Openness is the First Step to Change Devotional (Words from the Lord series)

by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁹⁹⁾ Red Star

Child, openness is the first step to change. See my ways; desiring to walk in them and a yieldedness of heart are your half the battle, strengthening you to persevere is my half. You shall overcome if your will/willingness is open handed and raised up to Me.

Praise Me in revelation of your “failures”, from looking/seeing comes releasing up and from there begins real release/repentance. If that fails to work, then and only then might the push become harder. Let go. Turn loose to Me! There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. That is part of your authority over the enemy. Use it.

Romans 8:1-17 NLT

Life in the Spirit

1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. 3 The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. 4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.

5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to him at all.) 10 And Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin, the Spirit gives you life [ d ] because you have been made right with God. 11 The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

12 Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. 17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.

Prayer: Dearest Jesus, thank you for your chastisement that wraps around me with your HOPE. You are so full and good and deep. Thank you for my “failures” that might not seem so to you but places where I can learn and grow… scraped knees and all. Oh, Jesus, I can’t begin to know how to put into words “thank you that you came….” As a human, a burping baby, so that you might totally identify with us yet be The Sinless Sacrifice. Oh, Lord, I cannot even begin to grasp what that cost You, on our behalf. AMEN.

(C) Marijo Phelps all rights reserved. Use with proper credits.

Article submitted Monday, November 02, 2009 & read 47 times.

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» left by Anonymous (2 years 84 days ago.)

Thank you for sharing this portion of Scripture, there are no excuses as a Christian. We have everything we need to live to godly life God has called us to. Choosing to walk in the Spirit is a daily choice. Blessings to you! T
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» left by Anonymous (2 years 84 days ago.)

And will we allow Him to change (GROW) us without GROANING? My challenge on more times than one is to quit with the groaning.... GRIN

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