God Reached Out To Me

October 1999, I was blessed to render my first sermon and used Romans 12:2-3 for my scripture. This sermon lasted eight minutes. Then God blessed me with an outreach ministry and instructed me to use this scripture as the base. Four years later I was asked by a good friend of mine, who is a paster, to preach at his church. In preparing for this teaching I went to Romans 12:2 and realized this was incomplete without Romans 12:1. By the way, that sermon was a full hour. So I stand before you today, my family, and bring you the Word of God as we look at Us and the World. Where do we stand? Where do you want to be? How do we get there?

Before I can get to Romans 12:2, which is the famous scripture everyone goes to, I must live Romans 12:1. This means to offer ourselves completely to the Lord. Under God’s control, the believers yet unredeemed body can and must be yielded to Him as an instrument of righteousness.  This willingness to live a new way of life.  This includes my heart, mind and will. My role is to present or offer myself before I move on to Romans 12:2. Sometimes we want to do more at this stage and we end up trying to self will ourselves into the perfect will of God.

Now we’re at Romans 12:2 and there’s more work for us to do. In this scripture, we first get the instructions on what to do and not to do, and then God shows us the results of following these instructions. He said don’t conform to the world. We can’t do this without being transformed and we can’t do this without renewing our minds.

So let’s break it down. We don’t want to live by the world’s system of beliefs and values, or the spirit of this age and time in the current world. Especially since Satan is dominating the World (so DON’T conform). Example: In business, the world says get a lot of clients and overload yourself, because it’s a numbers game and the more accounts you have the more $$$$ you will make. Forget about giving good quality service. You are here to make $$$$!

Then God says get rid of all but seven of your clients and give good quality service per living by the Word. Be loyal and committed and you will make more than any of your competitors. All I can say is, ‘God is Good’.

An another example: The world says meet a woman, go live with her and make sure all the pleasure is great and maybe, then marry her. Then God says first I will bring her to you and then you will minister to her and become her brother in Christ, then become her best friend, and than start the love walk and romancing and marry her. By then you two will know each other from the inside out.

One more example: The world says to do what ever you feel like doing that makes you feel good in your past-time. Set your own standards of what’s right and wrong. God says seek Him for your purpose. Please Him, and always when you speak you should speak with an edifying tongue and live for the Lord in all your affairs. This should be your life style.

One more, one more: The world says we are a microwave society, so hurry up and get it now. The one with the most gold makes the rules. God says be content, have patience and love. Focus on the spiritual prosperity within and the meek shall inherit the earth.

Now we know what not to do. How do we get the power to pull it off?

Well, let’s remember, seeking the perfect will of God has to be acquired while walking in the spirit. Because in order to see God’s perfect will, you need to be in the spirit.

Scripture says, renew our mind and be transformed. It means being transformed into a more spirit dominated being. And what steps do we take? I believe we need a daily spiritual fitness/maintenance plan.

This is a process and a daily reprieve is necessary. Renewing my mind means feeding my mind & spirit with the Word of God daily through some shape, form or fashion. It means not just going to church on Sunday, bible study on Wednesday. It means taking your spiritual walk to another level and having regular prayer time, intimate time with God. It means talking with another fellow Christian about how God is dealing with you in your life activities, like listening to Christian/Gospel music. Sometimes we don’t realize the effect music and TV has on our spirit. We should be careful what we view and listen to. Read Christian ‘God help’ books. I could go on and on with various spiritual tools that the Good Lord has laid at our feet so we can stay close to Him on a daily basis. Remember, get a daily spiritual maintenance plan, because if you don’t have one, the devil has one for you.

Galatians 5:16 says to walk in the spirit and you won’t desire your fleshy ways. It did not say don’t desire your fleshy ways, and then walk in the spirit. This way we self will ourselves. Whereas we need to learn how to walk in the spirit and let the spirit fight our fleshy battles. And to be in the spirit, we need to renew our minds daily with the spiritual tools we have.  My fellow brothers & sisters, I know I will never be perfect, but if I continue to seek God’s face as instructed above, my spirit will dominate more than my flesh and then I will see God’s perfect will in me and through Him.

There are some scripture passages that give us clear cut direction on what’s blocking us from the sunlight of God & Spirit, and how to get there. Here are a few good examples to marinate on and apply to our lives.

Ephesians 4:1, 5:21

Galatians 5:16-26

Romans 8: 1-17

2Peter 1:3-7

James 1:1-13

James 4:4-8

1John 2: 15-17

I leave you with this. God knows His role and job in our spiritual growth. I think we need to focus more on our role and job.

Knowledge is knowing the Word and Wisdom is applying it in our lives.

Stay Blessed,

Kevin B. Mitchell

Teacher & Student

Always of the Word