Crucified To Live - Who Gets The Throne

"Crucified to Live — Who Gets the Throne?" by Apostle Hope Melton

Scriptures: Galatians 5:19–24; Matthew 15:19; Romans 8:13; James 4:1–7; Proverbs 4:23; Genesis 4:1–7; Ezekiel 37:4–5

Apostle Hope Melton taught that when the power of God comes into our lives, it comes to bring transformation. Galatians 5 reminds us that those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Crucifying the flesh is not self-hatred or condemnation—it is allowing the Holy Spirit to confront and put to death the things that seek to enslave and control us. What you won’t crucify will control you.

Jesus teaches in Matthew 15:19 that what eventually manifests outwardly first begins in the heart. This is why Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts diligently. We must allow the Holy Spirit to address the root causes, because if the root remains untouched, the cycles will continue. We cannot keep feeding what we are praying to defeat. Spiritual maturity changes the questions we ask:

Immaturity asks: “How close can I get?” Maturity asks: “How can I honor God?”

There is also wisdom in learning to practice the pause. We may experience anger, jealousy, bitterness, fear, offense or other negative emotions, but: “I can feel it, but I don’t have to obey it.” Instead, we ask the Holy Spirit to help us make the exchange: Anger for patience. Bitterness for forgiveness. Jealousy for gratitude.

Control for trust. Harshness for gentleness. Pride for humility. Fear for faith.

We cannot live a Holy Spirit-filled life without the Holy Spirit. Like the dry bones in Ezekiel 37, we need God to breathe His life into every area that needs transformation: Lord, breathe on our thinking, our desires, our wounded places, our habits, our relationships and our discipline!

As we continually feed ourselves with His Truth, Christ becomes more visible in our lives. Crucifixion, then, becomes a life of daily submission—choosing again and again who will rule our thoughts, desires, emotions and decisions. There cannot be two kings on one throne. The ultimate question is one of lordship: WHO GETS THE THRONE?