A Journey to Spiritual Maturity: #change

Monday, 24 May 2021

#WordfortheWeek 2021 Week 21 Change (2)

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 NLT

Changing to become a new man in Christ is a deliberate act affecting three things; our body, mind and way of living.

1. Body

“Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So, use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13 NLT

2. Renewal of the mind

“With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” Ephesians 4:17-24 NLT

3. A new way of living

“For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So, you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires...Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living...But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life.”

Romans 6:7-12, 18, 22 NLT

Some of us are still on that journey of transitioning from the old to the new, and not yet reached the new man status. Maybe like Abraham, we still have some ‘Lots’ walking the journey with us and God has remained silent. Even if the change feels painful because we are holding on to the familiar and refusing to let go. Let us not go back to our old life because it is familiar and comfortable.

Do you want to reach your promised land - eternity with Christ? Get out of your comfort zone. Let go of all the ‘Lots’ in your life, and build an altar of living sacrifice to God today.

Let your new nature be your new ‘normal’.

The new life is only for those with a relationship with Yeshua. Why not take that step to enter into this glorious relationship with him today. It is easy to do. Acknowledge and Repent of your sins and be determined to turn away from them. Confess and declare Jesus as the Son of God and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Accept him as your Lord and Saviour. Declare your faith openly and become a new creature in Christ, old things have passed away. Follow Jesus in all areas of your life and start that wonderful journey with Him immediately.

I encourage you to search for a bible teaching fellowship near you for support and your spiritual growth.

#Prayerfortheweek

Almighty Father, thank You for the gift of my salvation and the Holy Spirit. In the mighty name of Yeshua Christ Jesus. Thank you for my new life in Yeshua. May I be renewed as I learn more about and grow in him. I give my body completely to You. I renew my mind to that of Yeshua. I am free from the power of sin. Amen.

If you accepted Jesus or turned back to him, please get in touch. I am so excited! You give me hope and joy and are my proud reward and crown when I stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns. Yes, you are our pride and joy. (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 NLT)

Inbox me, email me, just get in touch. I want to join you in prayers every day

My email is info@adeolaakintoye.com

Sunday, 23 May 2021

#WordfortheWeek 2021 Week 20 Change (1)

“The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.” Genesis 12:1 NLT

Every day we go through a change or the other, some temporary, others permanent. Some are life changing but most are not.

The moments of big changes in my life:

When I went off to university,

When I got married,

When I had my first daughter,

When I accepted the amazing gift of salvation and dedicated my life to Yeshua, at about age 40.

Every change since then has to do with my new life in Christ.

Many people do not like change because we are very comfortable in our familiar. Anything unfamiliar brings fear.

COVID 19 pandemic has brought transformation to our way of life, living and working. The way we socialise is now with limited hugging or even no touching. We called it social distancing. The way we work is more remotely and less mass congregation in a physical space. The use of technology is now global, for the young as well as the elderly. No longer can anyone claim too old to use communication tools, WhatsApp and many social media platforms. The way we do fellowship is church without walls.

All these changes impacted us directly. Most people easily adapted, many struggled and are still struggling. Many people think one day, things will go back to the way it was before. Some might even try to force things back to the way it was.

Change could be both good and bad; positive or negative. Change could be willingly or enforced. Change might not be sustained, or it could lead to a new way of life.

When we accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, we began a change. A transition from an old state of being into another . Our old life - the old man has gone. Or has it?

Are we still trying to adapt to the new life? Do we still go back to the old one, to feel that familiarity again?

Let us use a case study of the Life of Patriarch Abraham. The man Elohim saw fit to take out from all human beings and set apart to showcase Himself.

Abraham was a man that went through a transformational change. He had to leave everything that was familiar to Him. Although he took his father, wife and nephew with him. But he left the known for the unknown. People will say he took a risk. But he took a risk on God. The best guarantee ever.

On this change he had to depend on God all the way. Prayer altar became a lifestyle on his journey of transition, Abraham built altars, four were recorded. Altar symbolises sacrifice and worship.

Praise /dedication

“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants. ” And Abram built an altar there and dedicated it to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”

Genesis 12:7 NLT

Prayer/Worship

“And he moved from there to the mountain east of Bethel, and he pitched his tent with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.” Genesis 12:8 NKJV

After that, Abram travelled south and set up camp in the hill country, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built another altar and dedicated it to the Lord, and he worshiped the Lord.” Genesis 12:8 NLT

Separation unto the Lord

“After Lot had gone, the Lord said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west. I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted! Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.” So, Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the Lord.” Genesis 13:14-18 NLT

Faith in (sacrifice) of Yeshua

“Then Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in a thicket. So, he took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Then the angel of the Lord called again to Abraham from heaven. “This is what the Lord says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.””

Genesis 22:13-18 NLT

As believers, we have two sections of life: Before Christ / in our old man and After Christ / in our new man

Christ has called us out of the Kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light. Though it is not like the physical journey Abraham took, but for us it is a spiritual journey. The spiritual things Abraham did are examples for us, of things that are integral part of our journey.

Where we are going is the New Man nature. Our Chaldean is the Old man nature

“Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him...Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:10, 12, 14 NLT

Change to the new man is deliberate. Yeshua has done his own part. We must do ours.

To be continued…