I am so grateful that we serve a God of second chances. The Word is full of examples of how God gave people another chance. It is full of examples of how God used, in a powerful way, people who were once far from him.

I too was once far from the Lord. My life was filled with deception, lies, addictions, self-centeredness, selfishness, depression, low self-esteem, anger, bitterness, drunkenness; the list goes on and on and on. But praise God; on December 24, 2004 I was born again!

Over the summer I spent a great deal of time studying the book of Romans. Romans is a very powerful book full of truths about the nature of God and the freedom that comes from being redeemed from the curse of the law. It is a book which reveals God's amazing love, grace, and mercy.

In context with the topic of second chances, I wanted to share something that God personally spoke to me while I was meditating on a portion of Chapter 9. Let's take a look at a few of these verses:


Romans 9:6-13 (New Living Translation)

Well then, has God failed to fulfill his promise to Israel? No, for not all who are born into the nation of Israel are truly members of God's people! 7 Being descendants of Abraham doesn't make them truly Abraham's children. For the Scriptures say, "Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted," though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham's physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham's children. 9 For God had promised, "I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
10 This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins. 11 But before they were born, before they had done anything good or bad, she received a message from God. (This message shows that God chooses people according to his own purposes; 12 he calls people, but not according to their good or bad works.) She was told, "Your older son will serve your younger son. "13 In the words of the Scriptures, I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.

Look closely at the line found in verse 12. "Your older son will serve your younger son." When I read that verse God immediately spoke to me and said this:

"Michael, so it is with you. You have been born again. You are now the younger son. That means that the older son, the old you, has to serve the younger son, the new you!"

Wow! As simple as that may sound, it was and is a very powerful revelation. It means that no longer do I have to obey my old habits. No longer do I have to fall prey to old patterns of behavior. No longer do I have to be dragged around by my emotions. The new me, the born-again me, is in control.

So now I can boss the old me around. I can say, "Body" you will get healthy. The Word of God says that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit and I command you to get in line with the Word. It has to obey!

I can say, "Depression", The Word of God says that I am to rejoice always and be full of joy. I command you to praise God and be thankful! It has to obey!

I can say, "Limited thinking", The Word of God says that ALL things are possible with God. I command you to stop putting limits on what can be accomplished in me through Christ. It has to obey!

My friends, if you are born-again the same Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead dwells within you. As we know from 2 Corinthians 5:17, you are a new creature. All things have become new and everything that is old in your life has passed away. You have been given the authority to take control of yourself.


Romans 6:16 says this:
Don't you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.

Make your old self obey the new, born-again you, which is indwelt with the very Sprit of God. Speak to those mountains. Cast those doubts into the sea. Resist the enemy and he will flee!

I pray that this simple little message will help you overcome some of the obstacles in your life that are hindering you from experiencing the fullness of the abundant life that Jesus came to bring us.

Take Control!

(See also Genesis 18:10, 14; and Genesis 25:23)