Transformation Part 1: From Glory Unto Glory

I would not say, brother, what is it that has you? What is it that controls you? What is it that interests you? What is it that dominates you? What is it that captures you? What is it that has your attention? Your mind? What is it that has your body? What is it that keeps you from the spirit? I do not know. I would not say, but brothers and sisters, for all of us, there has to be, as the people in Acts that came and took all their stuff and burned it, every one of us has got burning to do. There are things in our lives that have to be taken out and burned. Now, you may do that physically; it may be that you really have to do that physically. Or it may be that you can deal with it in a much more private manner, but there are things in your life that have got to go. We must not be conformed to this world. I will never tell you what that is, but brother, will you be faithful to do it?

Now then, there are two kinds of people. I want you to listen to this very carefully because as we learn the church, we need to know this. There are two kinds of people: there are those people who before they were converted, they were very, very weak, and they have given in to many things. Then there were people who, before they were saved, were rather moral and strict. I’m going to tell you something that will really surprise you. Generally speaking, the man who has been strict can go on with the Lord much quicker than the brother who has been very weak toward temptation, because he knows something of discipline. That’s not a big thing, but for what I’m about to say, to a brother who has really been weak before his salvation, I just want to say a word to you. This is completely parenthetical. You may feel that you are very strong in the will because you are like that.

You know, where I come from, we have strong men. I mean, in the part of the country where I come from, men take great pride in being not just physically, but in the will. They’re all the John Wayne type, or they try to be, but you will notice that some of these men are so weak towards sin. They look so strong. They can command people, do things. Now there is a man who’s strong in the will, but he’s really not. He’s very weak in the will. He’s strong in personality and projection, but he’s weak towards sin. My brother, if that’s you, perhaps you come to something that you really know is of the world, and you cannot give it up. All I say to you, brother, is you have to offer it to the Lord, and then you have to come and be so dependent on the brothers and sisters. And every day you have to offer it to the Lord. And every day you have to turn to the Spirit to have more and more of the Lord in you, and don’t ever count much on your own ability. You just have to keep telling yourself and telling the Lord, Lord, I look strong, but I’m not; I’m weak. Oh Lord, I look like a big tough guy, but I’m very weak. I’ve been very sinful in my past life. I’ve been very weak towards sin. Lord, I pray, just work yourself in me. This is something that I do not yet have in me. You do not have enough ground, Lord. Take this every day, offer it to him, and ask the Lord to deposit more and more and more.

Brother, you really need to be dependent on the church if you had a really weak experience before your conversion. That’s one. Now then, for the strong brother, maybe you’ve lived a fairly moral life as the world counts morality. You’ve been able to, maybe you got something attached to you, you were able to give it up, it doesn’t matter. Brother, you know what your great danger is. Do you have any idea? Egoism, pride, religion. These people make the greatest religion in all the world. Oh, brother, I don’t do this, this, and this, and this. I don’t do anything, and you shouldn’t do that either. This brother is really hard on the weak brother. So, each of us has a real danger.

We really need to be so dependent on one another. Now, brothers and sisters, I can’t say to you which is better off; it does not matter, but I say to you that you have to come to the Lord and say, “Lord, deal with me in the matter of dealing with the world.” Be not conformed to this world, and this comes with the offering of the fact of yourself as a sacrifice. Don’t argue with me or anyone else. Brother, I just don’t believe Ipana toothpaste is wrong; I just don’t believe it. Now, I know that Colgate is good, but I don’t believe Ipana is wrong. Brother, don’t go try to convince somebody that what you’re doing is right.

Deep, deep down inside, you already know; right now. You already know. Yes, you do. Deep down inside, you already know, and as you come to the Lord, He enlightens you even more. You must offer yourself to the Lord, and you must not be conformed to this world, but rather, be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.