Pick Up Your Cross

The Lord began to speak to me on this subject and now I am beginning to understand that this is not what you might think. First, you need to have the understanding that what Jesus is talking about is not of the flesh. This is part of a new life with Jesus. He has called many to this, but few have chosen this life. Matthew 16:²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. ²⁸ Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Let’s first look at those who followed Jesus while He was walking the earth. He asked many to follow Him. What did they do to follow Jesus? Mark 1:¹⁶ And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Then Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. ¹⁹ When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. ²⁰ And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. People left everything they did and followed Him. This is denying yourself. Not living from your old way of doing things from this world, but a new and living way of the kingdom. Some didn’t want to follow Jesus. The young ruler who was rich wanted to follow Jesus, but he didn’t want to give up what he held dear to his heart, his wealth. Matthew 19:²⁰ The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” ²¹ Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” ²² But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. ²³ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Now, no one has picked up their cross yet as Jesus hasn’t died. One thing that many forget is that Jesus is the King of Righteousness and those who are following Him are following Righteousness. As they follow Righteousness, they practice righteousness. 1 John 3:⁷ Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. When it comes for you to pick up your cross, you are to pick up Jesus’ Righteousness as a free gift. Romans 5:¹⁷ For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Once you have denied yourself and have picked up your cross, now you PUT ON His Righteousness as a garment of Light. Romans 13:¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us PUT ON the armor of light. ¹³ Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴ But PUT ON the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. What is interesting that Job was counted as righteous and he PUT ON righteousness. Ezekiel 14:¹⁴ Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God. Job 29:14 I PUT ON righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. So picking up your cross is picking up what Jesus has left for you. Now His Righteousness becomes yours through Him. This is how you go and exercise His authority on earth, through His Righteousness. All things are possible to those who believe.

It is sad that many do not know the way of righteousness as John preached introducing that the Kingdom of God has come near you. Matthew 3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” Matthew 21:³² For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him. The way of Righteousness is the way of the Kingdom. Hebrews 1:8 But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. ⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.

This is why Jesus told us to pray; Matthew 6:¹⁰ Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. There is no sickness or disease in Heaven. Revelation 21:⁴ And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. While you are here on earth, you exercise His Righteousness by laying hand or speaking to the sickness or disease and it has to go. This is done by Jesus’ authority which He has freely given to you. You must first deny yourself. Now you know why Paul wrote in Romans; Romans 6:¹¹ Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.