We are doing a 21 Day Change Your Life Challenge . One of the words we are focusing on is temperance . Temperance has to do with self - control and
self - control has to do with being a bondservant . A bondservant gives themselves over to someone else to be led . You have to know that you ’ re going to be a slave to something . You ’ re either going to obey God or obey the devil and your actions will demonstrate your choice . However , Romans 6 : 18 says that first we were slaves to sin , but now we are slaves to righteousness . The truth is that you ’ re being strengthened and you ’ re growing . As your knowledge increases and as more light enters you , you begin to shed off all darkness and begin to obey the Lord . Some people want to know how is it that I can obey at these times and not at other times ? Let ’ s check out Ezekiel 36 : 25 - 27 . God desires to cleanse you from all your filthiness and all your idols . He wants to take out of you your stony heart and give you a new heart , but sometimes we haven ’ t recognized that we need a new heart . The fruit that is coming from you , is coming from the heart you have now . A hard heart is in opposition to the things of God , so we want to receive a new heart and be infused with the heart of God . If you read on , you ’ ll see that God also wants to give you a new spirit , His spirit . You need to have the Holy Spirit . When you have the Holy Spirit , you take on the nature of God , you carry the fruit of the spirit , and you want to do right and align yourself with the things of God . You then have a nature of love and kindness . The spirit of God also transforms your character . So if you find yourself having a hard time , ask yourself ... Am I filled with the Holy Spirit ? Is He in control in my life ? Has he overtaken me ? Do a self - check . Let ’ s go back to the heart . God says He will take out of you the stony heart and give you a heart of flesh . This heart allows you to feel for others like your neighbor , your spouse , your children . Things may not happen to you , but you have compassion for them . This is a heart of flesh . God says He will give you a heart of flesh , then He will give you a new spirit . This is key because God can ’ t put His spirit within you until He gives you a new heart ! Sometimes you ask yourself “ Why can ’ t I do right ? Why can ’ t I forgive ? Why can ’ t I walk in love ? Why can ’ t I be faithful ? Why can ’ t I stop doing these things ? Why do I keep going back to this ?” It ’ s because you need a new spirit and that stony heart is
doing what it wants to do . Once you have a new spirit , it causes you to walk in His statutes . Think about it … The Peter that walked with Jesus is not the same Peter that was healing people with his shadow ! Peter walked and talked with Jesus for years and heard many teachings from Jesus , but it wasn ’ t until Jesus returned , demonstrated love to Peter even after his fall and asked him to get back in purpose that Peter truly transformed and began to walk in the character and nature of Jesus . I prophesy that today you will have an understanding and a desire to take on the nature of Jesus . And once you take on the nature of Jesus and the love , the kindness , and the fruit of the spirit , that you will begin to go out and do powerful things in the mighty name of Jesus !
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