The Change In Us Changes Others

The Change In Us Changes Others.

How do we change?

1. Become God's servant

• By submitting

If we submit to God’s rule, authority, His kingdom and His ways in our lives, we can make an eternal impact in our world and not just within the circle of people God has placed us with, but beyond that with people we've never met. 

Many of the references I'll make in this will be to Daniel in Daniel chapter 6, so I encourage you to read Daniel chapter 6 before proceeding. 

To Be God's servant, we must submit to God's rule. 

James 4:7 says "submit yourself to God"

The definition of submit (google dictionary) is - accept or yield to a superior force or to the authority or will of another person.

To submit to God as his servant means we are willing to accept His authority, His will. Doesn't that sound familiar to the Lord's prayer? "Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will Be Done"

Submission doesn't come easy to anyone. For some of us it's a struggle to submit to God. It can be even more challenging to submit to the authority of others like a teacher, parent or boss.. Have you ever heard a child say,  "I don't have to do that. Your not my mom!"?  

Submission doesn't come easy, but remember God is our heavenly father. We should submit to Him because He knows what's best for all of us. God’s authority can always be trusted. Just remember who God is. He made you. He loves you. 

When we Submit to God’s rule, we make Christ our Lord, we choose to turn away from our sins, and begin to serve him. In a sense, we enslave ourselves to God and begin the process to serve him alone, instead of being enslaved to our sin and fleshly desires. 

Rom 6:18 says- "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness."

As we see in the example of Daniel's life, He was submitted to God. Everyone knew it around him. The people he led and the king he served. Everyone who had access to Daniel knew he served God, and even knew about His God. 

Daniel 6:3 "Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm. "

Every aspect of our lives should show that we are submitted to God. 

The change in us, changes others. 

Another way to be God's servant in addition to submitting to God is to live right. 

• By right living

If we live right, people will take notice. The leaders in Daniel's day recognized the way he lived. Not only did he have an excellent spirit, but verse 4 of chapter 6 states "they could find no charge or fault, because he was faithful; nor was there any error or fault found in him." 

If we are living the right way people will take notice. This change in us, can change others in two different ways: 

1. It may make them jealous and want to hurt us as in the case of Daniel. They may begin to persecute us. 

2. It may make them admire us and want to know the God we serve. 

But either change, shouldn't change us. We have to be consistent in right living. 

2. Become Consistent 

God has placed us all in unique places around different people believers and nonbelievers. He has you strategically located so that the change he’s doing in you will change others around you.

Daniel lived a life of constant desire for God and surrender to God. He didn’t let his position lead him astray or turn from God. He didn't let his position of power get to his head either. He knew he was God's servant, and because of his humility and service to God, and excellent work ethic, he was elevated to that position. But he remained constant in prayer. He remained faithful in his service to God. 

• Become consistent when times are good. 

Daniel consistently had an excellent spirit, was trustworthy, and was faithful in his prayer to God. 

Being a trustworthy person and showing no corruption alone will draw people to you because you are reflecting Christ. Daniel was a lot like Jesus in this way, no fault was found in Jesus, he was submitted to God in every way, and we have been called to be like Him. 

Philippians 2:1-11 states "Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

• Become consistent when times are bad. 

Daniel 6:10 "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days."

Notice, nothing changed in Daniel when danger lurked, when threats were made. He continued to do what he had been doing. He continued to serve God consistently where he was. He didn't hide. He didn't stop. He kept on being consistent and faithful to God even when times were bad. 

We are called to be like this- 

Galatians 6:9 encourages us - 

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

If you are praying for someone's life to change and haven't seen any evidence of change. It most likely isn't your fault. But check yourself. Are you being consistent? Are you being faithful at all times? Are you praying only with no action? 

Remember we are called to be light. 

Jesus says in Matthew 5:14-15 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house."

Daniel was a light. We can be a light as well because if you have been born of the spirit, God's spirit is in you as well! 

Because Daniel was God's servant and was consistent, he gave light to all those around him. His faithfulness changed the king, which in turn shared his experience with his entire kingdom. 

Daniel 6:25-27

"Then King Darius wrote:

To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:

Peace be multiplied to you.

I make a decree that in every dominion of my kingdom men must tremble and fear before the God of Daniel.

For He is the living God,
And steadfast forever;
His kingdom is the one which shall not be destroyed,
And His dominion shall endure to the end.
 He delivers and rescues,
And He works signs and wonders
In heaven and on earth,
Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions."

Daniel's life changed those around Him in a mighty way. Even more so, Jesus' life changed those around Him and continues to!

Jesus changed me and continues to. May His change in me, change others. May His change in you, change others! 

Please join me in this prayer: 

Father God, thank you for Jesus your son. Thank you for the life of Daniel as well, where we can learn to be your servant, where we learn how his consistent lifestyle made a difference. May we serve you faithfully. Help us to submit to your will daily, living right according to your word. May we remain faithful in prayer and lifestyle in the good times and bads. May our lives be a light to everyone around us and may the change in us, change others through what Christ had done for us and in us. Thank you God for your goodness! Thank you God for the change you long to do in us. We submit our lives and our will to your reign. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen

God bless you! 

Sarah