God's Process & Path to Change

God’s Process and Path to Change

Intro

God has been doing some cool stuff in our people’s hearts and lives recently.  Whether it is in the in-depth open times of discussion on Sunday nights during Cell groups or Jesus dealing with their hearts on Wednesday nights during Forerunner’s service.  There is a desire building to truly know and serve the Lord, to be done with the crap in our lives that we have allowed and truly embrace Him.  That is awesome.  But there are challenges ahead.  If you want to live like a champion, there will be a price to pay and obstacles to overcome…but I have no doubt that you can do it.  Tonight is kind of a “How to” talk.  While God’s way of dealing with people is always unique to that person, there are things that are the same no matter who it is.  There is a process and a pathway that God leads us on that He shows us in His Word.  Going to look at a few.

Faithfulness leads to greatness

When God touches lives it is an awesome sight. 

People are all fired up and ready to charge the gates of Hell with a squirt gun if they have to.

And there is nothing wrong with that, in fact, I wish more Christians learned to hang onto that passion as they grew in knowledge and experience. 

But too often people want the blessings of God, but are not willing to pay the price.

They want to be used by God to blow up the devil’s kingdom, but they haven’t learned how to be faithful at church, they haven’t learned how to have daily discipline in spending time with Jesus, they haven’t learned to spend more than 5 minutes in prayer, they haven’t learned how to stay in service without going to the bathroom…  J

I am not saying that you have to be perfect for God to use you.  As a matter of fact God begins to use you immediately after entering into relationship with Him, even though people are still rough around the edges.  But the deeper things of God, the ones that will touch not only the people around you but the nations, come only with time and faithfulness and obedience to the Holy Spirit. 

Matthew 25:21(NLT) "The master was full of praise. ‘ Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together! ’"

He will not compromise or work out “deals” with you.

He will never share the throne of your heart.

Philippians 1:21(NLT) "For to me, living is for Christ, and dying is even better."

He’s either Lord of all, or not Lord at all.

He will make you succeed through your failures

Confidence in God’s process not your own performance. 

Philippians 1:6(NLT) "And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again."

The Lord began this work in you, purposely and specifically. 

It was not some random occurrence. 

It was not simply that one day you felt something that was cast out like a fishing line and you happened to be the fish that grabbed it;  He called your name. 

He singled you out to do what He has uniquely called you to do.

Ephesians 2: 10(NCV) "God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing."

Go ahead and expect failure, but expect growth through failures and expect that God is at work through you and that failures will not last, but God in you, will.

What is the secret to truly changing on the inside?  It is a confidence or at least the hope that Jesus is working on you. 

Don’t focus on performance or upon outward expression.  God doesn’t…

1 Samuel 16:7(NLT) "But the Lord said to Samuel, “…The Lord doesn’t make decisions the way you do! People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at a person’s thoughts and intentions.”"

Why doesn’t’ the Lord grade upon performance?

Because He knows that if you can make things right on the inside of someone, then eventually the outside will conform.

Romans 5:1-4(NLT) "Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation."