For sin to be resolved, sin must first be identified. That has been our focus for the past few weeks. We’ll never be able to deal with sin in our lives unless we are first willing to allow sin to be identified.
And since we are so good at justifying behavior and making excuses, we need God’s help for that to happen. We need his Word to tell us the truth. We need fellow believers to hold us accountable. We need to be sensitive to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.
The truth is I won’t become the person God is calling me to be on my own. But Philippians 4:13 offers this promise: “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
God can deal with our pride, our impatience, our critical attitudes and our judgmental spirit as we depend on his spirit to do his transforming work in our lives. This is a journey that will bear lasting fruit in our lives. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.
I hope you see the value in allowing God to work in your life on this level. Please don’t ever give up on the decision to keep in step with his spirit. You can learn to daily depend on the leading of his spirit. You can trust him.
We begin by surrendering our lives to him. Then we walk with him each and every day allowing the spirit of God to guide us on this new path.
There are so many things he uses to refine in us the image of Christ. He works through people. He works through his Word. He works through our conscience, those defining moments that come into our lives.
He’ll use practical teaching, private disciplines and even personal ministry to grow us up spiritually. He has a vast array of resources at his disposal as he seeks to accomplish his transforming work.
God can and will use those providential relationships, our past experiences and the pivotal circumstances in our lives. He works through all of the situations and circumstances that come our way,both the good and the bad.
In Romans 8:28, we are told, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
This verse is not just about how God uses circumstances. This is about spiritual transformation. God is at work in us and through our circumstances to make us more like Jesus.
You may read Steve Greene’s blog at pastorgreene.wordpress.com or you can email him at [email protected].
