Have you ever noticed all the things you think about changing but never actually do?
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 in serving somewhere in the 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 to get up earlier and spend time reading the Bible and praying. I need to get off the couch and do something more productive. I need to stop drinking and get help.
And on and on it goes.
Honest people admit to thinking repeatedly about making changes, but rarely follow through successfully.
This might make you laugh, but it will also help motivate honest thinking. Imagine someone giving you a hundred-dollar bill for every time you thought about making a change you felt was needed. And a five-hundred-dollar bill for each time you attempted to make one of those changes (even if you failed within 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 paved with good intentions! And not one of them is handing out hundred-dollar bills for them. The reality we all face is this: We think about and desire to make changes that mentally don’t seem difficult. Yet, when 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 will oppose your desire for personal change, especially if it means you’ll become a better person who loves God and others with His love.
It’s only with God’s help that we will experience meaningful and lasting change. This is when Jesus’ words in Mark 10:27 speak loudly: Jesus said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
Let me share some strategies from God’s Word to help you achieve victory in making changes in your life. First, determine what you want to change and commit to praying about it consistently for a significant period before attempting to make the change. If you pray consistently before taking action, your chances of success are far greater! Why? Because your 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 Greek, the word for petition (δέησις - deēsis) conveys the idea of an earnest plea, supplication, or entreaty. It expresses deep need and heartfelt urgency. This means knowing two things: what you truly want, and seeking God with a genuine sense of dependence, because you need His help. Admit it. Write down your petition, your list of things you desire to change. Unless you pray and recognize you can’t do this without God, you will not succeed. Humble yourself and understand that the strength to live out God’s will comes only by receiving His help.
My prayers sound something like this: Lord, without the help of Your Holy Spirit, I won’t have the strength to continue, so I’m asking You to strengthen me by Your Spirit! Prepare my heart and mind and help me walk in Your grace! Is it truly essential to pray in this manner? 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." 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."
Second, be tenacious in prayer, but give yourself time to let God work in your heart and prepare you! Be like the little kid who was promised a treat from Daddy and never lets Daddy forget. "Daddy, you said… Daddy, you promised…" Kids don’t just think it; they say it because they believe it’s theirs! 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 power working in you, you’ll fail.
Third, don’t stop asking. Because demonic forces work against 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 that Satan is opposing you. Instead, 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 suggest praying for a period of time (for me, it's usually a month) before initiating change is that, as you pray, godly desire and motivation for change grow stronger within you. One day, you’ll know you are ready to begin and succeed because you can't wait to start! God has 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 happens and helps you succeed!
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
