2/26/07

How Can I Be Changed (Part 3)

Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:3-4)

God wants you to be strong. If you have read the first two parts of this series (Part 1 and Part 2), you know that God desires change for your as much as you desire it for yourself. He wants you to live a happy and abundant life. Jesus said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)" In other words, the enemy wants you to be unhappy, but Jesus has come so that you may experience life in all its abundance. So let's start living abundantly!

In order to do that, we must undertake the last part of the 'How Can I Be Changed?' journey: Restoration. You have prayed, you have cried. You have fasted, you have believed. You have rid yourself of many of your past demons and are ready to move on. In a word, you are Exhausted.

But God has already provided a way for you to regain your strength and move on to the next level. King David went through many trials: he was anointed as king by the prophet Samuel, but was hounded mercilessly by King Saul. He was practically a wanderer in the wilderness, hiding out with his army of men, being hunted unto death by King Saul and depending many times on his strong faith in God alone. He knew what it meant to need restoration. He said:
(A psalm by David for the music leader.) You, LORD God, bless everyone who cares for the poor, and you rescue those people in times of trouble.

You protect them and keep them alive. You make them happy here in this land, and you don't hand them over to their enemies.

You always heal them and restore their strength when they are sick. (Psalms 41:1-3(CEV))

Jesus also reassures us that anything that has been 'lost' in this world will be restored. The Bible says, "Jesus answered, "You can be sure that anyone who gives up home or wife or brothers or family or children because of God's kingdom will be given much more in this life. And in the future world they will have eternal life. (Luke 18:29-30) (CEV)"

How do you experience restoration? We find ourselves back at a very well-known verse of scripture. Isaiah 40:31 says:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

About this verse (and the ones preceding it) the Matthew Henry Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible says,
Where God had begun the work of grace, he will perfect it. He will help those who, in humble dependence on him, help themselves. As the day, so shall the strength be... If we go forth in our own strength, we shall faint, and utterly fall; but having our hearts and our hopes in heaven, we shall be carried above all difficulties, and be enabled to lay hold of the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus.
To 'wait upon' means to "look, patiently, tarry, wait." So if we wait on God, He Himself will renew our strength. This is further illustrated in 1Peter 5:10, where it says, "But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." God has promised to strengthen us - it just remains for us to ask.

So wait on God. What does this mean? Linger in His presence. Pray to the Father. Tell Him about your needs. And ask! Jesus said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you...(Matthew 7:7)" Ask God to be healed, renewed and to be refreshed. You will be amazed at the new life, the new vigor and the new strength that will flow through your body once you ask!

Operating on our own power is limited. Operating in God's power is limitless!

So ask God today to complete the process of transformation in your life by renewing your strength and restoring you spiritually. He can and He will do all that is asked of Him in accordance to His will.

God Bless!

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