EXPERIENCING A NEW BEGINNING
EXPERIENCING A NEW BEGINNING
Act 9:3-6 KJV 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Anyone can experience a new beginning no matter how rough or bad they had lived their lives. God is interested in giving people a second chance which amounts to a new beginning.
In the text above we read the account of the conversion of Saul. From that moment his life changed totally. A new beginning came into being. He began to preach Jesus too.
Act 9:20-21 KJV 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Act 8:3 KJV As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Act 9:1 KJV And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,
Act 22:4 KJV And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
Act 26:9 KJV I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
Gal 1:13 KJV For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
His testimony
1Ti 1:12-13 KJV 12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
Gal 1:23-24 KJV 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. 24 And they glorified God in me.
When you encounter the Holy Spirit a new beginning starts
Act 2:14 KJV But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
Peter preached boldly but this was the same person that denied ever knowing Jesus few days ago as recorded here
Mat 26:69-74 KJV 69 Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. 70 But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. 71 And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. 72 And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. 73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. 74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
What changed? The Holy Spirit came and he received boldness for a new life and a new beginning.
In order to have this new beginning this is what you have to do
1. Be born again
2Co 5:17 KJV Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Joh 3:3 KJV Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Receive Jesus into your life as your personal Saviour and Lord.
Rom 10:9-10 KJV 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This is how he described us now:
Eph 2:1 KJV And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:10-13 KJV 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. 11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
What are we to do now?
1. Walk in the newness of life
Rom 6:1-4 KJV 1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Should walk – Should live, or conduct. The word “walk” is often used to express the course of a man’s life, or the tenor of his conduct; By our very baptism, by our very profession, we have become dead to sin, as Christ became dead; and being devoted to him by that baptism, we are bound to rise, as he did, to a new life.
Eph 4:1 KJV I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
Phi 1:27 KJV Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Phi 1:27 KJV Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
Col 1:10 KJV That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
1Th 2:12 KJV That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
2. Put on the new man
Eph 4:24 KJV And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
The new man refers to the renovated nature. This is called in other places, the “new creature, or the new creation” (see the notes on 2Co 5:17), and refers to the condition after the heart is changed. The change is so great, that there is no impropriety in speaking of one who has experienced it as “a new man.” He has new feelings, principles, and desires. He has laid aside his old principles and practices, and, in everything that pertains to moral character, he is new.
3. Change your behaviour
1Pe 2:1-2 KJV 1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
4. Exercise your dominion mandate
Act 1:8 KJV But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Eph 3:20 KJV Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Col 1:29 KJV Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Speak against sickness, evil, poverty, all manners of evil work of the ye devil.