Do people change? Is Hannah correct when she vehemently declared of her husband, “You will never change!”?
If you look at this through the eyes of the world, no, they don’t change. But if you are a Christian, to believe that someone cannot change is to make God a liar- which He is not
Let’s examine Benjamin Hudson. He is intelligent, respectful, level headed and could be considered a man of integrity. As you watch him perform at his job as the manager of a large food store chain, you would be amazed and immediately impressed by his ability to solve the myriad of problems that crowd his day. He was voted top manager and awarded one of the Store Manager Awards, 5 years in a row. He is a father of two beautiful children and the husband of Julie, a mathematics professor at the state’s top university.
Yet, get a glimpse of Mr. Top Award Benjamin Hudson every holiday and on his birthday and you wonder, “Whaaat?! Is this the same man?!! Last Labor Day, Julie had to pick him up out of the gutter down the street- yes, literally pick him up. He had drunk so much of his favorite drinks, that he had made a big splash as he crashed his motorcycle into the large gutter running along the sawmill outside of their neighborhood. Do you think he was thankful that she rescued him and was able to keep him from a DUI? No. He used such foul language to his wife and so threatened her life, that she was glad that the children were spending the night over at her mom.
What had changed him? Spirits. Vodka followed by whiskey, shots of tequila with the bar patrons, and back to vodka. Spirits. He was changed by spirits. That’s what alcohol is called. Interestingly, no one really knows for sure why it is so called. One curious theory is that al-ghawl is the origin of the English word “ghoul” which is another word for spirit (Drinking in America, drinkinginamerica.com). Another theory, this blog states, is that monks in the 12th century believed that the spirit was removed from the distilling process. Whatever the reason, Benjamin was changed by spirits.
Was the change lasting? No. the next day, albeit a horrible hangover and a few bruises, he was back to his old self, except more regretful and full of promises and good intentions to do better, until the next convenient day comes along.
Not so with God. When you partake of His Spirit, you are changed. Forever transformed. A new person.
Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. –2 Corinthians 5:17
Just as a woman is changed forever at conception the moment sperm penetrates her egg, so is the one who is born again from heaven. This happens at the moment of believing and receiving the provision of Jesus blood sacrifice which God made to reconcile man back to Him. The born again person becomes impregnated with the Spirit of the living God. He or she is forever sealed as God’s by the down payment of the Holy Spirit’s occupation in the human spirit of the born-again believer.
Just as a new lifestyle and the symbol of the ring on the finger shows that someone is married, so we signify to the world that we are renewed, reborn from heaven by the symbol of water baptism- we go under the water declaring that in Christ we are dead to our old man of sin; and we rise up out of the water to show that we are alive in Christ to the new man regenerated and empowered by the Holy Spirit of God.
We are changed by the blood of Christ, reconciled by God to Himself by Jesus Christ, His Spirit living in us. Changed. Glorious remade. Forever.
So why do we insist that we, our husband, our kids, the boss, the wickedest sinner, can never change?
Unbelief. Lazy and careless attention to God’s word- just watch how you ignore the deliberate Biblical references in this blog that are inspired by the Holy Ghost to disciple and inform and empower you!
Desire to do what the flesh wants, what this Satan led world dictates we should want, more than the desire to please the One who proved He is worthy of our allegiance and trust by dying for us. Just watch how the saved leader, instead of choosing God’s command to abstain from fornication and adultery and all manner of perversion, chooses to stain, damage and hurt the people he should love by choosing his flesh, his feeling to have sex with others but his spouse.
- Weakness due to our ignorance (Hosea 4:6) of His word in which He give us His command to consume, meditate on it, observe it and pass it on to our children so they can also grow strong in Him and fulfill their destiny He purposed for them before the foundation of the world (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Joshua 1:8, Matthew 12:29, John 14:15, 23; Ephesians 6:4). Just watch how too many of our children who claim to go to church behave at school- disrespecting the teacher, lying, bullying weaker ones, singing abominable songs- that glorify rebellion, fornication, violence and pervasion- and doing all sorts of perverse dances, stealing and not doing the work assigned.
Though born again in the spirit, our souls- minds, will, emotions- are unholy, clogged up, defiled by old memories of experiences and thoughts that exalt themselves against the high knowledge of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). So we see through the eyes of the world and of our past, instead of through the lens our glorious God who declares that we are His ambassadors! (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). An ambassador is highly trained to represent the country or king or system he or she pledges allegiance to. An ambassador, therefore, knows the deep needs of the one he or she represents.
That’s why God commands that we renew our minds through a systematic study and meditation of His truths.
And be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God. –Romans 12:2
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, or reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. –2 Timothy 3:16-17
Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the truth. –2 Timothy 2:15
This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; but you shall mediate therein day and night that you should observe to do all that is written there in. Then… –Joshua 1:8
The more we get to know the God we serve, the God of whom we are ambassadors, the more we will get to know human beings and how God works in them to change them because of His love.
Then we know that we can pray for changes in ourselves and those we love and those He desires us to pray for. And we know that we can expect to see those changes, no matter what it looked like in the past behaviors, looks like in the present behaviors, or what the behaviors promise to look like in the future! Our God said that He will save ALL those who call on Him! Our God said that it is His desire to save ALL who call on Him. Our God declares that anyone who calls on Him He will in no wise cast out!
So who should we believe? The lies of the Satan, creator of lies, driven by our un-renewed minds, or our Glorious God who is Truth, who died to prove His love for us?
God’s word is true. He stands by His word to perform it. He loves His children and will answer their prayers to save souls. He will answer prayers that are birthed by His own heart of love for the people He died for.
So we may boldly believe. Boldly come before His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) and expectantly look for His answers. We can believe that the effectual, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much- He says that we are His righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 21). We can believe that it is His desire, just as His word says, for all to come to repentance. We can believe that we have His authority to bind the devil long enough off of our loved ones so that they could hear His voice, before they turn back to their ways, not yet ready for the change. But, we can believe that each prayer we pray is shaping and forming circumstances and situations that will bring them to a place where they can hear His call and answer it. We can believe that every time we pray and bind that it is bound in heaven. We can believe that we have authority to loose God’s goodness that leads to repentance on our loved ones, and loose His angels to watch over and minister to them, and it will be loosed in heaven.
We can believe and decree and declare, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord! We can believe and call those things that are not as though they were, calling our loved ones- and those around us that get on our last nerve- saved, changed, ready for eternity with God!
But how can we operate in belief, faith, on what we do not know? How can we believe what we are not trying to know because we are too lazy and ignorant to find out? Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word (Romans 10:10). Sadly our faith is in anything but God’s truths.
It’s time. Time for us to stop choosing man’s wisdom, Satan’s wisdom and the flesh’s desires over what, “thus says the Lord!” It’s time. Time to believe that greater in us, than the devil and his minions out there, is our God, who is the Word, who is Christ in the flesh, who is truth, who is present in us as the Holy Spirit to empower us, who cannot lie, who sent us into the world, not just to be saved, but to lead others to Him- His hands, His voice, His feet, ambassadors, to reconcile the world to Him. To see them changed. Living out the abundant life which He paid with His precious blood for us to live.
Yes, through our Lord Jesus Christ, King of kings, Lord of lords, Soon Coming King, someone can change. Covered by His precious, priceless blood. Empowered by His Holy Spirit. Renewed by His word. Forever. Changed. Become like Him. He said it. It’s true. It’s time we believed.