Let The Spirit Change Your Outlook

How to Let the Spirit Change One’s Outlook

For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to do of His good pleausure." (Phil. 2:13,14)

Illustration: Dr. Henry Pope tells a story of one his students who learned how to change her perspective. It seems that one young girl while attending college spotted a young man who seemed very handsome and someone she would like to get to know. One day she was sitting in the library and spotted the young man studying in a table nearby. She walked over to the table and picked up a book on the table and said, "This book looks complicated." The young man said, "It is not really that difficult since I wrote it." The young girl asked if she could read it. Within a week the youhg girl returned the book to the young man and exclaimed, "That was the most wonderful book I ever read in my life. She loved the author so it was easy for her to fall in love with his message. WE cannot have a full appreciation for God’s word until we fall in love with the author. Let the Spirit of God create a greater love for the Lord Jesus so you can discern more of His will for your life through His word. The Psalmist wrote, "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long." (Psa. 119:97)

1. The Holy Spirit helps us consciously and subconsciously to turn our focus away from pain and on to God’s promises for deliverance. Many people tend to surrender to feelings of rejection, suffering and negative thoughts when they experience problems. The Holy Spirit has a gentle way of helping us direct our thinking toward Christ and His kingdom’s purposes. Paul wrote, "We refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of god; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into obedience of Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5 - Amplified) Ask the Lord to help you be filled with the power of the Spirit so you can consistently refocus your thoughts away from the negative and on to God’s positive promises, directives and ministries.

A. You cannot change others but you can influence them through prayer, through the teaching of the word of God and through the example of your life. Paul wrote Timothy, "Be an example for the believers, in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity." (I tim. 4:12)

B. Pray that prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, "Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

C. You have the power to agree with God’s truth through confession and yield your inability to His ability.

D. You have the power to ask God and others for help to reveal more about how you need to change to be more like Jesus Christ. These are the changes that will matter for eternity.

E. You have the power to humble yourself before the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you at the proper time. Believe that He is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works mightily within us. (Eph. 3:20) His power is able to do far beyond what we think is possible,, but He will do it in HIs time, in HIs way and with His scheduling in mind.

F. You have the power to change the way you deal with people, circumstances and self-destructive patterns in your life. Change your way of thinking about them and submit them all to the Lord’s care and He will bring the best things to pass. (Psa 37:1-7)

G. You have the power in the Holy Spirit both to will and to of His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13,14) Allow the Lord to work in you as you serve Him in gladness and sincerity of heart. Believe the Lord will use each encounter for His greater plans in your life. Do not worry, fret or become exasperated by your difficulties. He is greater than any problem and uses everything to make us more like our Master, the Lord Jesus Christ.

H. You can expect greater health, strength and calm when you let go of your rights and relinquish all of the changing to the Lord. Others may even even you for your improved way of life.

I. You need God’s continual infusion of wisdom, strength and guidance to know the best ways to influence people for HIs greater purposes not with your own limited perspectives.

J. You have the power to turn from the sins of omission, commission, wrong dispositions or faulty pre=suppositions about your self and circumstances. Only the Lord is able to and wise enough to know what kind of changes will work HIs greater will both in and through and with His for His best glory and kingdom’s sake.