God calls us to change, to move from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), holiness to holiness (1 Peter: 15-16), to press in (Phil 3:12), draw closer to him (James 4:8) and to put off the old man and put on the new (Eph 4:24). Change is exciting, new vistas and adventures in Christ.

Why do we find change so hard, why don’t we change? I once heard a preacher say that one thing he most noticed about people that claimed to be Christians was there resistance to change. Over the years, as a Christian, I have struggled with change. It was only when I applied myself to receive revelation from God’s word on issues demanding change in my life (John 14:26) and sought clear direction from him (Prov 4:5-6) that I could move on. I also needed to learn to cast all my cares on him (1Peter 5:7), rest in him (Ps 37:7)  ask him to change me and allow the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about change in me (Rom 8:11). Believe me, I am still working on receiving change, but I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). Wrestling in the flesh never worked.

These principles apply to groups as well. I know of churches that grew in God and moved on with him only to get stuck on some doctrinal issue or resisted God’s challenge to change. Sadly, I have seen vibrant churches, flowing in the Holy Spirit that stagnated and went back to a religious formality.

We need to cry out to God for the revelation and freedom that comes from his word (John 8:32). We need to allow the Holy Spirit to illuminate our spirit with the word (John 14:26). We must cast down thoughts and imaginations that are contrary to the word of God (2 Cor 10:5) and allow the Holy Spirit to bring change.

Change can be hard; God’s discipline is not always pleasant at the time (Heb 12:11).

In Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, Brutus says: “There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries” (Julius Caesar, act 4, scene 3, 218-224).

Embrace God’s change and his call to move closer (James 4:8). The fruit of change is the experience of victory and moving on with God. Paul the Apostle would have said “I press in” (Phil 3:12).

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