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Pointers along the way #94

It is possible to change
- Jacob Ninan

God is a specialist at changing people. He makes all things new (Re.21:5). He takes people who are bound in sin and misery, washes them with the blood of His Son Jesus, and makes them new people who become more and more like Jesus (2Co.5:17;Ro.8:28,29). When this earth is destroyed and we all stand before Him in eternity, He will display as His great trophies those whom He has changed from hopeless misery and shame to godliness. The good news is that any of us can take part in that work of God. We can change, however deep down we are in the pit of hopelessness now.

Don't stay in the world of unbelief and fear that gives only a feeling of hopelessness. Don't believe the words that some others may throw at us, that we are useless, nothing good will come out of us, nobody wants us, we are caught in a trap of generational curses, etc. With God nothing is impossible (Lk.1:37). He who created us and the whole universe, is also in the business of re-creating people who go to Him.

Jesus will never turn away anyone who goes to Him, whatever that person's condition or circumstances may be (Jn.6:37). He hears all our prayers and understands the agony of our hearts. He starts working in us and around us to make things work for our good (Ro.8:28,29). If we respond to Him we can receive all that He has prepared and kept ready for us.

We don't have to be caught in a rut and continue to behave in the same way as we have done in the past, like old gramaphone records which get caught in a groove. We don't have to behave in a certain way just because we feel like it. The Bible says that we are not under any obligation to serve sin (Ro.8:12). Jesus has come to set us free.

One of the lies that Satan has spread among people is that certain behaviour is unavoidable in the face of certain circumstances. People therefore say that if somebody does certain things to us we have to respond in a certain way, if we feel a strong urge for something (eating, drinking, smoking, sex, etc.) we can't do anything but give in, we are like this because our parents were like this, we can't escape because a curse has come upon us because of what our ancestors have done, etc. Those are lies. When Jesus sets us free, we will be truly free (Jn.8:36).

Jesus said that when we know the truth, the truth will set us free (Jn.8:31,32). 'Knowing the truth' is not the same us reading or hearing it. When we hear or read the truth - concerning God, His ways, His plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, what Jesus will do for us, etc. - and we respond from our heart by believing it and receiving it, we begin to act on it. If no action comes out of it, we haven't let the truth touch our heart but only our head, and that won't do us any good.

But when the truth grips us, we begin to seek Jesus for its fulfilment in our life. He changes our value systems, and gives us new directions and strength to do things differently. So then we don't do things just because we feel like it. We come under the leading of the Holy Spirit, and our body comes under our control. Our long time habits change. Jesus and our fellowship with Him become more important to us than all else, and our life itself changes to fall in line with Him.

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