Do you have the Desire to Change?

Prov 20:30 NLT) Physical punishment cleanses away evil; such discipline purifies the heart.


This morning we continue in the book of Proverbs - Walking in the Wisdom of God." My first reaction after reading this verse was to think, "That can't mean what it just said." Why did I think that? Because we don't normally teach about outward punishment for inward cleansing. Our normal emphasis, when teaching on the cleansing of the inner-man, is on Jesus' finished work on the Cross (i.e. the Blood of Jesus), and the cleansing power of the Word of God.

So you may be asking yourself why would I focus on the outward-man when I am trying to effectuate change to the inner-man? Solomon gives us the answer: because some people are so hardheaded, stiff-necked, and obstinate that they will never willingly accept the gentle truth of God's Word, nor hear God's still small voice, until they feel a level of physical pain associated with the error of their ways.

In the last chapter Solomon said, "Anyone who burns with anger must pay for it. If you save him, you will have to do it again." As I commented on that verse I said: "When you love someone and you see him or her in trouble your immediate reaction is to help get him or her out. However, Solomon teaches us here that there is a level of goodness in allowing someone to deal with the repercussions of their actions... we have to allow them to pay for what they have done, because if we do not, they will find themselves in that situation again and we will have to continue to rescue them.

What it comes down to is this: If you get someone out of a bind but you fail to change their mind, then it is only a matter of time before they do it again. Trust me I have done this over and over with a certain individual.

Mind renewal is the key." And therein lies the point of this morning's message. For you to submit to the process of mind renewal, you must FIRST have a desire to change. The problem is that many people never develop the desire to change until they endure a truly painful experience.
I am a perfect example of that I had to go through a very dramatic experience before I gave my heart to God.

The Good News Bible translation of this verse brings this out, it reads: "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways."

I have taught this before I read it somewhere however I can not recall were. "DARE Method for Change." DARE stands for:
Decide: Decide what you want to change and what you want to look like after you have changed.
Associate: Associate real pain with your old behavior. This is the crux of today's message. Until a person associates real pain with their old behavior, they will develop the DESIRE to change.
List the worst possible thing that could happen if you do not change.
List the best possible thing that can happen if you do.
Recall: Recall the experiences that have kept you down in the past. Until you deal with your past defeat, you may never change.
Envision: Envision yourself as the "totally new" you; like your mentor or model. Who do you want to be like?

So what does this mean to you? It means that our loving, caring, and sharing heavenly Father loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. If you are too hardheaded to submit to His Word, listen to His Spirit, or follow the counsel of His Pastors, then He will sit by and watch as you endure the pain (physical or otherwise) associated with the error of your ways. What will it take for you to WANT to change?

Father, I declare by faith that I don't have to wake up in a jail cell or a hospital bed to develop the desire to change. I am Your child and Your Word tells me that I am destined to be conformed to the image of Your Son Jesus. I don't fight the process. I want to daily become more and more like Jesus. I declare that I will. I have been through enough already. I don't need any more pain to get me to the point where I willingly submit to You and Your process. I receive Your Word with gladness, I humbly submit to Your correction, I listen for Your still small voice, and I heed the counsel of those that You have assigned to speak into my life. As I do this I will grow, develop, and mature into the person You desire for me to be! In Jesus' name. Amen!