“Walk In Newness of Life” has three topics

WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE

We live in a world that is consumed with itself. This generation of self help, self talk and success mindsets seems to be forgetting where it’s hope comes from. People only seem to be happy if they achieve some level of financial success or material driven security. Everyone is out for themselves and is turning their attention toward self.

The words of Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 3 are coming true right before our eyes. 1But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

We see this behavior all the time just scrolling through facebook. People make all sorts of slanderous and profane posts. One minute they are posting sexually inappropriate posts and the next minute they are talking about how blessed they are. They call themselves believers in God yet show no change in the way they live. How can this be?

This is what the apostle spoke of when he said, “ Having a form of Godliness but denying its power.”

They have a form of Godliness in their words but the form of the world in their lifestyle.

God has called us to carry his light in this world, to be separate from the life we once had which was enslaved to sin and walk in newness of life spoken of in Roman 6:4, “Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

God has called us to so much more than we could imagine. He has called us to a new life!

1. BELIEVE

John 3:16 tells us that whoever believes in Jesus will have everlasting life.

The word believe here is translated from the greek word (pist-yoo'-o) meaning I believe, have faith in, trust in; I am entrusted with.

There is a difference between having a belief in Jesus and believing in Jesus.

Having a belief is something you think is true, believing in Jesus is a continuous lifestyle. Having a belief in Jesus, or merely acknowledging who he is doesn't change anything in your life or the people around you.

If you look at matthew 8:28-29 you will see a group of demons that acknowledge him as the son of God and even ask his permission to leave the men they possessed and enter a herd of swine.

They had a belief of who he was but it didn't change the fact that their lifestyle was in direct opposition to the mission of the Gospel, which is to bring the world to repentance and return us to the presence of God.

When you are believing in Jesus you are in a continuous lifestyle of sanctification and conformation to the image of Christ who is the image of God! (COLOSSIANS 1:15)

IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER IN JESUS THEN YOU HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE GOSPEL OF GOD, WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?

2. SURRENDER

To surrender to God is to release your life to his will. One of the hardest things to do in life is to give up control. This was also a struggle with nearly every significant character in the bible. Almost every story of the men of God in the bible were called to be more and ran from the calling, went through hardship because of it, then surrendered and ended up doing something they never thought they could and went down in history.

God is most likely not calling us into lions dens, fiery furnaces, expeditions around the world planting churches in our wake, but he has without a doubt called us to a life of purpose!

He has called us to be his hands, feet, and mouth in this world. A life surrendered to God will bear the resemblance of Christ!

The words of 1 John 3:18-19 should shine from the believer like a lighthouse, (18My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him).

Surrendering your life to God comes with assurance to your heart. You wont wonder what it is you are on this earth for, you wont wonder why you have life.

Surrendering to God's will brings peace and certainty, and casts out doubt and discontent.

Have you surrendered to God? Has your life become a mission for heaven? If the answer is no, that's ok, we have an opportunity today to stop, and surrender to God.

3. THRIVE

Believing in Jesus, and surrendering to his will will cause us to thrive spiritually.

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The word used for “life,” in this scripture is significant, it comes from the word, (zóé) which means, life (physical and spiritual). All life, throughout the universe, is derived – i.e. it always (only) comes from and is sustained by God's self-existent life. The Lord intimately shares His gift of life with people, creating each in His image which gives all the capacity to know His eternal life.

When we are thriving in Jesus we have the light of new life shining from us.

The world can see that we are on a different mission than they are. The world seeks to increase itself, it thrives on selfish ambition and personal gain.

People thriving in Jesus have kingdom ambitions and seek to make the name of Jesus known in the world.

We see too often where people allow material circumstances to measure blessing. God does bless his people with material things but to truly measure whether you are blessed or not, we must ask,

“Am I thriving spiritually in Jesus?” Is my desire to know his word growing? Do I have a passion to worship in the house of the Lord? Is there worship and devotion to him in my home that no one sees?

Thriving in Jesus will look like a life of worship and submission to what God says is good in his word. Thriving in Jesus will have an overflow of the new life that is received through faith in Jesus.

Are you thriving in your walk with Jesus today?