New Things

The Lord’s promise is that He will do new things.

“Behold I will do a new thing; now it will spring forth; will you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

The Bible also says that all things become new.

“If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2Corinthians 5:17

This is a wonderful aspect of our new life in Christ. We are not stuck with our old life or our old limitations. We don’t have to renovate our old life and try to clean it up. God makes us new, completely new. And God continues to do new things in and through us as we yield to Him in faith.

Apostle Paul talks about the ongoing transforming work that takes place in us as we continue to see Christ. We become more like Christ as we look to Him.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2Corinthians 3:18

God gives us a new heart.

“I will also give you a new heart and I will put a new spirit in you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

Human experience testifies to people who have been completely transformed in attitude, speech, action, relationships, morals, character, responsibility, godliness and so on.

These transformations aren’t achieved by people making an effort to be good, but by God at work inside them, making them new from the inside out.

As a youth I recall seeing someone giving a lecture to a new convert, saying, “Now that you’re a Christian you can’t swear or smoke, and you’ll have to change the way you dress.”

At the time it struck me how draconian it seemed to be converted and have all these obligations thrust onto you. Making those demands of someone reflects a religious idea of working to achieve our own holiness, rather than being completely changed by the grace of God.

Years later I had the privilege of leading a young man to faith in Christ. We had little time to discuss his decision and its implications so I simply committed him to God. I met him a week later and he asked, “Is it wrong to take drugs?” I asked him why he asked that question and he told me that for the past week, each time he took drugs he felt as if God was not happy.

God was personally leading this young man into the life God had for him, without me having to ‘lay down the law’. The young man’s awakened conscience also revealed that there had been a real change inside him, not based on a guilt-trip from religious people, but from a real personal encounter with the Living God.

Going back to the verse quoted earlier from 2Corinthians 3:18, note Paul’s reference to us being change from one degree of glory to another.

“But we all, with open face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2Corinthians 3:18

Paul isn’t just talking about our salvation experience, when we turn from degradation and sin to experience God’s glory, but he refers to us continually changing from ‘glory to glory’.

Note too that the change is made ‘by the Spirit of the Lord’, not by our personal disciplines.

Life with Christ at its best is an adventure of discovery, as new things take place in us and emerge around us as we walk with Him. 

We find that there are pathways presented to us in places where others get completely lost – like a way in the wilderness.

“Behold I will do a new thing; now it will spring forth; will you not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

We find our desert transformed into a garden.

“The wilderness and the solitary place will be glad for them; and the desert will rejoice, and blossom as the rose.” Isaiah 35:1

We find new responses within us because we have a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26).

We have all the resources of God, for both our natural and spiritual lives, so we can be and do things that were never possible.

Here’s a thought. Imagine what it would be like to know that in an hour’s time your life would change radically, for the better. Fears would be defeated. Guilt, shame, accusation and failure would be gone forever. Your past defeats will become areas of victory. Your current limits will melt away and you will be able to go beyond all the things that currently hold you back. You will have confidence, peace, assurance, boldness, God’s presence, the power of the Holy Spirit, divine wisdom, authority over the devil, victory over sin, joy unspeakable and abundant fruitfulness.

How much would you look forward to arriving at that moment?

Well, that moment is coming to you all the time. You are being changed from one degree of glory to another. God continues to work in you, and all things are becoming new. God has given you everything you could possibly need.

I repeat what I said earlier, God makes us new, completely new. And God continues to do new things in and through us as we yield to Him in faith.

Isn’t it time for you to step into another breakthrough? Isn’t it time for you to call on God to do something new in your family, relationships, heart, faith, finances, health and ministry?

God is God of new things and He purposes for you to live in newness, through Him. Take another step into the new things God has for you right now.