By Julian Wells

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20 NIV).

This is a beautiful verse and one many Christians can recite by heart without really giving much thought to its implications. But If we’re honest with ourselves, most of us are living life on our own terms, in our own strength, guided by our own wisdom and asking God to bless us in those efforts.

Christ wants to do immeasurably more than that, more than we can ask or even imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) But it requires dying to self, crucifying our flesh with all its passions and desires (Gal. 5:24), and completely surrendering our lives to Christ, giving the Holy Spirit free reign over our hearts.

That is the kind of faith Paul had, and in his day, it turned the world upside down. (Acts 17:6) I believe it can do so again.

 “I have now concentrated all my prayers into one, and that one prayer is this, that I may die to self, and live wholly to him.” – Charles H. Spurgeon