What You Were - You Are No More

INTRODUCTION

THE TERM NEW REFERS TO THE SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION THAT OCCURS WITHIN THE OLD MAN THAT YOU WERE BEFORE YOU BECAME A CHRISTIAN OR A NEW CREATION; IN A SENSE, THIS TRANSFORMATION COULD BE COMPARED TO THE RENOVATING OF AN OLD HOUSE OR THE RESTORING OF AN OLD CAR, BOTH WHICH TAKE THE REPLACEMENT OF OLD THINGS WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF NEW THINGS.

WITH A HOUSE YOU WOULD REPLACE THE WIRING,THE WALL,THE FLOORS AND ALL THOSE NECESSITIES THAT WOULD MAKE THIS RENOVATION COMPLETE;LIKEWISE WITH A CAR YOU WOULD RELACE THE ENGINE, THE FLOOR BOARDS, THE INTERIOR AND ALL THE NECESSITIES TO MAKE THIS RESTORATION COMPLETE.

I HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE OF RENOVATING A HOUSE AND RESTORING A CAR. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF RESTORING OR RENOVATING IS TO GET THE PROJECT AS CLOSE TO ORIGINAL AS POSSIBLE BY REPLACING THE OLD WITH NEW. THIS IS PARALLEL TO THE GRACE AND MERCY OF A SOVERIEGN GOD. HE WANTS TO RESTORRE US BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL ORGIN. BY GIVING US A REFRESHED EXISTENCE.

BODY OF SUBJECT

BY GIVING US A:

BRAND NEW MAN

BRAND NEW FAMILY

NEW SET OF VALUES

NEW MOTIVATION AND POSESSIONS

WE OFTEN TIMES REFER TO A SAINT AND HIS PAST BUT WE NEVER LET THIS GO AS BEING THE THINGS OF THE OLD MAN. WE SHOULD KNOW THAT GOD HAS DECLARED, "IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION,OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

I KNOW THERE IS NO ONE OUT THERE WHO HAS A PAST, WE HAVE ALL BEEN GOOD CHRISTIANS FOLKS ALL OF OUR LIVES.

THIS IS NOT MY TESTIMONY, I THANK GOD FOR BEING A MERCIFUL GOD A GOD OF DELIVERENCE, I THANK HIM FOR LOVING ME EVEN WHEN I WAS IN MY SIN, FOR BRINGING ME OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO HIS GLORIOUS LIGHT.

GOD IS MERCIFUL UNTO YOU AS WELL, IN THAT:

1) HE WASHED YOU UP.

2) HE SANCTIFIED YOU.

3) HE JUSTIFIED YOU IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS AND BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD.

NOW YOU HAVE A NEW WALK - YOU HAVE A NEW TALK

FOR THE FORMER THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

WHAT YOU WERE - YOU ARE NO MORE

KNOW THAT OUR OLD MAN WAS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DONE AWAY WITH, THAT WE SHOULD NO LONGER BE SLAVES OF SIN.

THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAN ACCOMPLISH A LIFE CHANGING TRANSFORMATION FOR ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE IN CHRIST JESUS.

A TRANSFORMATION THAT WILL:

GIVE YOU A RENEWED SPIRIT

GIVE YOU A RENEWED MIND

GIVE YOU A RENEWED HEART

THE SAME TRANSFORMATION ALSO GIVES YOU A NEW LEASE ON LIFE.

A LIFE EVERLASTING

A LIFE WITH NO END

A LIFE WITH AN AGELESS EXPIRATION

A LIFE THAT’S CONTINUAL - WITHOUT DISCONTINUANCE

A LIFE WITH A PERPETUAL ENDING

WHAT YOU WERE - YOU ARE NO MORE

YOUR SLATE HAS BEEN WIPED CLEAN

THE PROPHET ISAIAH SAID ONLY THE OTHER DAY:

I WILL GREATLY REJOICE IN THE LORD FOR HE HAS CLOTHED ME WITH THE GARMENTS OF SALVATION.

THAT SALVATION:

YOU HEARD THE ELDERS TALK ABOUT

YOUR MAMA TAUGHT YOU ABOUT

THE PREACHER PREACHED ABOUT

WARNING

ALTHOUGH YOU HEARD THE ELDERS TALK ABOUT SALVATION

ALTHOUGH YOUR MAMA TAUGHT YOU ABOUT SALVATION

ALTHOUGH THE PREACHER PREACHED ABOUT SALVATION

IF YOU DON’T CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS,AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD.

SALVATION IS FAR FROM YOU

ON THE OTHER HAND.

IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU SHALL BE SAVED.

WHAT YOU WERE - YOU ARE NO MORE

YOU HAVE BEEN WASHED BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB

YOU’VE BEEN BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER - THE SON - AND THE HOLY GHOST.

PUT YOU NEW HOLY GHOST ATTIRE ON

YOU HAVE BEEN RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF THE MIND.

PUT ON YOUR NEW MAN WHICH WAS CREATED ACCORDING TO GOD IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND TRUE HOLINESS.

WHAT YOU WERE - YOU ARE NO MORE

STORY

PAUL’S TRANSFORMATION

ACTS 9: 1-6, 10 -12, 15 - 16, 20 -21, 26 - 27

CLOSING

A MANY OF US HAVE DONE THINGS THAT WE ARE NOT PROUD OF .

BUT GOD BEING MERCIFUL US TODAY SAID, " IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; OLD THINGS HAVE PASSED AWAY.

EXAMPLES

IF YOU WERE A HOOKER AND ARE IN CHRIST - YOU ARE NOW A SAINT OF GOD WITH A NEW STROLE.

IF YOU WERE ONCE A DRUG DEALER AND ARE IN CHRIST - YOU ARE NOW A SAINT OF GOD DEALING THE HOLY WORD.

IF YOU WERE A CONVICTED MURDERER AND ARE IN CHRIST - YOU ARE NOW A SAINT OF GOD SLAYING THE ENEMY WITH SPIRIT AND TRUTH. (OPTIONAL) (GIVE EXAMPLES OF TRANSFORMATION AS CURRENT EVENTS OR PERSONAL TESIMONIES ARE GREAT EXAMPLES)