One day someone thanked me for my “positivity”. Rest assured by nature I have always been one of the most negative, complaining, self-centered, self-pitying people imaginable. But when we turn from our sins, believe Jesus Christ is Lord and in His death and resurrection, truly surrendering and devoting our lives to God and His ways, we are born again spiritually and become a “new creation.” God then begins His work on us as He transforms us into the men and women of God He created us to be. We are to renew our minds by studying the Bible, and the Lord by His Spirit through the Bible conforms us to Himself.
Please consider these verses and then please read on.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 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 12:1-2
As we learn to deny self, take up our crosses, and follow Jesus day by day (Luke 9:23), we die to our flesh and the Spirit of Christ lives in and through us. Yes, that’s right! Jesus Himself lives in and through us!
That “positivity” that man witnessed in me that day wasn’t my natural human flesh. It was Jesus living in and through me!
I love how God tells us in the Bible to “put off” our old self and to put on the “new” and how He teaches us through our study of the Bible what that new person is to think, look, speak, and act like.
“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Colossians 3:8-15
Not only that, but the Lord gives us the love, grace, mercy, strength, power, wisdom, and all else we need by His Holy Spirit to be who He created us to be.
“as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,” 2 Peter 1:3
We are to be wholly His! Living as He intended! Honoring and glorifying to God almighty, oh yes! Yielding to Jesus as He lives in and through us! All for the glory of Christ!
“But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Ephesians 4:20-24
The new you is who God created you to be. Surrender yourself utterly to the Lord Jesus Christ, hallelujah, AMEN!