OBEDIENCE UNLOCKS GOD’S POWER!
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
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 4:21-24 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
Spiritual growth is a partnership between us and God. God gives us the Holy Spirit to live in us as our Guide and Teacher. We then make a choice to listen to the Holy Spirit and obey what He directs us to say and do. Obedience always unlocks God’s power in our lives.
Let me repeat, OBEDIENCE UNLOCKS GOD’S POWER!
Paul gives us three steps we can take to release God’s power in our lives. First, we must LET GO OF THE OLD. (v. 22). We are told to “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life.” We must be careful we don’t just add Jesus to our way of living. Just add a couple of hours of Jesus on Sunday mornings but the rest of the week we keep doing what we have always done.
Secondly, we must CHANGE OUR THINKING (v 23). Paul says, “let the Spirit renew your thought and attitudes.” Everything is an inside job! In Romans 12:2 Paul encourages us, “Don’t be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” We must feed our minds new material so that we have new thoughts. Garbage in, garbage out! We must always be checking what we are feeding our thoughts.
Thirdly, we must PUT ON GODLY HABITS (v. 24). Paul says, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.” This is where we begin to develop new habits. We make our habits, and our habits make us. Who I am today is the sum of my habits of yesterday.
This is true in my mind, body, and spirit. What I read, watch, and listen to on a regular basis develops my thoughts. My eating, sleeping, and exercise habits develop my body. My time in prayer, Bible study, corporate worship, and small groups develop my spirit man.
What habits are you developing that put on the character of Christ?
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit I choose to partner with You in developing the nature of God in my life. I choose to let go of my past, change my thinking, and develop Godly habits in my life.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
Lord ,
I want To be more like you .