2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold,
the new has come.”
Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and a new mind. I will take away your stubborn heart of stone and give you an obedient heart.”
Ephesians 1:18-21 “I ask that your minds may be opened to see his light, so that you will know what is the hope to which he has called you, how rich are the wonderful blessings he promises his people, 19and how very great is his power at work in us who believe. This power working in us is the same as the mighty strength 20 which he used when he raised Christ from death and seated him at his right side in the heavenly world.”
The Bible shares multiple examples of God’s ability to radically change people. The Apostle Paul goes from persecuting Christians to a zealous follower of Jesus who teaches and preaches how others can become one! Zacchaeus, the dishonest tax collector, compensates those he has cheated and becomes a supporter of the poor! Cowardly, stuttering Moses, who ran away to hide from the Egyptians, becomes the powerful leader of the Israelites and leads them out of Egypt!
Do you know anyone in your own life who has been radically changed by the power of God? Over the years God has given me examples in every church we have served! Bryan, whose mother prayed he wouldn’t end up in reform school, went from doing drugs and picking fights to earning a doctorate in divinity and preaching the Gospel in multiple churches across central Pennsylvania. Charlie, who began drinking at age nine and ended up in jail after a shootout with the state police, came to know Jesus as his “Higher Power” and now leads AA meetings and sponsors others who are trying to kick the habit. Donna, was self-centered, rude, and arrogant as a young woman, has become a humble, Christ-centered encourager to over 500 people through her posts on Facebook.
The three verses from Scripture at the beginning of this post aren’t just words! They are truth! God CAN and DOES change people, beginning in their hearts. I have seen Him at work in my own life and in the lives of so many others!
And it’s not just a one-time deal! Once we start walking with Jesus, He begins, and continues, to transform us into a new person by changing the way we think. (Romans 12:2)
Do you need radical change in your life? God’s power, the same awesome power that raised Jesus from the dead, is available to you! Just ask Him!
Be encouraged!
