The Process of Transformation

Receiving Jesus into our lives was always meant to be a transformative experience, not just a transitory one or a one-time experience. With that in mind, Jesus ultimately came to set the sinners free by revealing the Father’s heart for humanity. Scripture says that all of us are being ruled by the spirit of this age that is working in the world.

The struggle for many is when we expect the transformation of our lives to happen quickly, yet scripture teaches that transformation is a process that takes a life time to complete. Although the transformation doesn’t happen overnight it does start with our personal surrender to God. The spirit that is at the core of our rebellion comes from Satan and it infects humans just like it did Adam & Eve so long ago. Only as we “Regularly” surrender to the love of God through what Jesus did for us on the cross can we hope to continue in our loving relationship with our heavenly Father. Make no mistake, when we wander from our surrender to God it is not just a mistake, but is caused and influenced by Satan to break God’s heart, and to ruin our lives for eternity.

Ephesians 2:2

You formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 

If Satan is at work in this world and our choices at times, how do we combat such influence and power? Surely it is not in our own power, but it is in our cooperation with the Holy Spirit and his guidance and empowerment. If there is anything we should have learned from being united with God through what Jesus did for us on the cross, it is that we fight Satan and his demons by the power of the Holy Spirit, not just by will power alone. It was his power that the 12 apostles and the 70 disciples had when they went out preaching the good news of Jesus Christ.

Luke 10:19

Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you. 

But there is a catch to having such power and freedom. God’s power in us is only active as we are active in him, not in ourselves. I believe we have to be about our Heavenly Father’s business in order to expect such power will be granted regularly to us. The verse I quoted before is in the book of Luke were Jesus imparts the Holy Spirit to the 70 disciples as they are being readied to go out into ministry. I think many believers think they can just “Declare” they have power when in fact we must first be heading towards and engaged with a Kingdom mindset that justifies God releasing such authority to us. God is not so foolish to grant his unlimited power to anyone just because they are a child of God. Children, whether natural or spiritual, must grow into maturity to have the freedom and liberty that God promised through the Holy Spirit. 

When the 70 returned from their ministry travels and were excited about the authority they were experiencing,  Jesus saw Satan being defeated because of their partnership with the Holy Spirit. Jesus could see what the disciples could not because of his surrendered heart and attitude. Remember The Father’s words when Jesus was baptized? He said he was well pleased because of Jesus’ 30 years of obedience as a man.

Luke 10:18-19 

And He said to them, “I was watching Satan fall from heaven like lightning. 

Jesus saying he watched Satan fall from heaven is interesting because scripture points out that Satan is the prince of the power of the air, meaning he must navigate in the heavens to do his dirty work on the earth. Maybe we don’t see greater power in the church and individual believers because we want the power but not the calling, ministry and surrender Jesus had.

The final message Jesus gives to the apostle John in the book of Revelation was that he is coming quickly to reward those who have labored for the kingdom of God by the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb. So many believers have lost sight of their surrendered calling and thus are not laboring for the Kingdom of God but purely for their own benefits in this life. This means many don’t have the promised power of God. No labor means no rewards!

Revelation 22:12 

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. 

Jesus comes to give living water to those that are thirsty and to those who are willing to serve others with that same living water. The living water for us only flows to us as we are willing and seeking to let living water flow from us to others. If we who carry the Holy Spirit in our souls just sit down and occupy ourselves with relaxation and easy living the water will dry up. Believers’ passivity in these last days will motivate the lost to remain in the enemy’s hands and we will lose the reward of authority that Jesus promised us.

The apostle John wrote the words Jesus gave him in the book of Revelation. At the end of of that revelations Jesus talks about Christians being the “Bride of Christ” and how the bride has made herself ready. Just how does the bride of Christ make herself ready? First and foremost by surrendering each day to the will and plan of God, and second by being filled with the power of God through the Holy Spirit so that his living water will flow through us to other believers and lost souls.

Revelation 19:7 

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” 

Jesus is asking us then and now if we are thirsty. Are we thirsty to do the Father’s will on earth or just our will? Are we willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to further the Kingdom of God on earth just like it is in heaven? The calling of God is real for each and every one of us. So is the battle to not let the enemy influence our souls to become lazy and unfruitful.

 Revelation 22:17 

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

Are you about the Father’s business?  You can expect power to be released if and when you are surrendered to his will. Jesus is coming and he is coming for a bride that has spent the time and energy to make herself ready. 

Questions:

1) Have you grown weary of the process of transformation that Jesus promised? Consider if your thinking is being “Rewritten” by the word of God to accomplish that miracle (Rom 12:1-2)

2)  Do you daily surrender your hopes and dreams to God in order to be transformed? Surrendering your mind means allowing the Holy Spirit to lead rather than you leading yourself. (Rom 8:5-6)

O God, I surrender again today to your loving care and guidance,

Pastor Dale