Let God do a Beautiful Work in You!

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

One day I ran into Dave, a friend I hadn’t seen for a couple of months. When I saw him my jaw dropped. He has lost about 18 lbs. and looked the best I had ever seen him. I told him how good he looked and asked what led up to this transformation. He said, My wife said I was getting chubby and lost my good looks at a time I had been thinking that very thing. I knew that wasn’t right because you’ve taught me through the word that I’m not a slave to sin. So, I went on a fast to get myself under control and it didn’t end until I lost the weight. The Lord strengthened me through every step! I was truly inspired by his story and transformation, and immediately set out to drop some weight myself.

I kept thinking how his attitude and actions must have pleased the Lord. He knew his flesh was out of control. He wanted to do right by God, his wife, and himself. He took hold of the word of God and prayed and fasted, and stuck to his course. That kind of faith and action honors God and brings His power. Romans 8:2 (NLT) says, “And because you belong to him (Jesus), the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Dave, saw through God’s Word, that the Holy Spirit freed him from the power of sin. He wasn’t going to let it control him. That is a revelation God wants every believer to take hold of. Do you know that truth? Do you know that you aren’t a slave to sin?

God wants transformation to happen within us. He asks it of us all. He does because it will bless our lives and ultimately bless those in our lives. Through these transformations, we become more like Him and less like who we were without Christ.

Colossians 3:7-10 NIV says, “You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV says, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

James 1:21-25 NIV says, “Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it–he will be blessed in what he does.”

God wants us to remove certain things from our life, but in order to do so, we have to remember that God’s Holy Spirit—the power of God to help us, lives within us! The Holy Spirit helps us by showing us what’s best for us and what’s harmful to our lives according to the Word of God. We may at times feel condemned but I assure you God is not condemning you. God wants you to run to Him; not from Him. Jesus already died for your sins. There may be a feeling of conviction. That’s the feeling we get when we recognize God wants to help us make changes. That’s a good thing. It means we are spiritually alive. The Holy Spirit lives within us to help bring His grace and strength in those times of overcoming and transformation. As we pray and ask God, He helps our inward desires change—even to the point of feeling disgust for things contrary to His ways. As desires change, change comes!

God’s Word will always lead us to His best. God wants us to purify our minds and thoughts and cast off things that defile our mind and body. Only faith in the power of the Holy Spirit working in us, and prayer to help us change will strengthen us to make those godly changes we so desire. Our relationship with God and His uninterrupted blessing are too precious to trade for vile and short-term fleshly pleasures.

As Colossians 3:10 says,”… put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” God helps us become transformed into the best of ourselves—after His image. So let Him do it in you. You are not a slave to anything. You are filled with the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit. Put on that new self and experience the amazing transformation God does in your spirit, mind and emotions, and in your body! He is the makeover King!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (TLB) “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

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