Transformed!
God works in our lives to change us.

We often forget that it is God who calls us to Himself.
All humans are utterly depraved. We are so wicked that we cannot even see how wicked we are. (Romans 3:10-18)
We were created good by God. We are flesh covered spiritual beings created to last forever. But, we are fallen. There is something wrong with us. Our minds, souls and spirits became corrupt. We fell in the Garden and Satan took over.
“ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.”
No one seeks God. Therefore, if you are having thoughts of God. If you are feeling led to go to church or learn of spiritual things. If a sermon or the Gospel message of Christ is speaking to your heart. If you are reading this…
That is God calling you.
No one comes to Jesus to be saved unless God calls them. (John 6:44)
This is part of His Grace and part of why He saves us, not by our own efforts, but by His.
When we hear this call we turn to the Lord and ask Him to save us. That is what repentance is. It means “to turn”
Since God is the only way to be saved we obviously turn to Him. Then, He washes us in the blood of Jesus and cleanses us of all sin. We do not need to understand it. We just turn to Him and ask.
We confess Jesus is the Lord and make Him our Lord, believing He rose from the dead. (Romans 10:9-10)
Then the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and work in our lives to help transform us and help us to serve God in building the Kingdom. (John 14:26)
When we first get saved, there are things God will remove from our lives. People will notice we are different. When we give ourselves to Jesus we are free from sin and the the things that hold us down. He has taken all of it upon His shoulders, and when we believe this, we are changed. We are transformed. We are a new creature.
This is believing God’s Word.
God’s Word tells us that He will save us and change us. It tells us He will take our sin and cast them away from us and wash us. When we believe this, we put our faith in Him and it works to change us.
We are saved by grace through faith not by works lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8-9)
God calls us. We hear His word, and believe Him. Then, we turn to Him to be saved.
God Himself came to Earth to die for us, to set us free from Sin and Satan, who took dominion when Adam fell. We are slaves to the enemy and the power of our own flesh. Our spirits are dead and our souls are trapped as we go through life being led by Satan and our worldly ways.
But, when we hear God call and turn to Him for salvation we are set free and we begin to transform.
The Holy Spirit comes into us and begins to change us and teach us. We study God’s Word and learn of His promises and His ways.
When we have thoughts that are contrary to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit reveals it to us and we take those thoughts captive and tell Satan to be gone in Jesus name, then we choose to believe and follow God’s Word instead. This is the battle between the flesh and spirit. As we wage this battle we are transformed over time. (2 Cor. 10:5, Gal.5:17)
This is not salvation. We are already saved; if we confessed Him as Lord. But, we can prove our salvation to ourselves by the fact that we struggle with the enemy. Unsaved people do not struggle. This struggle is our sanctification. It is God working on us through His Holy Spirit to help change us and to help us in our lives.
We confess our sins and thoughts to the Lord, and He forgives us and starts working to transform us. (1John 1:8-10)
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”—Rom. 12:1-2
When we read this we might think that we are condemned because we fail and cannot do it. We might think we are such utter failures, and the preacher keeps beating us.
That is the Holy Spirit speaking to you. It is conviction.
The answer is to turn to God, and confess it to Him. Pray to Him about it and let Him get to work. Our salvation and sanctification is God’s work, not ours.
The fact that you desire to change and feel convicted is proof of your salvation. The Holy Spirit in you is calling you to work with God in your sanctification. This is the relationship we have.
We see changes in our lives and in our spirit, as we are renewed in our minds. Our spirit is alive in Him and we are transformed.
We are not perfect. We sin. We fail. But, we are perfect in Him. He holds our salvation in His hand.
When we think wicked thoughts of hate or revenge or fear or doubt or pride, we capture them and rebuke them in Jesus name. Because thoughts work to become actions. The more we do this the stronger we become.
We quote the Word out loud to ourselves, and it builds our faith and drives the demon out.
Because that is what is behind those thoughts. Demons whispering through the hedge of protection trying to get us to open the door. If we fail and listen to those thoughts. If we follow through with sin, we start working to open the door a little at a time. Eventually, the demons can come into our mind and life as often as they want. We have fallen back into bondage. But, through the Lord we can stand up and resist. We can shake them off. We confess it to Him and let Him cleanse us and work to change us.
We can struggle with these things in our flesh but it does nothing to our spirit until God Himself does it. This is why obeying rules does nothing spiritual. This is why no one is saved by the works of God’s Law.
It must be God making the changes and transforming us. Flesh cannot transform spirit. Only spirit can do that. God is a spirit, and those who worship Him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The truth is Jesus Christ. The truth is God’s Word, and Jesus is the living Word. (John 1, John 4:24)
We are transformed when we are saved. Then, we live lives of transformation as we continually turn to Him and abide in Him.
Going to church and obeying rule won’t do it.
It’s a relationship with Him.
It’s a spiritual battle with the enemy who attacks our mind, and life.
No matter what. Always turn to God. Do not let the enemy get you to think that you can’t trust God. Or you failed too much. Or that God is out to get you. Take those thoughts captive and say “begone Satan in Jesus name, God will never leave me nor forsake me. He is my helper.”
Draw closer to God. Praise Him. Read His Word and let the Holy Spirit teach you.
And watch Him transform you.
(cover image by pexels)
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