A Call to Change
Text:
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Subject: Change
Central Theme: A Call to Change
The time has come for change. There is a demand for change. The world is in such a mess that it is crying for change. As it is in the natural so it is in the spiritual. The Church is crying for change.
There must be more to church than what has taken place the past years of our lives. Being saved is not enough. God has more in mind for the church. The people of God are getting out of there beds on Sunday morning (etc.) for purpose. A purpose that they long to see fulfilled. It is time for more. God has more! It is time to change.
The change that we speak of has been divinely ordered by God since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. The changed has been prophesied in the Old Testament and has been fulfilled in the New Testament. Our solution has been both decreed and declared by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. It is not a new revelation. Just an ignored revelation.
The body of Christ cannot change until the Five-fold ministry leaders change. Jesus asked, do you love me? If so, feed my sheep. For the people to change we must study the word of God from Genesis to Revelation. We must know the Holy Spirit intimately and personally. We must know how to yield to the Holy Spirit and how to cooperate with Him. And we must be willing to obey the Holy Spirit.
We must surrender our spirit, mind, will, emotions, and bodies to the Holy Spirit so that He can do something to us and then something through us. We must be willing to operate in His mind, His will, and His emotions. We must be baptized in the Spirit. We must agree with His word, receive His word, and apply His word to our lives so that our minds can be renewed by His word.
The Word of God informs us of the following life changing principals that will undo every thing that the enemy has done, out do ever thing that the enemy has done, and over do every thing that the enemy has done.
I. The first Adam and the Last Adam
Genesis 1:26-28 (KJV)
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
II. Death
Romans 5:12-21 (KJV)
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Genesis 2:7 (KJV)
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
III. The Last Adam
1 Corinthians 15:45 (KJV)
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
Matthew 1:18-25 (KJV)
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. 20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. 21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. 22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. 24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.
IV. The Veil of the Temple
Exodus 26:33 (KJV)
33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
Matthew 27:51 (KJV)
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
Conclusion
We have been repositioned.
· The Kingdom of God vs. the kingdom of darkness
· Righteousness vs. unrighteousness
· Holiness vs. unholiness
We must see our selves the way God sees us and understand the truth that makes us free.