Out With the Old and On With the New

Out with the Old and On with the New

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation: old things have passed away: behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.



We just rang in a new year, 2010, and we are greeting this new year with hope. This is the year that we will lose weight, learn something new, or do something differently.. We’re making new years’ resolutions. The year 2009 is gone and our new efforts will make 2010 better, we hope.



In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are told that if we are in Christ, old things have passed away and all things have become new. Because Christ has taken away our sin – our old way of life, now a new existence as a new creation is possible. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But wait, there is an “if” in this scripture,- “ if we are in Christ.” : “In Christ” is one of the ways Paul describes what it means to be a Christian.



Christ has died for us and taken away the old ways- the sin. He has done His part. But what is our part? This verse says that we are a new creation “if” we are in Christ. What do we need to do to make sure that we are “in Christ”. We believe in Christ as our Savior. And we’ve tried to repent of our sins. Is there any thing more that we can do?



Matthew 28:20 repeats Jesus’ last words to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. “---and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Here He is assuring us of His constant presence. Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit will be with us everywhere we go. He promised to teach us what we need to know and to be a help in every trouble. John 16:13 tells us: “—when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth,--“ He will draw us into the Truth and help us pray. This Holy Spirit will lead us where we should go and give us the ability or power to do the good works that we are meant to do. How can we lose since we have been given such a wonderful Gift?



Amazingly we can mess up even after we become Christians and have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit! Scripture tells us that we can “resist” the Holy Spirit and we can “quench” the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to enter into our life, but we have to give Him our permission. The Holy Spirit has much to say to us, but we need to be willing to listen. The Holy Spirit will lead us into ministry and give us abilities and gifts but we have to be willing to go. We can be anointed with Holy Spirit power but we have to seek God for that anointing. He doesn’t force it on us.



In other words it’s not automatic! God doesn’t override your will. It’s still up to you! If you don’t make a space for the Holy Spirit, He may not settle on your life. If you don’t take time to listen for a Word from the Holy Spirit, you may not ever hear what He wants to tell you. Psalms 46:10 says: “Be still and know that I am God.” Can we be still and take time and listen for the Lord to speak to us? Can we turn off the electronic devices, the cell phones, the radios, the television programs, etc. long enough to make a space in our lives to commune with the Lord?



Let’s make a new year’s resolution to try to listen this year for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit showing us what to do. Let’s make space in our lives for the Lord and read His Word. Let’s be still and take time and wait for the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our life. Let’s not crowd Him out with all the other stuff! If we take time to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, everything will become new!

















Out with the Old and On with the New




“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he/she is a new creation: old things have passed away: behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.



We just rang in a new year, 2010, and we are greeting this new year with hope. This is the year that we will lose weight, learn something new, or do something differently.. We’re making new years’ resolutions. The year 2009 is gone and our new efforts will make 2010 better, we hope.



In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we are told that if we are in Christ, old things have passed away and all things have become new. Because Christ has taken away our sin – our old way of life, now a new existence as a new creation is possible. Sounds good, doesn’t it? But wait, there is an “if” in this scripture,- “ if we are in Christ.” : “In Christ” is one of the ways Paul describes what it means to be a Christian.



Christ has died for us and taken away the old ways- the sin. He has done His part. But what is our part? This verse says that we are a new creation “if” we are in Christ. What do we need to do to make sure that we are “in Christ”. We believe in Christ as our Savior. And we’ve tried to repent of our sins. Is there any thing more that we can do?



Matthew 28:20 repeats Jesus’ last words to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. “---and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Here He is assuring us of His constant presence. Jesus promised us that the Holy Spirit will be with us everywhere we go. He promised to teach us what we need to know and to be a help in every trouble. John 16:13 tells us: “—when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you into all truth,--“ He will draw us into the Truth and help us pray. This Holy Spirit will lead us where we should go and give us the ability or power to do the good works that we are meant to do. How can we lose since we have been given such a wonderful Gift?



Amazingly we can mess up even after we become Christians and have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit! Scripture tells us that we can “resist” the Holy Spirit and we can “quench” the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit wants to enter into our life, but we have to give Him our permission. The Holy Spirit has much to say to us, but we need to be willing to listen. The Holy Spirit will lead us into ministry and give us abilities and gifts but we have to be willing to go. We can be anointed with Holy Spirit power but we have to seek God for that anointing. He doesn’t force it on us.



In other words it’s not automatic! God doesn’t override your will. It’s still up to you! If you don’t make a space for the Holy Spirit, He may not settle on your life. If you don’t take time to listen for a Word from the Holy Spirit, you may not ever hear what He wants to tell you. Psalms 46:10 says: “Be still and know that I am God.” Can we be still and take time and listen for the Lord to speak to us? Can we turn off the electronic devices, the cell phones, the radios, the television programs, etc. long enough to make a space in our lives to commune with the Lord?



Let’s make a new year’s resolution to try to listen this year for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit showing us what to do. Let’s make space in our lives for the Lord and read His Word. Let’s be still and take time and wait for the anointing of the Holy Spirit in our life. Let’s not crowd Him out with all the other stuff! If we take time to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit in our lives, everything will become new!