It is disturbing how so many in the religious world have ministered the Gospel in such a way that it has caused people to believe they have something they really don’t have. It has limited them from moving on into the things of God. We are believing for the Lord to strip away all the limitations and roadblocks that have hindered, even the things in our own flesh nature. That’s the way the Lord is dealing with us right now. He is dealing with the self of man. That is the number one problem. When Adam fell, that was the fall of human nature. And since everything brings forth after its own kind (Genesis 1:12), everyone is born with a fallen nature. So regardless of who you are or how good you think you are you’ve still got the fallen nature of Adam and Eve. The work of the Lord is to eliminate that fallen nature of self and to bring forth His nature in us.
Many Christians believe that our fallen nature will only change after we die (or raptured) and go to heaven. To them heaven is a place where a Christian goes after death. However, it would be more accurate to think of the presence of God as heaven. Then, as we draw closer to Him in our relationship with Him, we are ascending spiritually. God is not afar off from us in distance. Heaven is not x-number of miles away. God is omnipresent and so is heaven. Do you remember what David said? Where shall I go from Thy Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Thy presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there. If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:7-10. The fact is: We can experience the presence of God; we can begin ascending into the heavenlies; we can experience a change of nature in this life on earth. Listen to what Paul told the Ephesian Christians. God has raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6. When you really begin to experience this, it will drastically change your concept of heaven.
When you become aware of what you are in your flesh nature, don’t be overwhelmed by it but say, “No, it’s the will of God for this to change and it’s going to change!” Be determined about it. Your fallen nature does not want you to walk with God. So you have to set your heart. It's like David said, “My heart is fixed, O Lord, my heart is fixed on Thee” (Psalm 57:7). Fix your heart on the Lord. Be determined! Your sin nature can change! Don’t be like so many who have received forgiveness and count it as being born again. That is just the first step toward being born again. Keep forging ahead until you have taken on the nature of the Lord Himself.
Do you realize the responsibility that we have in our relationship with the Lord? You shall seek Me and find Me – When? When you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). In other words, God just doesn’t respond very much to half-heartedness. You say, “Well, I know I should walk with God, but do I have to do it right now?” He won’t respond to that in a good way. He might react to it, but He won’t respond to it. God likes whole-heartedness. Set your heart! “Say, God, I want to change!”
Fear of man is a problem for many Christians. They are insecure and fearful of stepping out. Have you ever seen someone that looked hidden even though they were in a crowd? They hide behind their imaginary walls hoping they can’t be seen. Fear of man is a part of human nature. Everybody has had some problem with insecurity. I encourage your heart – cross the grain! Be determined you are not going to hide. Adam and Eve had that problem. They thought they could hide from God. How foolish! “But we’re naked!” So they covered themselves with fig leaves. What are your fig leaves? What are you using to cover up? Rip off those fig leaves and be naked before God! Say, “God, I’m not going to hide anything from you. Here I am just as I am. Lord, this is me; this is what I am. You knew it already.” God is going to bring change to our lives. He is bringing change to our lives! Don’t let anybody, any belief, any religion, or anything else tell you that you can’t change. You can change! Be determined to change! This is what being born again is all about.
Copyright © 2006 by Henry DuBose