CHANGE
Many people all over the world today always make changes to everything they want in their lives – Change their homes, jobs, professions, lifestyles and the list goes on. They change for the better or for the worse and even try to change their attitudes. Today I want to talk about Spiritual Change.
How can we change? Who only is able to change us?
Let’s answer the first question first: How can we change?
Even the Bible declares that those who are taught to do evil cannot change themselves to do good, just as we cannot change the colour of our skin, nor a leopard his spots (JEREMIAH 13:23). The problem lies deep in our hearts (JEREMIAH 17:9) “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked”
Spiritually speaking we are doomed unless we can get a new heart.
(ROMANS 3:10) (ROMANS 6:23)
CHANGED BY GOD
There is hope in EZEKIEL 36:26; God promises “A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an obedient heart.”
The scriptures have some great stories of people who were changed by God. One of these is Saul, the Pharisee who became Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ. In 1 Timothy 1:13, Paul describes his previous life. “I formally blasphemed and persecuted and was shamefully and outrageously and aggressively insulting to Jesus Christ” (Amplified Bible)
Paul then tells of the grace and love of Jesus Christ that saved him, who was the foremost of sinners. To be changed from a murderer of Christians to a champion of their cause is an amazing change.
In our time we are privileged to have our lives changed by God from a wide range of ungodly lifestyles into worthy citizens. The Process of change is clearly taught by Jesus. He said. “You must be born again (JOHN 3:3-5) of the water and the Spirit.” Change is not an option. It is not possible to enter God’s Kingdom unless we change. ROMANS 8:8 “They that are in the flesh cannot please God.” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:50 “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.”
Peter confirmed Jesus’ commands in ACTS 2:38, repent, be baptized and receive the Holy Spirit. Thousands of people around the world are receiving God’s Spirit accompanied by the evidence of speaking in tongues, as in ACTS 2:4.
Some can improve their lives by sheer willpower, but only God can change us from within. Only receiving God’s Spirit can prepare us to live forever with Him.