Isaiah 55:7
“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”

Change is at the heart of the gospel. We are all born into a fallen nature, following the path of Adam after the fall. If we refuse to change and walk according to the will of God, all our efforts to seek God and enjoy His goodness will ultimately be in vain.

Some ways seem right, but their end is destruction.

Everyone desires change, but not everyone is willing to change their ways. Many want to move from the valley to the mountaintop, but they are unwilling to change the character and habits that brought them into the valley.

They want to move from failure to success, but they are not prepared to abandon the attitudes and practices that produce failure.

We want to move from mediocrity to a higher level. We are tired of the valley and desire the mountaintop. But how can we get there if we are unwilling to take the bold steps necessary to change our situation?

The consequences of their own actions imprison many. They desire freedom; they want to move from the prison to the palace and take their position in Christ, but how can they get there if they refuse to remove the garment of the prisoner and put on the garment of a prince or princess?

The reason many people go to church and attend different programmes is that they are tired of their present condition. That is human nature on display. But are we truly tired enough to forsake the character and habits that have brought us to the lowest places in life?

The messages of Jesus Christ and the prophets call for change. No one can genuinely receive a message from the throne of God without being confronted with the need for a change of heart and character.

We must change from foolishness to wisdom, from wickedness to righteousness, and from the nature of Adam to the nature of Christ. When the message of salvation is applied to our lives, God begins His transforming work in us.

Change is what transfers us from the consequences of the Adamic nature into the blessings associated with the life of faith. Those who insist on remaining in the image and nature of Adam cannot fully experience the transformation that comes through Christ.

Blessing awaits those who allow God to change their nature into the nature of Christ. You cannot remain in Egypt and expect to experience the blessings of the Promised Land. Neither can you remain on the other side of the sea and enjoy the rest and inheritance prepared for God’s people.

The message of repentance is a message of transformation. It calls us to turn away from the nature inherited from Adam and to be conformed to the image of Christ. No one can continue like Adam and expect to partake fully in the kingdom of God.

The cross is the instrument of change. It has the power to transform the most wicked sinner into a saint and the most terrible character into a gentle and godly person.

No one can transform himself by human strength alone. The flesh often leads us to do what we do not want to do. But through the power of the cross, God transforms us into the image of His Son.

This is where spiritual circumcision takes place. The old nature is dealt with as a sign of our covenant relationship with God, who alone has the power to transform man.

You cannot remain in your old nature and expect to enjoy the benefits of salvation. It is through righteousness by faith that our lives are transformed and brought into the blessings God has promised.

Change means that the wicked forsakes his ways. Some are trapped in adultery and fornication. If they refuse to change, the consequences associated with those sins will remain, regardless of how many prayers or deliverance programmes they attend.

The problems and consequences associated with sinful practices such as masturbation will not disappear while a person continues to deliberately engage in them. Every sinful action carries consequences.

There are consequences attached to the Adamic nature of rebellion. Unless there is genuine repentance, the effects of sin can continue to influence one’s life and affect generations yet unborn.

The call of redemption is a call to change. To be redeemed is to be transformed, and to repent is to turn away from ways that are contrary to the will of God.

All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Sin takes from our lives and adds to our afflictions. Unless there is a genuine change of heart, the consequences of the fallen nature will continue to take their course.

You cannot continue to enjoy the pleasures of sin and expect to experience the fullness of God’s goodness. Change your ways!

You cannot remain trapped in self-indulgence and expect God to transform your life while you deliberately continue in sinful practices. You cannot continue in what is contrary to God’s will and expect Him to change your misery into miracles. If you refuse to change, you cannot demand a different outcome.

Let the wicked forsake his ways. Let go and let God. Change!

God is not mocked. Whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap. You will reap what you sow. Therefore, do not continue in what God is calling you to abandon. Do not take the mercy of God for granted.

Your fasting and prayers are not meant to change God. They are meant to align you with His will and to allow Him to change your nature to meet His divine standard.

The gospel is a call to change. Do not only ask God to change your circumstances. Allow Him to change you.

Prayer: Father lord, take me from the valley of failure to the mountain top of success, in Jesus’ name, amen.