Yes, You Really Can Change: How Do You Make It Last?

Here is the devotional:

You may have the physical potential to run the 26.2 miles of a marathon. But very few people can do it tomorrow with any hope of finishing the race. No amount of trying, sweating, and desiring to finish lets someone accomplish what they aren’t prepared for.

Some things require us to go into training to be successful. This also applies to the spiritual “race” we each must run in life.

God has given us all that we need for a life of godliness, but that doesn’t mean it comes automatically or without a process. We all have deeply embedded patterns in our thinking, attitudes, and behaviors, formed over many years. They’re highly resistant to change, and even when change begins to occur, we seem to default back into them under pressure.

Spiritual training is one of the most important lessons you can learn about the way God can transform your life.

In Ephesians 4:25-32, Paul describes five areas of spiritual training. They represent specific aspects of our lives in which God wants to produce continual transformation and core issues where spiritual training becomes a catalyst for real change.

Here they are: 

Personal integrity. God desires truth, and if we can’t be honest, real transformation will never occur

Emotional control. Spiritual growth is often thwarted by emotional lives not controlled by the Spirit of God.

Financial stewardship. Paul tells us to put off stealing and put on diligence, and in the process, we renew our minds to think differently about work. Why? So we are able to help those in need.

Positive speech. Don’t wound people with your words, but instead build one another up.

Having holy private attitudes. Paul gives us a list of things to put off, and each one can be dealt with through a strong sense of grace and the practice of forgiveness and love.

These training activities will help you let Jesus live His life in you. Eventually, the Holy Spirit on the inside will become visible on the outside. And then, because of your daily training, transformation will become the norm in your life.

The power to change is in us from the first day of our relationship with Jesus to our last day on earth. It’s available in full as soon as we believe in Him and begin our walk with Him. Embrace your training with joy, even if the process will be a long one. God is the master craftsman at work on your soul, your number one training partner, coach, and cheerleader.

Hear Him saying, “Yes, you really can change!”

Reflection:  

Are there any transformation “muscles” you’re trying to us in your own strength? 
Practice putting off the old, renewing your mindset, and putting on the new in each of the five spiritual training disciplines listed here so transformation can become the norm in your life.
Prayer: Lord, I have everything I need in You to put off my old ways, change the way I think, and put on Your new life. Help me continue to transform until I am the person you desire me to be!


To purchase a copy of Yes, You Really Can Change by Chip Ingram, click/tap here.

Here are the scriptures referenced:

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Neither give place to the devil.

Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.
Ephesians 4:25‭-‬32 KJV

---

Here are Stu’s thoughts:

I don’t know about you all, but I really enjoyed this one.

There are so many of us who change, grow stagnant and then hit another growing spurt…myself first and foremost.

There is no point in lying about it. God knows anyway!.

Then there are a few that accept Christ yet have no change whatsoever to show for it. And that is really sad. The seed planted must have gotten eaten by the enemy.

I love the scriptures referenced today too!

What a “blueprint” for change!

Do not lie any longer but rather speak the truth!

Don’t let anger get the best of you to where you do something stupid!

If you have stolen in the past stop!

Let no bad language come out of your mouth but rather use words that will lift someone up!

Be kind to one another and forgive just as Christ has forgiven you.

You know what these boil down to right?

Having a Godly love for yourself and others.

But how do you get that Godly love for others when everyone around you are nuts, aggravating and appears to not to want to allow you to have a good day?

We go right back to the beginning of our salvation experience!

Jesus and the cross!

We need to see others through a different set of eyes…JESUS’!

That same love that was poured out for you on the cross was poured out for your cranky ole neighbor as well!

That same love was poured out for not just your sins but everyone’s! Yes, I know it’s hard to forgive some people. But Jesus died for that sin they committed against you just like he did for that sin you committed against someone else.

That same love exemplifies taking up your cross and following Jesus. Granted you may never be called to die for someone but we are called to die to ourselves daily.

That means putting others first. Jesus was not the warrior king the Jews were looking for but rather he was a servant to people.

I understand that simple prayer of Lord, just give me a good day please…that’s all! Heck I prayed that one last week!

But that type of praying will not give you the heart or mindset to treat others respectfully.

This journey of faith that we are on is a long journey. Are you in it for the long haul?

If you answers yes then realize that the power to change is already within you. He indwells you!

The more you pray and the more you read your Bible with the intention to actually learn from it the more the Holy Spirit will be able to change your heart in love to the point where that love just bursts out for others.

Doing this will also show you areas of your life that you may have never looked at before that need changing like those little white lies that have just a hint of truth buried in them.

Or maybe it is the way you dress for work. Whether you are male or female I can not tell you how to dress. I just know that no one should be able to tell if a man is circumcized or not because their pants are so tight. Nor should anyone be able to see your bra when you standing straight.

Speaking of that…the Holy Spirit may change the way you look at people who dress provocatively. He did that for me for real! Change is so awesome when it is the right type of change!!

Maintaining integrity is one major key! To be able to do the right thing even when no one else is around but you and God.

Practice putting on your spiritual armor every morning before you leave the house!

Find you some Bible believing friends that are walking the walk and not just talking about it. Learn from them!

Never give up!!!!!!!