Fall is a beautiful season of the year filled with a variety of colors. The hot summer breeze gives way to the cool, brisk morning. Nature is filled with changes. As I watch the acorns fall to the ground during this season, I am reminded of a clear spiritual principle: Death preceeds the release of New Life.

"Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life" (John 12:24-25).

At the New Birth, we believers actually receive God's LIFE (Greek - Zoe) into our spirits. God places His very character and nature in us when we become His children. The latter part of John 10:10 reads: ".I am come that they may have life [Greek- Zoe], and that they may have it more abundantly." John 3:16b reads: ".that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life [Greek - Zoe]."

That Character is best described in Galatians 5:22 by the fruit of the spirit: "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." As a believer, YOU ALREADY POSSESS GOD'S NATURE. The question is, is that nature manifesting in your daily life? Has there been a change in your personal character, in the way you behave with your family and friends and those closely associated with you? If not, you need to experience "death"! The life within you is only released by the death of the soul (Greek- Pseuche) life. This "soul" life is the natural life revolving around your thoughts, feelings, and sense of self. Jesus said that we must "lay down" this Pseuche (lower, natural human life) in order to gain the higher (Zoe) life that comes from the human spirit that has been born again!

Now we understand a little more clearly what Jesus was saying in Matthew 10:38-39: "And he who does not take his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his [lower, pseuche] life will lose it [the higher, zoe] life, and he who loses his [lower, pseuche] life will find it [the zoe, higher life].

This idea from Jesus of us "taking up our cross" and following Him is mentioned in all four gospels (Matt. 16:24-25; Mark 8:34; Luke 14:27,33; and John 12:24-25). I believe that this is mentioned so frequently for emphasis! Our "cross" is the place where our natural human desires and inclinations meet with God's higher purposes for our lives, and they clash! It's where our selfishness meets His love, our stubborn will clashes with His obedient will, our rebellion meets with His submissiveness; our instability meets with His faithfulness, our loose living meets with His self-control, etc.! The cross is a place where "flesh" (the carnal nature) is put to death!

"Acting on the Word of God instead of on feelings and wrong thinking is crucifying the flesh."

Paul said that the message of the cross is the power of God to those who are saved, but that it is foolishness to the world (1 Corinthians 1:18). He said that he wanted to boast only in the cross (Galatians 6:14). He commented further by saying that he had been crucified with Christ and that because of this crucifixion with Him, he now lived by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20). Lastly, Paul made the comment that he died daily (1 Corinthians 15:31).

These comments made by the Apostle Paul cause us to realize the deep significance that the thought of dying with Jesus had to him. Through death, he experienced the power of God and he lived by faith. In 2 Corinthians 4:10-11, Paul mentioned that he was constantly being delivered to death, that he carried around the dying of the Lord Jesus in order that the life of Jesus might be manifest in his body!

Paul understood by experience what we must learn. If we are going to have the power of God working in us and through us, we are going to have to say a big "NO" to our flesh EVERY DAY! Or to say it the way Jesus said it, we must TAKE UP OUR CROSS DAILY, AND FOLLOW HIM! We must learn to walk in the spirit, to become conscious of our reborn human spirit that has obtained the fruit of the spirit. To do this we must meditate in the Word daily and we must spend time praying in the spirit and fellowshipping with the Father. We must be willing daily to say no to wrong thoughts, feelings and suggestions, and refuse to allow the flesh to rule us.

We must begin to refuse to allow our unrenewed thoughts of fear, doubt, unbelief, selfishness, anger, pride, unrest, worry, and self-sufficiency to rule us. We must be willing to say with Proverbs 3:5-6: "I trust in the Lord with all my heart. I do not lean to my own understanding. In all my ways I choose to acknowledge Him, and He is directing all I do!"

The life He has placed within us is released when we choose to act on the Word of God, and choose to ignore thoughts and feeling that are contrary to the Word! ACTING ON THE WORD OF GOD INSTEAD OF ON FEELINGS AND WRONG THINKING is crucifying the flesh; that is taking up your cross daily and following Him; that is letting your light shine among men. We must do it DAILY!

John the Baptist said, "He must increase, but I must decrease." We must have the attitude found in Smith Wigglesworth when e said, ALL OF ME, NONE OF GOD; LESS OF ME, MORE OF GOD; NONE OF ME, ALL OF GOD!"

Make a choice today to give up your carnal mind and feelings and to take up your cross and follow the Word. Make a decision today that you are going to act on the Word regardless of how you feel, or of what others say or think! You will find liberty, power, peace, strength, and satisfaction in life when you learn the lesson that Death Releases New Life!