CRUSHING IT

“Letting God Change Your Mind”
Pastor Doug Heisel – January 7, 2023

An all too common cycle of how we change, but don’t really change:

• Get DISSATISFIED with some area of life.

• DECIDE to do something new or different.

• Expect WILL-POWER to carry you forward.

• Get tired of trying, and REVERT back to old ways.

• REPEAT the cycle again, sometime in the future.

What Scripture teaches us about lasting change …

We are not on our OWN to change.

Significance, positive, and lasting change is not only possible,

it is God’s will and we can depend on God’s POWER.

So there is now no condemnation awaiting those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit–and this power is mine through Christ Jesus–has freed me from the vicious circle of sin and death. …God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son …and destroyed sin’s control over us by giving Himself as a sacrifice for our sins… (portions of Romans chapter 8).

• Some change is INSTANT. (Ex: Forgiveness)
  

• Some change is LIFE-LONG. (Ex: Spiritual growth and learning more about the ways of God)
  

• Some change is a PROCESS— where God creates transformation in how we THINK.
  

Romans 12:2 – Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is.

Old New New

Beliefs Decisions Outcomes

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

New BEHAVIOR,

Requires new BELIEFS.

When God wants to change our behavior,

He begins with our IDENTITY.

Five transformational beliefs about who we are in Christ,

and the positive outcomes they can produce:

1. I am a NEW CREATION.
   I live in the victory, freedom and blessing of God’s will and ways.
   

2. I am a SPIRIT-EMPOWERED AMBASSADOR OF HEAVEN.
   I love, add value, and influence others, because of the abundant overflow God has given me.
   

3. I am a CHILD OF GOD.
   I live emotionally peaceful, grateful and secure, because I see myself the way God sees me.
   

4. I am MORE THAN A CONQUEROR.
   I have all the time, power, and resources to do everything God wants me to do.
   

5. I am a FAITHFUL SERVANT in the house of God.
   I do my part to build Christ’s church and advance His mission.