For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.    -- Romans 6:5

Jesus became like you on the cross so you could become like Him in the resurrection.  When He went to the cross He became on that cross sickness, sin, guilty, condemned, shamed–-He became the entire curse.  This was all done to redeem you from the curse or redeem you from who you were (Gal. 3:13).  He went to the cross and by faith took every old man and every old creation to the cross with Him and crucified them!  The old man is dead.  When Jesus was buried, the old man was buried once and for all.  But when He was raised, you were raised.  When He was seated, you were seated in the likeness of Him.  When He defeated hell, you defeated hell, when He rose in glory and honor, you rose in glory and honor!  You have been raised and been made in the likeness of His resurrection.  That means resurrection life is available to you, the newness of a “Christ-life” awaits you!  It is available for you if you “know” the old man is crucified and buried and a new man now lives!  You can live in a new, resurrected lifestyle because of Christ’s work on the cross.  Identify with that!  Associate with that!  Think on that, and watch your life change!

Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.   -- Romans 6:11

You are told to reckon, consider, or believe yourself to be dead to sin.  Notice-–not dying to sin, struggling with sin, fighting against sin–-but dead to sin.  I’m going to reckon myself dead to anger, dead to impatience, dead to worry, dead to all sin!  I am not an angry man trying to overcome anger–-the old angry man is dead and gone, crucified and buried with Christ.  I’m going to reckon myself dead to anger.  How am I going to do this?  I’m going to reckon myself alive to God!  Alive to a righteous man; alive to a holy man; alive to living sin-free!  I am dead to sickness and alive to health.  I am dead to lack and alive to abundance.  I am dead to sin and evil and I am alive to goodness and God.  It is up to you!  You can reckon yourself to be dead to and alive to whatever you choose.  Many consider themselves alive to sin, alive to the old man–-“just a sinner saved by grace.”  If you do, you will live like a sinner.  Sin will stay alive in your life.  Reckon yourself alive to your new nature, alive to new resurrection life, alive to a Christ-kind of life.  What you reckon or think on you will become!  Reckon yourself alive to God through Jesus Christ.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

– Hebrews 4:16

You are invited to come into the Holiest of Holies, to the throne of God, at any time, to obtain what you need in the time of need.  Notice the attitude that God desires for you to have when you come-–come boldly, and expect to obtain.  Boldness will only come from an understanding that you and God are on good terms-–that there is nothing between God and you.  Because of the shed Blood you can come to the Father, not with the thought of sin and guilt, but with a sense of belonging in the presence of God.  He has paid for your ability to once again get up close and personal with God!  So come!  And not only come, but come boldly into His presence to obtain in a time of need for you and others.

While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him....much more, being reconciled...  

(Romans 5:8b, 9, 10a)

Our boldness and position with God comes from being made right with Him, or from being justified by the Blood.  The shed Blood reconciled you to God long before you even thought about coming to God.  He had already made provision for your place with Him while you were yet a sinner, an alcoholic, a drug addict, lost!  His love for you made a way back to Him that Adam had lost for all mankind, so you could come before Him justified–or “just as if I’d never sinned”!  You come as a friend, as a son, as a partner with Him to obtain mercy and find grace in times of need.  Nothing now stands between you and answered prayer.  He provided it by grace, and you are coming boldly to obtain what He paid for, for you.  Health is yours, prosperity is your way of life, power and ability belong to you.  When things freely given to you are challenged by the enemy, be bold in what belongs to you!  Resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7b)!  Come!  Not to try to get, but to obtain and hold on to what belongs to you!