Out with the Old, In with the New

Ephesians 4:24 “And to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness”.

We know that it has been said that we cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to what happens to us. And that is true. We can’t control a lot of things in this world but knowing what we can control is crucial to how we live. Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 5:7 to, “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump”. Thank God for new lumps!

But in Christ, we are new creatures, made new by the Word of God, the renewing of our mind, and by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. So, one of the things this means is that when things happen to us that are out of our control, we don’t have to respond like we used to before we were made new. We can respond as no longer the victims of old habits and behaviors that usually made things worse, but act in new ways according to the new life in us aligned with God’s Word!

I believe everyone has what I call Negative Patterns of Behavior. These are responses we have learned and over time to certain situations that really didn’t solve any problems but in fact made things worse. Some of these habits could be walking away when we should be staying, being silent when we should be speaking and listening, running away rather than facing a situation, allowing our anger to take over hurting and causing fear in others, allowing depression to shut us down and live as a perpetual victim, physically harming someone, being intimidating, or so easily falling into arguing and strife.These patterns of behavior never work but just make things worse.

But as we put on the new man in the likeness of Christ in righteousness and holiness, we now respond differently. We are no longer controlled by past self defeating behaviors but now are made new and respond according to God’s Word empowered by God’s Holy Spirit… and that’s where the victory is! We can respond with patience, understanding, staying power, not looking for a fight, in humility, sacrificial love and walking in the power and light of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24)

Let our prayer be today for God to change us and work deep in us. That the Holy Spirit would fill us and cause us to be made new in the likeness of God… walking in righteousness and living holy. It’s ok to pray to be a new “lump”… the old lump will never do!