“Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception” (Eph. 4:22 NLT)

Negative changes happen automatically but positive changes don’t. You don’t have to do anything to get out of shape. You don’t have to do anything to weaken physically, mentally, socially, or spiritually. Just do nothing and over time you will suffer decline. Want positive change in your life? It’s not enough to dream of changing. It’s not enough to simply desire to change. Positive change is a choice you must actively make and requires making wise choices. In order for you to actually make positive change, you will need to make a strong decision to change. You must choose to change!

Change must be intentional

Choose and plan for how different you want to be in, say, six months. And, then in a year from now. Think it through and plan deliberately to make it happen in doable, measurable steps. Ask yourself: am I going to be healthier, stronger, and more mature? Am I going to be happier? Am I going to be less in debt? Am I going to be more like God wants me to be?

It requires a choice

It isn’t going to happen accidentally. If you are going to grow, you will have to change, and change means you will have to let go of some old things in order to grab hold of some new things. That’s always the case, but it’s worth it! The Bible verse at top says to “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life.” That involves self-examination, strong choices, and getting to work on a plan.

Ask God to help you

Ask God to help you in every area of need and in every step you take. He will help you!

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7)

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.” (1 John 5:14-15)

Calling on the Lord for help can bring healing

“LORD my God, I called to you for help, and you healed me.” (Psalm 30:2)

“O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. (Psalm 30:2 ESV)

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destruction.” (Psalm 107:19-20 NIV)

Speaking faith to yourself can make you well

“For she said to herself, ‘If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well.’ But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, ‘Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well.’ And the woman was made well from that hour.”  (Matt. 9:21-22 NIV)

Believers can lay their hands on the sick and they will recover

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18 NIV)

You can call on the elders of your church  for healing

“Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” (James 5:14 NIV)

The Bible said, “Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.” (Acts 10:28). This verse says that people were “oppressed by the devil.” Notice that their problems weren’t from God, but we’re from the devil! 

Jesus healed all kinds of sicknesses

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them.” (Matt. 4:23-24 NIV)

Healing power flows from Jesus

“And the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.” (Luke 6:19 NIV)

He, Himself, took our infirmities, and bore our sicknesses!

“When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.’” (Matt. 8:16-17 NIV)

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” (Psalm 103:2-5 NKJV)

Jesus was only limited by other’s lack of faith

“And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matt. 13:58)

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb 11:6 NIV)

“Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of God.” (Rom. 10:17)

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:10-11)

The promise here in this verse is that “God’s Word will not return to Him empty, but will accomplish what He desires and will achieve the purpose for which He sent it.”

Faithful to a thousand generations!

The word of God is dependable all the time! You can count on it to achieve what God says it will do, 100% of the time! If it says something, that settles it! Because God is God and His Word is His unchanging love convent! “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” (Deut. 7:9)

A good thing promised!

“Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant.” (2 Sam. 7:28)

And is profitable!

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  (2 Tim. 3:16)

Put it to work!

“Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage–with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Tim. 4:2)

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” (James 4:10 NIV)

What does it mean to humble yourself?

Being humble is not a popular concept in the world we live in. But,God says He will lift you up if you humble yourself before Him. Look at the definition of humble: not proud. Not thinking of yourself as better than other people. Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. Meek, deferential, respectful, submissive.

Humility not humiliation

It’s easy to confuse humility and humiliation. Humility is something we do voluntarily and humiliation is something that is inflicted on us.

Humility is the quality or condition of being humble. Here are some verses that talk about it.

It leads to riches, honor and life!

“Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life.” (Prov. 22:4)

It is the opposite of pride

“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Prov.  11:2)

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2b NIV)

The mind can stop an elephant!

Your mind has the power to control you in exactly the same way that an elephant can be constrained by a very weak leg shackle. A 6-ton elephant could very easily tear loose from it and escape but he won’t even try because he “believes” he can’t escape! The elephant thinks like this because when he was very young and small a heavy shackle was placed on his leg. He fought it violently with all the strength he had at the time but eventually he gave up trying, and he never tried again no matter how big he eventually grew. Now as a full-grown elephant he can easily be controlled by even the smallest chain, even a string tied around his ankle will do. 

The Bible says, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7).  And all kinds of studies, both Christian and secular, prove this to be correct. If you want to change your life you MUST change how you think.

The devil always attacks your mind!

He is “the deceiver” and robs by deceiving God’s people into believing that they are bound when they are not, “whom the Son sets free is free indeed,” (John 8:36). And there are thousands of promises in God’s Word that you can use to counteract all the devil’s attacks and change your life dramatically!

You can change your mind!

It boils down to simplicity as usual. “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.” If a man sees himself poor, and unsuccessful, he will become so. It will be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Even if God brings blessings and opportunity his way, he will scuttle it. He will “snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory!” He will always find excuses for failure. On the other hand, if a man sees himself successful and victorious, he will behave that way. He will not see things negatively, but will see only opportunity to succeed no matter what comes his way. This is the beautiful thing about filling your mind and heart with God’s Word. It changes the way you think. And, THAT turns everything around.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom. 12:2a)

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” (Jer. 17:7 NIV)

Want to be blessed, here’s how! Confidently trust in the Lord!

The following verse explains the details of the blessing.

“They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jer. 17:8)

Another place in the Bible says something very similar

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.” (Psalms 1:1-3)

“And Jesus increased… in favor with man…” (Luke 2:52d) “As he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17b NIV)

Favor with man – Socially

Over the last three days I pointed out that according to Luke 2:52, as Jesus grew from a child into an adult, He increased in four distinct areas of His life: 1. Wisdom (mentally), 2. stature (physically), 3. favor with God (Spiritually) and 4. favor with man (socially).

Jesus was a perfect example of living a perfect balanced life. And, we should also increase in all four of these areas.

Yesterday I discussed the third area, favor with God which is spiritually, today will be the fourth one, “favor with man” which is the social area.

We are social creatures. We need others and they need us. God made us that way. He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Gen. 2:18). He created Eve for that reason.

In life, there are people we must be around in the course of daily life and there are close friends we choose to be around.

Bad friends can drag you down

You can’t always choose who you must associate with on a day to day basis, but you can choose your close friends. Choose wisely!

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully, for the way of the wicked leads them astray.” (Prov. 12:26)

“Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.” (2 Peter 3:17)

Good and faithful friends speak truth into your life

“Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” (Prov. 27;5-6)

“And Jesus increased… in favor with God…” (Luke 2:52c) “As he is, so are we in this world.” (1 John 4:17b)

Spiritually

Over the last couple of days, I pointed out that according to Luke 2:52, as Jesus grew from a child into an adult, He increased in four distinct areas of His life: 1. Wisdom (mentally), 2. stature (physically), 3. favor with God (Spiritually) and 4. favor with man (socially).

Jesus, without a doubt, was a perfect example of living a perfect balanced life. We also should work to increase in all four of these important areas.

Yesterday I discussed the second area, stature, which is physically (the body). Today will be the third one, “favor with God” which is the spiritual area.

How to begin

You can do a lot to grow spiritually, but it all begins with becoming a child of God by receiving Jesus Christ as your personal savior. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” (John 1:12)

When you receive Christ, His Holy Spirit comes inside of you and will help you grow spiritually. (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Tim. 1:14; John 14:17).

How the Holy Spirit helps you

• He teaches you (1 Cor. 2:13; John 14:26).

• He guides you into all truth (John 16:13).

• He reveals the deep things of God to you (1 Cor. 2:10).

• He transforms you into the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).

• He strengthens your spirit (Eph. 3:16).

Practical things you can do to grow spiritually

1) Pray. Talk to God about everything. He hears you. He cares for you. He will help you grow closer to Him.

2) Read the Bible every day. It is God’s Word to us. The Bible is literally “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).

3) Memorize scripture. The Bible is a book of tremendous wisdom that can have an impact on every area of your life. By memorizing the Scripture, you are able to have that wisdom with you at all times.

4) Attend a Bible believing, Bible preaching church each week where you will continue to grow in His knowledge and grace.

5) Read good Christian books. Visit a Christian bookstore and there you will find shelves of great books for encouragement and spiritual growth.

6) Listen to Christian music. You can find it on Christian radio stations and you can find it in every style at your Christian book store.

7) Join a small Bible study group. Most churches have them. They usually meet in private homes, coffee shops and restaurants. You usually grow spiritually at a faster rate in community because you are able to share your experiences with one another and hold each other accountable.

8) Listen to Christian speakers. There are lots of them.

9) Volunteer for Christian service. Helping others is a great pathway towards spiritual growth. As you help others, God helps you!

“Be no longer children, but grow up in Christ.” (Eph. 4:14-15)

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)