flesh to resolve," feeling increasingly powerless the more we try to abstain from sin, because the "old self" cannot be reformed. Paul said to "consider ourselves dead," meaning that the starting point of sanctification is not "striving to die," but "believing we are dead." When temptation comes, there's no need to wrestle with the flesh; simply declare in the Holy Spirit: that sensitive, proud, and irritable old self has been crucified with Christ. Only by letting go and allowing the ego to recede can the holy life of Christ's resurrection live out from within us without hindrance.