Transcript

Start Your New Beginning God’s Way

At the turn of every new year, millions of people are so happy that another year is over and they can begin again with a clean slate. Celebrating with their friends, they party the night away and inevitably make resolutions to change they will never really keep.

Is that really a New Beginning? No, let’s be honest with each other—it’s not. Instead of being a real New Beginning, it’s simply an old form of insanity: doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results!

Most New Year’s resolutions are just counterfeit New Beginnings. Lots of talk…but little action. Lots of desire but little passionate pursuit. Usually people make a temporary effort to change…but they don’t follow-through long term with a real commitment.

Half-hearted resolutions won’t work. If you want a New Beginning that is lasting, you need to adapt a behavior of discipline and pursuit.

On the spiritual side of life, a lasting transformation always begins with repentance. Repentance simply means “to change your mind…change the way you think.” Literally turn around and go the other direction. Repentance involves a firm decision to allow God to rule over your thoughts, attitudes, and actions. It means turning from Satan’s lies to embracing God’s truth.

The test of repentance, ultimately, is FRUIT. John the Baptist wasn’t overly impressed when some of the religious leaders came to him for baptism. Rather, he challenged them in Matthew 3:8 to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” When you’ve truly repented, your life will change and you’ll begin to go in the opposite direction from your past.

We see a similar scene in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was poured out and Peter preached to the crowd gathered for the Day of Pentecost. Many in the crowd were deeply moved by Peter’s message, and they cried out, “What shall we do?” (v. 37).

Perhaps that’s the question you’re asking yourself right now: “What am I supposed to do to see a turnaround, a change, a new beginning? What should I do to get started?”

Look at Peter’s answer to the crowd in Acts 2:38–40:

“Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

If you want a spiritual New Beginning, your first step is to repent and receive God’s forgiveness and the empowerment of His Spirit.

Thank you for the time you’ve spent with me today. I encourage you to explore the many resources on our website to help you grow even stronger in your walk with the Lord. I believe they’ll be helpful to you, and I’ll look forward to spending time with you here again tomorrow as we continue our journey to experiencing a new beginning in your life. God bless you.