Rev. Rene Autry

It is an honor for the Lord to chasten His child.  When chastening happens, He is telling you He loves you, and you are His very own child.  Hebrews 12:5-7  Hallelujah!  You belong to the King!!

These are the beginning steps in making any change:

1)  Get in agreement with God.  Humble yourself and submit to Him.  Pray until you can fully give in to Him in humility.  If we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  I Corinthians 11:31   Job 36:11

2)  Be aware that this is a flesh problem.  Jeremiah 17:9  Even Paul, the Apostle, had to deal with his soulish mind.  Romans 7:15-19  

Galatians 5:16-17 is a crucial key to controlling the flesh.  Walk in His Spirit!   Galatians 6:8  He that sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption.   Get the "flesh-builders" to a low level in your life=tv, worldly music, secular books, magazines, etc.  These strengthen the flesh, especially worldly music.  Hard rock and heavy metal music are of the devil.  Music can be "more contemporary." 

Don't "feed" the flesh!  Increase the time spent reading the Word and praying - very important. 

Surround yourself with the praises of God.  Have a praise time every day.  Psalm 149:6.  If you are to walk in His Spirit, you must have a time of praise on a regular basis.  Get REAL praise and worship music = music that actually praises and worships Jesus!  Very important!

3) Find the scriptures that deal with your situation, and say them out loud. Psalm119:9

Jesus gave us the example of this in John 12:49-50. Saying the Word will strengthen you, and it will build up your faith.  Saying scriptures will help you; please don't skip this step.  The more difficult the problem is the more often you say them.  His Word is truth, and Jesus promised that the truth would make you free.  His Word has power.  Hebrews 4:12

4)  Ask God for wisdom in how to proceed with this change.  James 1:5/Proverbs 4:5-7

5)  Be prepared to deal with temptation.  Jesus was tempted, so we will be, too.  The enemy will try to tempt you out of the change that God means for your blessing.  Don't yield to it.  James 4:7  Submit and resist!  Study Matthew 4; see the enemy's tactics and how the Lord dealt with Him.  Speak the Word at that temptation.  Use the Word as sword according to Ephesians 6.

KEEP GOING AND BE FAITHFUL; THE LORD WILL HELP YOU.  BE BLESSED IN YOUR WORK FOR HIM!!  The Lord loves you so very much, and He always will.  :)

The Lord, in His great mercy, sometimes moves on a Christian to make a change.  This can be getting rid of something, adding something to our lives, or some other change.  It is then up to us to make that change - with His help.  So if the Holy Spirit has touched an area of your life for changing, the Lord wants to help you to do that.  Be brave to step out!  Good things are on the way.