The Key to change - Apostle Joseph Simwela
11m | May 21, 2023*The Key to change*
*Text*
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
*Colossians 3:9-10 (NKJV)*
The key to change is determined by a dual off/on switch - you must put off two things, the old man and its deeds - , that is - the evil spirit and the bad character he brought. Then you must put on the new man and His character, the good deeds of the Holy Spirit.
Many are the same today, even after receiving Jesus because the new man was allowed to occupy the old wine skin.
*Text*
No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. 17 Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”
*Matthew 9:16-17 (NKJV)*
The Bible is clearly stating to us that we must not play around with the Holy Spirit - if we invite Him, we must make sure to forsake all bad character and cloth ourselves with His nature.
If we still accommodate a bad character in our life, the scripture points to us that the worse can happen - meaning that it would have been better being ignorant of the Lord than knowing his path and choose not to walk in it.
*Text*
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
*2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV)*
It is good to be sure with what we are doing, we cannot deceive God - no one saves two masters. Better to be in the old state than to invite the Holy Spirit and forsake Him through our deeds, behavior and character.
The reason many of us don't change is because we maintain the same behavior that brought a problem
Even if God delivers us, heals us - but if we still maintain the same character that brought the evil spirit, it means the evil spirit will still get attracted and continue facing the same problems.
Actually, the Bible says the problem will be worse because the evil spirit will now invite other spirits to torment your life.
The old man returns with more devastating powers should you still show the character he brought - he follows his fruit.
*Text*
When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.
44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.
45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.
*Matthew 12:43-45 (NKJV)*
_When he finds it empty_ , why empty? - it means the Holy Spirit that replaced him has left the house for not being offered deeds and character He desires and no house or heart must remain empty, one will host either the Holy Spirit or an evil Spirit.
A new birth or having the Holy Spirit is not enough but the conducive environment of the Holy Spirit - your deeds.
*Text*
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
*Colossians 2:6 (NKJV)*
Do not just receive Jesus, you must as well decide to start walking in Him.
To walk in Jesus means showing forth the character of Jesus - we must partake both his Spirit and the behaviour that comes with Him.
The Holy Spirit requires a new way of doing things - your character and behavior must change to suit Him.
The Holy Spirit may not desire the songs you used to listen and watch, may not desire the movies and TV channels you used to watch.
Do not stick to the fruits the evil one left, your biggest assignment once you receive Jesus is to uproot the behaviour in you the evil spirit has left.
You cannot have both the Holy Spirit and the character of the evil one in one place - if not uprooted, it will mean the Holy Spirit leaving and the evil one coming with more power to reinforce the bad character he left.
True change follows a change in behavior.
Even if one receives Jesus but if the Holy Spirit resides in the same environment that nurtured the evil Spirit, then change is only temporary.
*I pray for you, may the good Lord grant you the desire to not only have Him - but also to walk in Him, in Jesus mighty name!*
