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Lesson 30 Restoration by Transformation. None of us have the power within ourselves to permanently overcome life-controlling habits. Some people are strong emotionally and have a measure of fortitude to control certain desires, but in the end the flesh will win.
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Lesson 30Restoration by Transformation None of us have the power within ourselves to permanently overcome life-controlling habits.
Some people are strong emotionally and have a measure of fortitude to control certain desires, but in the end the flesh will win.
Transformation is a process of permanent outward change that takes place over time, originating from a supernatural change in man’s heart by God.
The only way to be transformed by the renewing of our mind is through a supernatural work of God on the inside of a person, otherwise we only have what we can do for ourselves, and this is far too little.
2Corinthians 5:17-18 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;”
When a person accepts Jesus Christ as Saviour, and they receive a new nature, this does not mean they no longer struggle with desires of the flesh; it is quite the contrary.
Because we now have two natures, there is a tremendous struggle that takes place between our old nature and our new nature. The nature that wins the struggle is the nature we feed or allow to have control.
If we want the new man to win the struggles, we must give the new man what he needs to win.
Galatians 6:7-8 says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Galatians 5:16 gives us the final answer to the question of how to have the mind of Christ and live a pure life. “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
In Romans chapter seven God uses Paul the Apostle’s own struggles to demonstrate just how powerful our flesh is.
Paul gives us the key to deliverance. He says, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” We see here that deliverance comes through Jesus Christ.
When Christ is Lord of our life, we have the power to overcome the desires of the flesh. The problem with the addict is that they are in control instead of Christ. Yielding to Jesus Christ is the key to deliverance from addictions.
We see in Galatians 5:22-25 that the spiritual person exhibits one fruit of the Spirit that contains nine graces, which are signs of a spiritual life.
The spirit of meekness comes from a heart that is humble and one that recognizes that man is but dust.
Humility declares dependency on God and enables the Christian worker effectively help the addict by restoring them to God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Counsel and restoration go hand-in-hand, but restoration is postponed or stifled when we fall into the trap of prolonged counseling sessions.
The correct response to counsel and counseling is to provide the addict with advice from God’s Word and let the addict know in clear and certain terms that they are expected to follow that advice.
It is the Word of God that changes the heart of men, and therefore, their actions, not our ideas and formulas.
