BE TRANSFORMED

 

Text: 2 Timothy 3: 1-9 and 14 & 17

Memory verse: "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are passed away; behold all things are new."(2 Corinthians 5:17)

Once any person receives salvation through Jesus Christ, the spirit of God becomes planted in his or her heart. The presence of the spirit of God brings transformation to the life of such person. This enables a transition from the old ways of sin and wickedness to a new way of righteousness. This transition

must take place before any claims of newness can be established. To this end, if anyone desires to occupy and hold tenaciously to salvation, sanctification, consecration, righteousness, etc, there must be a transition from old to new. That is to say, old ways such as stealing, lying, cheating, hypocrisy, anger,.envy, covetousness, fighting, quarreling, backbiting, betrayal, complaining, murmuring, bitterness, enmity, immorality, indecency in dressing and other vices, must give way to virtues like humility, righteousness, kindness, love,mercy, forgiveness and so on.

Unfortunately as it is today, there are so many unbelieving believers who claim to be new creatures while holding tightly to their old ways of doing things. It is right to say that these people only bear Christian names. They are not convicted to the point of conversion. Be that as it may, all such professed believers cannot occupy till the Lord comes. Make no mistake about it. Real conviction leads to transformation. If you are to be deemed as a new creature,you cannot continue to live the same old lifestyle you lived before you encountered Christ. Let's remember always, that the first disciples were first called Christians because the people saw the character of Christ in them and not because of their names.

Our memory verse says that old things must pass away and all things become new. If nothing has changed about you then it will be safe to say that your so called conversion is not genuine. Since you gave your life to Christ what has changed? Do you still dress the same, talk the same, and engage in the same activities with your old friends that are still in the world? Do you still react the same way to situations and circumstances? Can people who knew you before attest to the fact that something has changed about your life? If the answer is no, then you need transformation.

Worship/praise God and then take the following prayer points:

1. Lord, by your spirit and grace, transform me from old to a new creature, in Jesus name.

2. I renounce every unrighteousness that I previously engaged in the past, in Jesus name.

3. Father, create in me a new heart that will thirst for you righteousness, in Jesus name.