The desire to change is what marks a person as a true Christian. A person who does not want to change has no vision of Christ.

9 In a person’s heart he plans his course, but the LORD establishes their steps [but, to where?].

15:24 The path of life leads upward for the wise to keep them from going down to the grave [either up or down].

Let’s review from Proverbs 14:

Lesson 1- A Christian’s power comes from the person of Christ, His in-dwelling. The Holy Spirit is the one who lives in us and empowers us. Therefore, our greatest weapon is prayer: constant, intentional, conversational interaction with the King of the universe. We can’t surprise Him, nor can we disappoint Him since He knows all about us: past, present, and future.

Lesson 2

The resurrection power in us is what gives us the desire to change, to be transformed into the image of Christ, and to have His character. A person who encounters Christ and truly sees Him for who He is will desire to be just like Him. Jesus is completely loving, joyful, and peaceful, and these characteristics flow from Him to us. He is also perfectly patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and has complete self-control. This fruit He gives to us when we walk with Him. We have the resurrection power of Christ.

¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, Ephesians 1:19-20

We can study the Bible; we can go to church; we can even say prayers, but if we don’t walk with Jesus in a continuous encounter, then we are missing out on the main reason for being saved. Walking with Him is what continues to create the desire to be just like Him. It makes me ask:

• Would Jesus want to watch that movie? I really need to ask Him and pay attention to the tension that may be happening in my spirit.
• Would Jesus play that game? If it’s for money, then probably not, because someone loses materially. If it involves sex in any way, certainly not, because lust comes too easily to people, and improper attention is destructive attention.
• Would Jesus have that attitude? Feelings can’t be trusted. In fact, we look for a feeling of satisfaction from making godly choices rather than what makes us feel good.

We need to be asking ourselves these types of questions about everything and then listening for the Holy Spirit as He guides us into all truth. Yeah, it will feel awkward and embarrassing, but those feelings will pass as we become more like Jesus and we get comfortable with the Holy Spirit’s voice and leadership. Those who are also spiritual will be drawn to us; those who are not spiritual will be offended. It’s okay. In fact, these reactions are exactly the result for which we are hoping. Let’s look:

¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Let’s be the aroma of Christ to all those around us today.

Abba, one of the things You taught us on the cross was to forgive those who may never actually give an apology. In the words of a friend, “I learned to accept the apology that I will never get.” Teach us to release those who owe us the debt of apology. We don’t have to forget, but neither do we have to allow it to influence us anymore. If You can do it, then we can do it, because we have You and Your resurrection power in us. To that, we say, “Amen!”