REPENT AND REPLACE

Ezekiel 36:26-27 I will give you a new heart and put a new Spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and you will keep my judgments and do them.

Since the beginning of the year, I have battled a spirit of depression, despondency, and even despair that anything will ever change in my life.  I like being HAPPY and this IS NOT a HAPPY PLACE to live.  Finally, sick of myself, I did the very thing that I should have done two weeks ago; I took all of these unwanted feelings to Jesus.

In my “secret place” of prayer, I began to pour out my heart, my hurts, my complaints and all my unhappiness regarding my situation.  GOD IS A GOOD LISTENER, but He doesn’t just listen, He speaks.  Now it was my turn to listen to that still small voice that whispered, “Susan, it is time to REPENT and REPLACE.”  So I did!!!

I REPENTED; turned away from the SPIRIT OF UNTHANKFULNESS toward all the good things God has provided.  I turned away from the SPIRIT OF SELFISHNESS; concentrating so much on my desires, my needs, my wants and their lack of fulfillment. I turned away from the SPIRIT OF DESPONDENCY and forgetting that MY JOY is not found in my circumstance but in Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for me and WHO I AM IN HIM.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

In the Bible the word REPENT means “to change one’s mind.”  Romans 12 states that we can be TRANSFORMED by the RENEWING of our minds.  Well I definitely needed my mind RENEWED and my spirit TRANSFORMED….BUT HOW????  I can REPENT but I cannot RENEW or TRANSFORM my mind; that is a necessary action that can only take place by allowing the Holy Spirit to take its RIGHTFUL PLACE.

Now comes the second part of the solution, whispered to my heart; REPLACE.  You see when the Holy Spirit is in residence on the throne of your heart, there is no room for any little spirits.  I had allowed the inferior spirits of self, ungratefulness, unhappiness and envy to slowly nudge the Holy Spirit out of its rightful place and it was time to RE-PLACE.

RE-PLACE –To put back that which has been removed, taken down or usurped. (my word; my definition).

If it seems, like me, that lately all is NOT RIGHT with your world and the spirit of heaviness envelopes you with a dense fog that messes with your mind, it is time to REPENT and RE-PLACE.  Allow the Holy Spirit to return to its RIGHTFUL PLACE, shedding its light in the darkness and renewing your mind with clarity.  The clarity to say with Nehemiah, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”

Isaiah 12:3 Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.