Working Together with God for Change

Working Together with God for Change

A new year is such a beautiful time to close the past and start anew and to begin working together with God for change!

But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24

If we are stuck in the process of creating our resolutions or goals for this year, we should consider this verse in Ephesians. It outlines a great goal toward becoming more like the God in whose image we are made. Putting off the old self and putting on the new, is not just a goal for the year for us. It is a lifelong process which starts with each one of us!

PUT IT OFF

so we can begin working together with God for change

There is an important point in this verse which seems to be often overlooked. It is up to us to put off the old self. It is our choice and our responsibility.

Have you ever walked into a spider web stretched across your path? Depending on how you feel about spiders, this can be an absolutely terrifying or a simply annoying experience. Either way, there is usually a bit of dancing about, sputtering, spitting and wiggling. It is a dramatic choreography.

We want that sticky, yucky thing off of us. We put it off of us. This is the same thinking we should have when it comes to getting rid of the “old self”.

PUT OFF WHAT?

so we can begin working together with God for change

Putting off our old self, the old you, is not about changing our personality. The verse is specific about what to put off. We are to get rid of deceitful desires. Which begs the question: What is a deceitful desire?

It is not just about lying or telling untruths. Deceitful desires are things which are against the knowledge of God – anything that goes against God’s plan for how He wants us to live. We are to put off certain behaviors which are not good for relationship with each other or with God.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

This verse hits on many of the things we are to put off. It is not possible to do it by ourselves; that is why we have a Comforter and Helper in the Holy Spirit. However, it is very much in our power to choose. It is in the choosing that we put off these things. It is in the choosing not to sin, when we submit to God, and resist the devil. It is in the moment of putting off sin when God rescues us, but we have to choose it.

PUT ON

so we can begin working together with God for change

Now that we have chosen to put off the sinful nature; then what do we put on? Gratefully, we have a guide book for that too!

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things. Philippians 4:8

We control our thoughts. ALL behavior starts with a thought. We measure our thoughts, take captive any unruly thought, and steer our thoughts toward those things on which God would have us focus.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23

We have a Helper to aid us in producing the character and behavior which is pleasing to God. Help is available to us.

Take a look at the resolutions and goals you have set. Are they pushing your character and behavior toward the fruit of the spirit? Prayerfully reconsider your year in the light of putting off deceitful desires and putting on the fruit of the spirit.

Ready to put on and put off? Great! Share your insights! After all, we are on this same journey and all need a helping hand, a godly perspective, a listening ear, and much more.