Levels Of Change, The Key to Living for God

Introduction-

As a Weight Watcher Instructor I was taught these levels of change as a means of getting to where we need to be in our weight loss efforts. These levels of change can be directly applied to the Change we make as we draw closer to God and finally identify with Him.  Let’s see how these levels can relate to Christianity as well as Weight Watchers.

Phil 3:10-21

10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

15 ¶ Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.

17 ¶ Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample.

18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

I.                               Level One – Environment

A.    When we first come to God our Environment is the first thing to change.

a.     Closer to God

b.     Further from the World

c.      Affects our whole lives

1.     we try to remove sin and its entire scope from our lives

2.     we try to associate with those whose lives are changed. We need fellowship.

II.    Level Two – Behaviors

A.                                                                                                                        What we do shows who we really are

B.       When we act like a Child of God we have an effect on others around us

C.       When we act like others around us we not only have no effect on them but we limit             and bruise our own reputation

1. language

2. actions

3. appearance

III.  Level Three – Capabilities

A. What we are capable of is determined by us

B. Remember the tower of Babel

C. God made us with so much potential

1. Paul said in Philippians 4:13  I can do all                                         things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

D.    We either live up to our potential or fall short of it – most of the time we fall short because we ourselves don’t realize our own capabilities

IV.  Level Four – Beliefs

A.                Most people would think this would be the first level but it really isn’t the subject of this level. Yes we must believe in God in order to come to Him. But in this case the belief in our abilities is the issue.

B.                 You Are What You Think –  Proverbs 23:7

C. Are your thoughts good or bad; positive or negative; Godly or Ungodly.

D. Whatever they are, you are! Why? Because You are what you Think! Thoughts can be a blessing or a curse depending on their content. You and you alone can determine the contents of your thoughts.

         E. Your mind is either your best friend or your worst enemy depending how you use it.

         F. Sin produced the carnal mind that has plagued man through the years

A. Man was created with an innocent mind with no thoughts of evil

B. Satan tempted man to think that God was                                                against him. He wanted him to think that God was the one which was lying.

C. Man was duped into thinking that God was                                              the evil one and let that sinful thought materialize into action. As a result the Carnal Mind took over where the Spiritual Mind had been.

D.  The thoughts of evil brought about the                                        Judgement of God

Gen 6:5 “ And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

                        E. How Can we Change the Carnal Mind

A. We must change minds

1. Phil 2: 5 “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:”

2. We must put on the Mind of Christ. But How? Can we switch our brains? No! But we can allow Him ( Jesus ) to                                   be our Lord, our master, and allow Him to take control.

3. I Cor. 2:12-16

E. There are 2 basic types of beliefs

A. Limiting beliefs – Train story

B. Empowering beliefs – Paul

V. Level 5 – Identity

A. When we reach the top we identify ourselves as the children of God

B. As part of God’s Family we have the rights of

being a part of the family

1. Born-Again into the Family

2. Family Inheritance

3. Access to all of Family Assets and Power

4. Eternal Benefits of Identity – names                                                            written in the Lambs Book of Life

Conclusion:   As we move through the levels of Change our lives become closer and closer to the One who died for our sins, giving us the ability to make these changes. His desire is for us to be as He is. The closer we get the more we can identify with Him. Let us live each day as an attempt to draw closer to the throne of God. To be His and He be ours from this point on forever.