Sanctified on the Death Side: Yielding to the Severing Sword of Christ
Just as a mirror is cleared to reflect what’s true, the Spirit clears away all but Christ in us.
Devotional Credit:
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
Photo Credit:
Photo by Unsplash
Oswald Chambers challenges us to reckon with the oft-ignored reality of sanctification: it has a death side. We may gladly embrace the joy of being raised with Christ, but the Spirit first brings us face-to-face with the crucifixion of all that is not of Christ. This “battle royal” Chambers speaks of is the inner struggle to let go of our deepest attachments—our reputation, our relationships, our rights, even our self-image—and submit fully to Christ’s ownership.
Sanctification, Chambers insists, is not a divine enhancement of who we already are. It is a divine exchange. The Spirit does not decorate our old nature; He puts it to death. Christ does not merely refine our self-interests—He replaces them with Himself. This spiritual severing, like a sword, may feel harsh, but it is holy. Jesus didn’t soften His invitation to discipleship. He warned that surrender would separate us from everything we once clung to, until we find ourselves stripped bare and resting in Him alone.
Chambers presses us to ask the hard question: Am I willing to be reduced to just me? Not the curated version others see. Not the self I’ve built through effort and identity management. But the raw, surrendered self God can fill. This is where real sanctification happens—not in improving the old life, but in exchanging it for Christ’s life.
Ultimately, this message reminds us that sanctification is not a mystical feeling or spiritual achievement. It is the practical outworking of Christ living His life in us. We become holy because He is our holiness. We become sanctified because we are no longer trying to live at all.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You have been crucified with Christ, and you no longer live—but I live in you. You died, and your life is now hidden with Me in God. What was once of Adam has no claim on you, for I have put it to death on the cross. I did not come to refine your flesh; I came to crucify it so that you would no longer live out of your own soul-life, but from My Spirit within you.
The sword I bring cuts through false security and fractured identity. I sever the ties to anything that tries to define you apart from Me. That cutting may feel like loss, but it is actually gain. It feels like death, but it births life. The peace I offer is not comfort at the cost of compromise—it is union with Me, forged in surrender.
Let Me have the final word over your worth. Lay down the role you’ve been playing. Hand over the scripts you've been reciting to yourself and others. Let Me sanctify not your potential, but your personhood, by removing everything that cannot remain when I reign.
You are not called to die by your own resolve. You are called to yield to My death in you, and trust My resurrection life to rise. Sanctification is not what you become for Me, but who I become in you.
Let go of your grip, and I will fill your empty hands with Myself.
Scripture References: Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4; Romans 6:6-11; Philippians 3:7-10; Matthew 10:34-39; Luke 14:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; John 15:5; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Corinthians 4:10-11
Real-Life Analogy
It’s like wiping down a fogged-up mirror. At first, all you see is a misty version of yourself, blurred by layers of buildup. But as you wipe the glass clean, slowly, the real image appears—not improved, just revealed. In sanctification, the Spirit wipes away every layer of self-perception, relationships, and identity that clouds the image of Christ in you. What remains is clarity—Christ as your life.
So today, as the mirror of your identity gets fogged by comparison, fear, or false expectations, pause. Let the Spirit clear the surface. You don’t need to fight to reclaim your old reflection. Instead, whisper, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment, stripped of pretense and self-concern.” And in that moment of quiet surrender, His image shines through.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I rejoice that You have not asked me to try harder, be better, or clean up the old self. You have united me with Christ in His death, and now You live through me. I rest in the truth that sanctification is not me improving, but You expressing. Thank You for the sword that severs, the Spirit who sanctifies, and the Son who lives in me. I yield to Your work within, knowing You complete what You start. Amen.