CHANGED BY THE SPIRIT
2 COR 3:12-18
EPH 4:22-24
INTRO: BECOMING CHRISTLIKE
1: DO YOU THINK LIFE SHOULD BE EASY?
A) SOME WILL PREACH AND TEACH THAT LIFE SHOULD BE LIVED IN JOY AND HAPPINESS
B) OTHERS WILL PREACH AND TEACH THAT LIFE IS TO BE LIVED IN A LOW ESTATE AND SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY SUFFERING
C) BOTH ARE TRUE, GOD BLESSES US AND GOD TESTS US BOTH ARE TRULY MAGNIFICENT EVENTS IN OUR LIVES.
POINT: SHOULD LIFE BE EASY? HAVE YOU EVER FELT OR PRAYED GOD IF YOU WOULD JUST GET ME OUT OF THIS PROBLEM, OR LORD PLEASE CHANGE THIS SITUATION OR CIRCUMSTANCE I’M FACING RIGHT NOW.
2: YES OR NO?
A) THE QUESTION IS DEEPER THAN A LIFE OF EASE
B) THE REAL ISSUE IS, ARE YOU BECOMING CHRISTLIKE OR ARE YOU STUCK IN YOUR OLD WAYS AND YOUR OLD COMFORTS.
C) LIFE IS NOT COMFORT BUT CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
POINT: THE SCRIPTURE TEACHES US THAT WE SHOULD PUT OFF THE OLD MAN AND BE RENEWED BY CHRIST INTO THE NEW MAN. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY PROCESS, BUT GOD USES EVERY TEST AND EVERY TRIAL TO MOLD YOU INTO WHO HE WANTS YOU TO BE.
BODY: 3 STEPS TO BECOMING CHRISTLIKE
1: EPH 4:22-24
A) PUT OFF THE FORMER CONVERSATION
B) LET GO OF YOUR OLD WAYS
C) MAKE A CONCIOUS DECISION TO START LIVING FOR CHRIST
POINT: SADLY MANY DON’T COME TO THIS REVELATION UNTIL GOD IS ALL THEY HAVE LEFT. MANY CHRISTIAN STILL WANT TO HOLD ONTO PARTS OF THEIR OLD WAYS IN THE WORLD AND STILL TRY TO SERVE CHRIST. THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. LET GO OF YOUR OLD WAYS, YOUR OLD THINKING AND DECISION MAKING.
2: RENEW YOUR MIND V 23
A) CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK
B) SELL OUT TO JESUS
C) EAT, SLEEP, BREATH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
POINT: SOME WILL SEE THIS AS OVER INDULGENCE OR AS INSANITY, PEOPLE WILL RIDICULE AND SECOND GUESS A PERSON WHO IS SOLD OUT TO CHRIST. CHANGING THE WAY YOU THINK IS ALL ABOUT TRYING TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND THINGS AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WOULD. TAKING UNTO YOURSELVES THE MIND OF CHRIST. ALLOW THE WORD OF GOD AND PRAYER TO BE YOUR GUIDING INFLUENCE IN EVERYTHING YOU DO ON A DAILY BASIS.
3: PUT ON THE NEW MAN
A) FORM NEW GODLY HABITS
B) BEGIN BY DECIDING TO GET INVOLVED IN THE CHURCH
C) GO AND DO THINGS THAT ARE PLEASING TO GOD
POINT: YOU WILL BE CALLED A RELIGIOUS NUT, YOU WILL BE COUNCILED TO GET A LIFE OUTSIDE OF YOUR FAITH BY THE WORLD, THE THINGS OF THE WORLD WILL BE TEMPTING AND YOU WILL INDULGE AND FALL FORM TIME TO TIME. BUT FORMING GODLY HABITS WILL PLEASE THE FATHER AND HELP YOU MATURE AND GROW IN FELLOWSHIP AND IN GRACE. AND YOU WILL BE HONORED BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
CLOSING: 3 THINGS GOD USES TO MOLD US
1: THE WORD
A) THE BIBLE GOD’S WORD
B) THE LIVING BREATHING, TRUE WORD FOR OUR LIVES
C) THE WAY WE HEAR WHAT GOD NOT ONLY HAS FOR OUR LIVES BUT WHAT HE EXPECTS
2: PEOPLE
A) THE BODY OF CHRIST
B) THE LOST
C) MANKIND IN GENERAL
D) THROUGH GOD’S WORD AND THROUGH THE PEOPLE GOD PLACES IN OUR LIVES HE SHAPES US
3: CIRCUMSTANCES
A) THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO US
B) THE TESTS, THE TRIALS, THE BLESSINGS
C) THE WORD, THE PEOPLE, AND THE CIRCUMSTANCE
CONCLUSION: AS THE SPIRIT WORKS WITHIN US, WE BECOME MORE AND MORE LIKE CHRIST, AND WE REFLECT HIS GLORY EVEN MORE.
