“Therefore if any person is [in grafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
Accepting the Lord is the greatest decision we have ever made. However, we need to ask ourselves how much we have changed since the time we met the Lord. Some believers have known the Lord for twenty, thirty and more years and yet they haven’t grown much in the area of faith and in knowing God personally or studying His Word.
Yield to the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit has been indwelling within us and He has been working in us from the moment we received Jesus Christ as our Savior. He often nudges us in the areas that we need to change. The Holy Spirit is so gentle that a lot of times we barely realize how much we have changed. However, some of us resist this change and stifle the Holy Spirit from doing His work of renewal in our hearts.
Hebrews 5:12 speaks about someone who did not grow, it says, “For even though by this time you ought to be teaching others, you actually need someone to teach you over again the very first principles of God’s Word. You have come to need milk, not solid food.”
The Way Forward
Let us examine our hearts. Are we hindering the work of the Holy Spirit within us? Are there areas in our lives that we haven’t surrendered to the Lord? Are there secret sins that we don’t want to acknowledge and areas of weakness that we would rather leave unattended? Do our lives reflect the fruits of the Spirit as mentioned in Gal 5:22-23, which is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
If we continue to live as we are doing now, will we bring joy to the heart of our Lord Jesus who will be returning for His spotless Bride? Are we true ambassadors of Christ? Are we obeying and following the teachings of Jesus or living in opposition to what the Lord taught us?
The Lord knows it is hard for us to let go of control and give our lives to Him unconditionally. For this reason He gives us more grace to overcome. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace (My favor and loving-kindness and mercy) is enough for you [sufficient against any danger and enables you to bear the trouble manfully]; for My strength and power are made perfect (fulfilled and completed) and show themselves most effective in [your] weakness!” AMP
Be More Like the Father
If we have been holding back from surrendering our hearts to the Lord, we need to repent for it so that He can perfect the work He is doing within us. Children often like to imitate, behave and grow up to be like their parents, God the Father too wants us to become more like Him and His Son Jesus.
Let us pray: Dear Lord, I am sorry for not yielding to You. Please reveal the areas that I need to change. I want to truly reflect Your heart, Lord Jesus. Complete Your work in me so I can be Your instrument of change and transformation. I want to be the new creation You want me to be. Lord, have Your way in me! Amen.
Henrietta Decruz
Henrietta is a writer, singer-songwriter, blogger and social worker based in Kerala, India. Having encountered God closely through life's many ups and downs, she has a passion to use her God-given talents for His glory and to see lives transformed across the nations.
