Rich Gifts: Change

For the last few months, God has continually impressed the thought in my mind and heart that it's time to Change the Culture. It's time to stop yielding, adapting, and accommodating this world and start making changes that will last. How do we do that? First we need to recognize that change does not occur overnight or in one fell swoop. So how does change occur?

1. Change begins in the mind of an individual. As Christians we are to have the mind of Christ. We should consult God in everything. No thought is too small or insignificant to take to God for His perspective. We need to question our own views and search out scripture for sound biblical reasons for our views. Don't search to prove your own view correct but search for the Truth and ask God to reveal it. Keep at it until you know, that you know, that you know, that God has revealed it, and that you have a sound biblical basis for it. If you have a doubt about it later on, bring it back to Him again and ask Him to confirm again that you understand His perspective.

2 Corinthians 10:5
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. - NIV (emphasis mine)

Casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, - NKJV (emphasis mine)

The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. - MSG (emphasis mine)

2. Change occurs over a period of time but only when an action is applied. Change does not occur when there is no action. If change begins in the mind of an individual then the action must also begin with the individual. When we find those views that don't agree with God's perspective, and we will find some, we need to change our view and how it is lived out in our life, and adopt His perspective. Not doing so is a choice to conform to this world instead of the likeness of Christ.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Romans 12:2

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son... Romans 8:29

3. Change will have opposition. Change does not occur without resistance to the opposition, and at times, a battle. The battle will affect the individual. It will likely begin in the mind with doubts, or justifications for not applying the change to our own lives. This is another reason it is so important to place every thought under the authority of Jesus Christ.

The battle is spiritual but plays itself out in the physical aspects of our lives. When we take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, we gain a victory. Many of the doubts and discouraging thoughts that play through our minds are the whisperings of the enemy. If he can make you doubt God then he will render you ineffective. When you have thoughts like this, verbalize that you are taking that thought captive and making it obedient to Jesus Christ. In doing this you are resisting the devil and letting him know it. The enemy has no power over a child of God and must flee when you resist whether the battle is in the mind or obstacles that he is placing in your path.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

Trying to resist the devil without submitting yourself to God is not only ineffective, but it is also dangerous. It is only by the Power of Jesus Christ that we can resist the devil. It is only by submitting to God that we have the Power of Christ. It is only by applying that Power, that we can change the culture. But we can change it through the Power of Christ.

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:9-10

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26 NLT

I will be discussing this in more posts throughout the month and beyond as God leads. I would like to invite you to join me in seeking God's guidance and favor in purposefully changing this culture.