Embracing the Finished Work of the Cross

Inspired by insights from The Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."
— Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

Many of us wrestle endlessly with the grip of self—the persistent patterns of pride, fear, and self-reliance. In response, we may attempt various ways to control or suppress these tendencies: more spiritual disciplines, increased church activities, even personal sacrifices. Yet, these efforts, though well-intentioned, fall short. Why? Because self cannot be reformed or disciplined into submission. It must die.

God’s answer to the tyranny of self is not self-improvement but self-denial through identification with the finished work of Christ. Our old self—the part of us that strives for control and resists surrender—was crucified with Jesus. We are not called to fight for victory over self but to rest in the victory that Christ has already secured.

Imagine a garden overtaken by weeds. No matter how often the weeds are trimmed, they return, often stronger than before. The only solution is to uproot them entirely. Likewise, God’s solution for the self-life isn’t trimming or training it but crucifying it—rooting it out completely through the cross.

This is not something we achieve by effort. It’s a reality we embrace by faith. As Romans 6:6 tells us, "Our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin." This truth doesn’t need our striving; it requires our belief.

Our responsibility now is to reckon this truth as reality (Romans 6:11)—to live as though it’s already true because it is. In this space of trust, the Holy Spirit actively applies Christ's finished work to our lives, freeing us from self’s grip and allowing Christ’s life to shine through us.

A Prayer of Rest in Christ’s Finished Work

Father,
Thank You for accomplishing all that is needed for my freedom in Christ. You have already crucified my old self with Jesus, and I no longer live in the grip of sin or self. I rest in the finished work of the cross, knowing that Christ now lives His life in me. I trust the Holy Spirit to apply this truth daily, holding my self-life in the place of death and leading me into the fullness of life You have prepared. I rejoice in this freedom and walk forward today, confident in Your complete provision. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Final Thought

Freedom from the self-life doesn’t come through striving but through trusting. The cross has already dealt with self, and Christ now lives in us. Today, let’s rest in that truth, allowing His life—not ours—to be the source of all we do.