a spiritual makeover

​Reflect on your past year
How well did you do in each of the following areas?

1. Very well?
2. Not so well?
3. Why? What were the challenges?

 

• Prayer
• Giving
• Honesty
• Speech
• Bible study
• Obedience
• Health
• Work
• Love
• Witness
• Surrender
• Recreation
• Forgiveness
• Worship
• Faith
• Living

 
What did you see God do this year?

• In you?
• Through you?
• Around you?

 
Inventory Results

• Are we contented with the results?
• Are there things we need to put on the trash heap?
• Are there things we need to improve?

Are there new things we need to take up?
 
Your Purpose
Has God been speaking to you about your purpose? (Each of us has a purpose)

• New ministry
• Doing your old ministry a new way
• Submitting your life to Christ
• Resubmitting your life to Christ
• Commitment to your calling or gifting

 
What has been your response?

• Yes Lord! Send me!
• Or have you been hesitant?
  • Not enough time
  • Not enough money
  • Not qualified
  • Do not know the Bible enough
  • Fearful

 
A New Thing

• We are in the first quarter of a new year
• God wants to do a new thing in us for 2021
• We must be willing to stand in Him
  • be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

• He wants to give us a Spiritual makeover

 
A Spiritual Makeover

• To get to our purpose we must be like Mary and not Martha

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”         (Luke 10:41-42, NIV)

• We must focus – we must be deliberate
• We must rely on God
• We must:

“put on the full armour of God” (Ephesians 6:11, NIV)
 
Note: We must put on the FULL armour
 
Why do we need to put on the full armour of God?
 
Wear God’s armor so that you can fight against the devil’s clever tricks. 12 Our fight is not against people on earth. We are fighting against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world’s darkness. We are fighting against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly places. 13 That is why you need to get God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil, you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing. (Ephesians 6:11b-13, ERV)
 
A Spiritual Makeover
The real battle is not against humans. It is against the devil and his army. Our problems – financial, relationship, health, our children’s behaviour, finding time to pray, to attend church, Bible Study, etc. are the evidence of this battle. To win we must focus and not be distracted by our senses. It is spiritual and we must fight spiritually. Our Spiritual Makeover will prepare us for battle. We must clothe ourselves each day with the Armour of God.
 
The Armour of God
Belt of Truth

• Seek after the truth which is found in God almighty
• Be honest, speak the truth at all times and do not deceive people.

Breastplate of righteousness

• Do those things that God says are right
• Allow God to guide your conscience and to direct your actions

Shoes – Preparation of the Gospel of Peace

• Be ready to tell others about the “Good News”
• If we believe that Jesus is Lord and have saved us from our sins, we will have peace within

Shield of Faith

• Trust God
  • to provide all you will need
    •  for your mission
    • your personal needs
  • to keep you safe from all evil

Helmet of Salvation

• To be covered and protected by God we must submit our lives to Him.
• Our belief in Jesus and the hope it brings will keep our minds safe from the control of the devil.

Sword of the Spirit

• Read your Bible daily and allow the words to
  • penetrate your heart
  • guide your life
• Study them and use them to defeat the devil when he tempts you to do wrong.

Praying in the Spirit Always

• Pray from the heart
• We must pray for
  • Ourselves
  • Our families
  • Friends
  • Our national leaders
  • Our Church family
    • Especially our Church leaders – they will speak without fear
  • Others

 
The Reward

• We will be triumphant over the devil
• Enjoy peace on earth
• As joint heirs with Jesus we will enjoy everlasting life with Him sharing in His inheritance

 
Your Response
I have purposed in my heart to deliberately take on the full armour of God in 2021
Like Joshua I am asking you to make a choice now:

• Will you accept God’s makeover or are you going to continue with the same old same old?

 
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If you have been touched and would like to further discuss this Spiritual Makeover with me fill out the form below and I will get back to you.

Photo by ​Caique Silva on Unsplash