Supernatural Help in Making Changes

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Have you ever noticed all the things you think about changing that you’ve never got done? I should be more disciplined. I need to be nicer to my husband. I need to be nicer to my wife. I need to spend more quality time with my kids. I really need to set up our budget. I need to start planning for retirement. I need to quit smoking. I need to go to church regularly. I need to get involved serving somewhere in church. I have got to start eating better. I need to get into an exercise routine. I need to lose this extra weight. I need get up earlier and spend time reading the Bible and praying. I need to get my butt of the couch and do something more productive. I need to stop drinking and get help, and on and on. Honest people admit they think repeatedly about change, but execute few of them successfully.

This might make you laugh but it will help motivate honest thinking. Imagine someone were to give you a hundred-dollar bill for every time you thought about making a change you felt was needed. And five-hundred dollar bill for each time you attempted to make one of those changes (even if you failed in the first ten minutes.) Would you suddenly have more money than Bill Gates?

The road to Hell, the road to failure, and the road to disappointment are all roads paved with good intentions! And not one is giving out hundred-dollar bills for them. The reality we all face is this: We all think about and desire to make changes that mentally don’t seem like they would be that difficult to make. Yet as we begin to initiate them, they suddenly feel overwhelming and impossible to carry out. Why is that? There are many reasons including demonic warfare. Satan tries to keep you enslaved and stuck in your rut. He’ll oppose your desire for personal change for the better. Especially if it means you’ll become a better person that loves God and loves others with His love.

It’s only with God’s help that we’ll experience meaningful and lasting change. This is the time Jesus’ words from Mark 10:27 speak loudly. Jesus said, “With man this is impossible, but with God; all things are possible.”

Let me share strategies that God gives us from His Word to help us achieve victory in making changes in our lives.

First: Know what you want to change in and commit to praying about it consistently for a good period of time before you actually attempt to make the change. If you pray consistently about it before you attempt the change, your chances of succeeding are far greater! Why? Because you’ve heart is being prepared first! Philippians 4:6 (NIV) says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” You know what a petition is. It’s a formal request for something desired. In the Greek, the word for petition actually originates from a word meaning to beg! That encompasses knowing two things: What it is you want, and begging as though you were needy and needed help. You do. Admit it. Write down your petition or your list of things you desire to personally change in. Understand that unless you (pray and beg) realizing you can’t do this without God, you will not succeed. Humble yourself and understand that the strength to live out God’s will is only within receiving His help in your attempts to change.
My prayers sound something like this: Lord, without the help of your Holy Spirit, I won’t have the strength to continue so I am asking you to strengthen my by your spirit! Prepare my heart and mind and help me walk in your grace! Is it really important to pray like this? Yes! James 4:2 (NLT) says, “… And yet the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.” And Hebrews 4:16 (NIV) says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Secondly, be tenacious in prayer and give God time to work in your heart and prepare you! Be the little kid that was promised a treat from daddy and never lets Daddy forget! Daddy, you said…. Daddy, you promised… You know how kids are. They don’t just think it, they say it because they know it’s been promised to them! God’s grace to change has been promised to you. Be tenacious like a child in asking. Pray for God’s grace (His supernatural help) because without His grace which is His power working in you, you’ll fail.

Thirdly, don’t stop asking. Because there are demonic forces working to stop you, Jesus taught this truth. Luke 18:1 (NLT) says, “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.” Colossians 4:2 (NIV) says, “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

Understand Satan is opposing you. Instead, you oppose Him! Ephesians 6:10-13 (NLT) says, “A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.”

The reason I said to pray for a period of time (for me it’s usually a month) before you initiate change is because as you pray, godly desire and motivation for change grows stronger within you. One day you’ll know you are ready to begin and succeed in your desired change because you can’t wait to start! God’s prepared you! Keep asking for strength until you’ve finished your course and then pray to hold on to your success! By that time, your asking will turn into excitement and thanksgiving! This is how Supernatural Change comes and helps you succeed!

Matthew 21:21 (NLT2) “Then Jesus told them, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and don’t doubt, you can do things like this and much more. You can even say to this
mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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