I'm Addicted to change

Introduction

(Pic) Do you remember this illustration? Ken, early of this semester was talking about Addicted to change, and today I wanna give the answer that I’m addicted to change. This my theme today. (Next Slide). Let’s say it together, I’m addicted to change!

(Pic)I'm Addicted to change

(Pic.) Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Paul explains to the believers that God’s will is for believes to think rightly about themselves: to recognize the equal value of all members of the body and to use all of one’s gifts to build up the body.

He emphasizes that if you want to be changed you have to think rightly.

Because The real change is not behavior modification, The real change is spiritual transformation

Which leads to my first point: how to receive the spiritual transformation? Recognize your identity.

(Pic.)You are chosen

Why do you do what you do because you think about you. This point deals with our Identity. When we receive Jesus, we died and resurrected with Jesus we become one with him. We are in Jesus and Jesus in us meaning we are chosen because we are in the Chosen one and our identity is not a sinner anymore, but we are children of God.

Some people said that oh but Jesus’ friends are sinner, yes but they don’t stay as a sinner, they are changed. Sinner is not our label. Our identity is in Christ.

This is the first foundation knowing that our identity secure in Christ, we don’t have to earn people’s approval, or our identity depends on what people say. Our identity is secure in Christ.

Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him. V. 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, v. 7. In Him we have redemption, v. 10In Him, also we have obtained an inheritance

Because it is impossible to change if we don’t recognize our identity in Christ

(Pic)You are in training

This is the journey of sanctification.

(Pic) Do you guys know this picture, it’s when your internet doesn’t work and your google chrome doesn’t work either. And what happens is if you press space button the dino will run and if he stumbles the game is over.

When I was preparing this message God gave me the picture.

Heb. 12 :1 “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,”

We are not trying to change but we are in training to change. Why? Because trying is less commitment. But training has so much commitment.

Israelites out of Egypt before conquering the Canaanite, God trained them to fight

Philippians 2:12-13 “So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”

In training the Spirit is our couch, he is helping us

There are brothers and sisters

(Pic) You are not a quitter

(Pic)

The work of the Cross brings us out of the pit of sin

John says that we don’t have to sin but the reality we do. May be in our journey of sanctification we sin which we don’t have to, but if it happens we have advocates.

Don’t give up in your journey of following Jesus.

(pic) Those who are in training if they fail they don’t give up. We might mess up but we don’t go back to the pit of sin, instead every time we come to the cross there is forgiveness. and our progress by the power of spirit going up.

Because what is tied on the cross is tied on the eternity. Rev. 5:6 the Lamb is still bleeding. The work of cross is tied on the eternity.

Jesus did not quit

Peter quit but what happened God changed him

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The real change is not behavior modification, The real change is spiritual transformation that leads to behavior modification.