Transformation is Possible

Transformation is Possible

VISION:  Know God, Grow Healthy, Discover Purpose,, Make a Difference

MOTTO:  (result). Loving God, Loving Life, Loving People

Luke 4:18-19

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captive,  and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.

Hebrews 7:18-27 (GNT) The old rule, then, is set aside, because it was weak and useless. 19 For the Law of Moses could not make anything perfect. And now a better hope has been provided through which we come near to God.  20 In addition, there is also God’s vow. There was no such vow when the others were made priests. 21 But Jesus became a priest by means of a vow when God said to him,  “The Lord has made a solemn promise and will not take it back: ‘You will be a priest forever.’”  22 This difference, then, also makes Jesus the guarantee of a better covenant.  23 There is another difference: there were many of those other priests, because they died and could not continue their work. 24 But Jesus lives on forever, and his work as priest does not pass on to someone else. 25 And so he is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through him, because he lives forever to plead with God for them.  26 Jesus, then, is the High Priest that meets our needs. He is holy; he has no fault or sin in him; he has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens. 27 He is not like other high priests; he does not need to offer sacrifices every day for his own sins first and then for the sins of the people. He offered one sacrifice, once and for all, when he offered himself.

> Our knowledge of good & evil lets us know when something is wrong but that knowledge is never sufficient to fix it. 

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil vs. Tree of Life

Do More. v. Jesus has already done it

Keep Trying to get God’s Approval v. He already loves you

Obey out of Duty (have to) v. Obey out of delight  (I want to)

Galatians 3:24-25 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith

> The transformation process is no longer a work of the law to restrain us on the outside, but rather a work of Holy Spirit on the inside of us.

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect

2 Corinthians 3: 15-18 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.  For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

> Freedom isn’t the absence of something it’s the presence of someone. 

Galatians 5:1. (NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

The 5 Levels of Change

Level 1 – Environment  

> Beliefs often drive behavior and environment, so unless those are addressed, change tends to relapse

Level 2 – Behavior (Actions, Thoughts, Feelings) 

> People try to modify outward behavior, but without inner change it doesn’t last.

Level 3 – Capabilities / Limitations

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ

Thermometer-  tells you the temperature of the room. 

> Their emotional state is determined by the things that are coming at them externally

Thermostat- tells  the room the temperature . 

> Their emotional state is determined by the things that are coming from them internally

> No external person or event controls my level of emotional health or happiness, my response to them does.

Level 4 – Beliefs

> Changing beliefs usually comes from exposure to a new source of truth.

There is a Difference between a thought and belief:

Thought: resident in your mind. 

Belief: Resident in your heart

> INFORMATION WILL CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS,  REVELATION WILL CHANGE WHAT YOU BELIEVE.  

John 8:32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Level 5 – Identity

John 1:12-13 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God

> The day Jesus became your Lord, is the day your journey to your true identity began.

Romans 7:18-25 (NASB)  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

John 14:30 (NASB)  “I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;

> Transformation happens when people embrace their God-given identity.

John 4:13-18   Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.[b] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” 17 The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 

An invitation to change her source