THE KEY TO CHANGE

Leon FontaineDevoted

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. Colossians 3:10 (NLT)

Trying harder is not the key to change. The key to change lies with your identity in Christ.

Most of us want to improve. We know there are times when we could have made better choices in life. We want to avoid making the same mistakes again so we try hard to change. The problem with this approach is that we think we need to change who we are. In reality, we don’t. We just need to realize who we are.

We have to choose to take God at His Word. What does God’s Word say? In Jesus, you are God’s child (1 John 3:1, Galatians 3:26 and 4:6–7, and Romans 8:14-15). You are Jesus’ friend (John 15:15). You are a citizen of Heaven and are seated in heavenly places (Philippians 3:20 and Ephesians 2:6). You’re also an overcomer and more than a conqueror (1 John 5:4, Romans 8:37). You are loved (John 3:16, Romans 5:8), forgiven (1 John 1:9), strengthened (Philippians 4:13) and full of power, love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7, Acts 1:8). Colossians 3:10 says that you put on these characteristics “as you learn to know your Creator and become like him” (NLT).

I challenge you to meditate on the verses I’ve mentioned today. As you study all that you are in Christ and it becomes a part of what you believe about yourself, you will drown out old habits. Your confidence in the power that Holy Spirit gives you will increase, and you’ll develop a solid belief that you can overcome anything that comes your way.