Progress does not jump on people; people make progress! Real change begins when you decide that staying where you are is no longer an option and that moving forward is the only way.
Many people hope that time alone will change their situation, but the Bible teaches us that progress requires response. The Bible says, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms” (James 5:13, KJV). God does not point us to emotional release as the solution; He points us to action rooted in faith. Crying may express how you feel, but it does not move you forward. Transformation begins when you choose to respond to God’s Word with obedience.
Some people enter this journey because they are struggling, while others enter because they know there is more. You may not be in a bad place, but God is not only interested in moving you from bad to good, but he also wants to move you from good to great. This requires recognizing your value and understanding that growth changes responsibility. The Bible says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7, KJV). When you begin to see yourself through God’s Word, your actions begin to change.
This 40-day journey starts with a decision. A decision to step away from distractions, including social media, and make room for God’s voice. It can be a simple decision to open the Bible not just to read it, but to apply it to your spiritual life, your finances, your career, and your personal growth. You can also decide to stop waiting for permission and start walking in what God has already said. If you are ready to make that decision, then this is your moment. Let’s begin the transformation together.
Recognizing Your Current Value
Real transformation requires a re-evaluation of your worth. You cannot negotiate your life based on previous seasons. If you have been putting effort into your personal development and your walk with God, your value has risen. You must become conscious of your current state so that you do not short-change yourself.
When you realize your value in Christ, it births a confidence that makes you refuse to agree to certain things anymore. You will look at old habits or low-level negotiations and say, “God forbid.” Sometimes it’s a realization of potential that will drive you to work more on yourself, that will make you say, “You know what, I can do better than this. For me to achieve this, I have to give up some things.” If you’re going to see something better, you must put in more. You give up to go up, not just in the sense of giving money, but in giving up weights so that you are lighter and can move higher.
For instance, think of transformation like a pilot getting clearance from air traffic control. A pilot cannot ascend to a higher altitude without clearance from air traffic control. Once that clearance is given, the pilot must pull back the yoke to ascend. If he receives clearance but does not act, he remains stuck at a lower altitude, causing delays and missing his window.
Just like the pilot, some things come in a window, and they must be taken at that time. When you hear you are clear to move to 30,000 feet, pull back the yoke, and ascend immediately. You don’t have to feel like it, just make the move. You don’t want to be a plane that has the capacity to get to 40,000 feet but is stuck at 10,000.
Time to take Action
This season is heaven’s way of saying you have clearance to move to another altitude, spiritually, financially, emotionally, and physically. God gives the clearance, but you make the move. Many are waiting for a feeling or another sign, but your feelings are inconsequential to what God has said. If God gave you a word, showed you a vision, or had hands laid upon you, that is your clearance.
One of the biggest hindrances to experiencing transformation is waiting for a feeling. You have to believe God and stop acting ordinarily, even when you have received a spiritual impartation. When Saul was anointed, he became a different man and led Israel to victory because he became conscious of what he had received. You need no other sign; to ask for one is to mock God’s seriousness, let the Word be enough.
How to Take the Word Seriously for Transformation
Usually, the supernatural does not come spectacularly; it looks like an ordinary event. Because it looks ordinary, it is easy to rationalize it away. However, the difference between those who experience transformation and those who stay the same is how seriously they take what God said.
Like Paul said to Timothy in Second Timothy 1:14, “That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us.” Keep it here refers to using it. Stop overthinking and rationalizing what you heard or received from God. Because oftentimes the supernatural doesn’t come spectacularly, it is easy for people to become casual about it, seeing it as a normal thing. What is it that God put inside you that you have rationalized? That’s the first admonition, pick it up again.
To take God’s Word seriously and experience real transformation, you must follow these steps:
Worship God for His Truth
The first step in taking God’s Word seriously is to worship Him for it. Psalm 138:2 states: “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy names.”
When you receive a word, thank God because He cannot lie. Hebrews 6:18 tells us: “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” Also, Titus 1:2 speaks “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” You’ve got to worship God with His word. For instance, you can thank him by saying, “Lord, thank you for your word. You said this to me, God who cannot lie, thank you.”
Your divine seriousness begins with thanksgiving. Tell Him, “Lord, I know Your Word is enough. I take you seriously.” When it comes to experiencing transformation, the word of God is enough. You must remember that God is the equalizer; He does not need all things to be equal to perform His Word. He can make the laws of biology and nature bow to fulfill what He told you. This is what you must worship him in thanksgiving for his word.
Commit the Word to Memory
You must not forget what God has told you. Real transformation is sustained by keeping the Word in your heart. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 says: “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.”
If you do not keep the Word in your memory, you have believed in vain. You must also remember God’s past faithfulness. Psalm 103:1-2 admonishes: “Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” Gratitude for what He did before makes it easier to believe what He is saying now. When you remember how He forgave your iniquities, healed your diseases, and redeemed your life from destruction, your faith is strengthened for the next level.
Act On It immediately
Stop rationalizing the things God has put inside you. Often, we ask God for something new, but He says, “I already gave it to you; you just didn’t take it seriously.” For many, the key to the next altitude is not a new word, but a new seriousness towards what had been said previously.
John 10:35 declares: “If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken.” The Word of God cannot be broken; it is not possible for it to fail because God and His Word are one. Hebrews 1:3 says He is “upholding all things by the word of his power.” If God’s Word could fail, the universe would dematerialize.
The Foundation of Transformation: The Gospel
You must be hungry for the Word and study it for yourself. Do not be lazy with the scriptures. Transformation is rooted in the message that leads to salvation. As 1 Corinthians 15:3 says: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.”
This is the message you must keep in memory: Christ died for your sins. Your sins have been paid for, and you can never be punished for them again because Jesus’ sacrifice was enough. He is your advocate and the propitiation for your sins. Real transformation begins here, with a firm belief in the finished work of Christ.
There is no expiry date to God’s Word. It is potent and will wait until you are ready to take it seriously. So make your decision today, that you will no longer settle for where you are. Decide to take God’s word seriously in every area of your life. Remember what God said in Deuteronomy 30:19, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.” The choice is before you; choose transformation.
This blog post is culled from Day 1 of 40 Days of Transformation, a yearly programme held by God’s Heritage of Faith International churches. You can watch the full sermon here.