Thursday, 17 October 2024
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life].” – 2 Corinthians 5:17 AMP
In any situation where something is new, the expectation is for that thing to be better. Look better, work better, and be better than its former version. The same thing can be said about us who are now in Christ. The Word of GOD says, we are blood washed, cleansed from our old sins and we have become a new creation in Christ, so therefore ALL things have passed away, and behold, we have become new. As bigger and better versions of ourselves, we do the world a great injustice when we continue looking, living, and thinking exactly like our former selves.
One of the reasons why transformational shows on TV do so well, is because as human beings, we genuinely enjoy watching something that was once average, broken, or seen as useless become great again. The process and the final results are what inspire us and give us hope to know that we too can improve as people and become what GOD intended us to be. Now the difference between us Believers and those in the world is that living a visibly transformed life that reflects Christ is an actual expectation and a command from GOD. We are called to not only minister and bring light to others, but to live lives that lead them to Christ and to the light.
“Once your minds were completely in the dark. But now you belong to the LORD. As a result, you have become full of light. So now you must live as people who belong to the light.” – Ephesians 5:8 EASY. The greatest transformation must first take place in the mind. As long as we think and reason like those in the dark, our lives will be subpar and will limit GOD from doing great things in our lives. As kingdom heirs and royals in the Kingdom of GOD, it makes absolutely no sense to live lives that bring shame to Christ and reflect badly on who He says we are. So whether we shrink to accommodate the world and to avoid eyes on us, or we allow ourselves to be great, the world will continue to judge us simply because we are of Christ. They hate us because of HIM, So we might as well choose to be great for HIM and by HIM.
““Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the LORD]; for your light has come, And the glory and brilliance of the LORD has risen upon you. [Zech 8:23]” – Isaiah 60:1 AMP. Only when we truly shine can the glory of GOD be seen upon us, and we find favor in His sight. GOD’s glory attracts both favor with Him and with man, and it is His glory that brings kings to us. The world is always looking for what is different, and nothing stands out better than a beam of light in a dark space. Darkness cannot stand in the presence of light and therefore evil cannot defeat us when we are filled with the Spirit of GOD and reflect Jesus Christ.
“Only when we truly shine can the glory of GOD be seen upon us, and we find favor in His sight.”
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