Transform Your Christian Life

TRANSFORM

YOUR

CHRISTIAN LIFE

Being Changed From Glory to Glory

D K OKINE

Unless otherwise stated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the

King James Version of the Bible.

Published by David K Okine at Smashwords.

Copyright 2017 D K OKINE

Smashwords Edition.

First Edition published by D K Okine at Smashwords 2017.

Find out more about D K Okine at:

Lighthouse Chapel International

Durban, South Africa

Write to:

mailto:okined@gmail.com

Contact: +27 76 956 7069

All rights reserved under international copy right law. Written permission must be secured from the author to use or reproduce any part of this book, except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles.

Preface

In Philippians chapter 1verses 6 the scripture reads Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

It is my pleasure to inform you that God has just begun a good work in you, the mere fact that you have received the Lord Jesus Christ as your saviour is a clear indication that the change has just began and will continue until the day that the Lord Jesus Christ appears in His glory.

Our Christian life is a journey with God through Jesus Christ our Lord and as long as we continue to journey with Lord, we are continuously changed from glory to glory in our spirit, soul and body.

My prayer is that, as you read this book, may the Lord enlighten you to understand the New Birth and appreciate the on-going transformation that every Christian must to go through to progress in this journey with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my Sunday school teacher Teacher Edna as we were used to calling her. As young child from the age of 7 years, I recall how she taught me the Holy Scriptures and instilled in me the wisdom of the Word of God.

I remember clearly how she made us memorise the scriptures and recite them like a nursery poem even though we didn’t clearly understand them at that age. Never did we know that she was sowing the seeds of greatness into the lives of young children who would grow up to be mightily used of God.

The mere fact that you are reading this book is a clear indication of fruitfulness of the seeds that were sown into me many years ago and the mighty grace of God upon my life.

Acknowledgments

John Ebo Opare- You have been a great blessing to me, thank you for designing this cover page. Your skills always come in handy. Thank you.

Angela Reynekye- Thank you Angela, your skills at editing the content and the flow of information has helped me beyond words. Thank you very much.

Table of Contents

Section 1- Transforming Your Spirit

1. The Real Change

2. Understand That Man Is A Spirit

3. How To Grow Your Spirit

4. How To Strengthen Your Spirit

5. How To Energize Your Spirit

6. How To Take Care Of Your Spirit

Section 2- Renewing Your Soul

1. What is the Soul of a Man?

2. How To Renew Your Soul

3. How To Strengthen Your Soul

4. How To Become A Spiritual Christian

5. Your Soul is Your Responsibility

6. The Instruments of Real Change

7. What Is Your Vision of As A Christian?

8. How the Holy Spirit Can Transform Your Soul

9. 16 Characteristics of A Dead Soul

10. 25 Things God Requires of You As A Christian

Section 3- Constraining Your Body

1. Your Body Is Still The Same When You Are Born-Again.

2. 32 Facts About Your Body You Should Know As A Christian.

3. 20 Weapons That Satan Uses Against You As A Christian.

4. 10 Excellent Ways You Can Have Victory Over The Flesh.

5. 10 Important Christian Practices You Must Develop.

About the Author

Other Titles By D K Okine

Section 1

TRANSFORMING YOUR SPIRIT

Chapter 1

The Real Change

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.

2Corinthians 5:17

The phrase a new creature is the Greek phrase kainos ktisis which literally means;

1. An original formation.

2. A new creation.

3. A being with no past.

4. One that never existed before.

5. Something created anew.

But we all (Christians), with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

The term are changed as indicated in the above scripture is the Greek word metamorphoo which is translated as;

1. To be transformed.

2. To be transfigured.

3. To be changed from one form to another.

4. A continuous change.

5. A continuous improvement.

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2Corinthians 4:16

The inner man; the real you must be renewed every day. The word renewed is the Greek word anakainoō which denotes;

1. To renovate

2. To improve the state of something

3. To give fresh life

4. To make better

5. To improve continuously

From these three scriptural references, we can clearly understand that there are two major happenings in the life of anyone who is born-again.

1. A complete change; becoming a new creation. This denotes the spiritual birth.

2. A continuous change; a continuous improvement of the spirit, soul and body, this denotes spiritual growth.

Spiritual Birth is an instant change but Spiritual Growth is a time related and gradual improvement of the spirit, soul and body of the new creation. Spiritual growth and your ability to improve upon your Christian life every day is very much dependent on you; therefore take responsibility.

We have the Word of God as our mirror and a reflection of who we are supposed to be. It is important for every Christian to spend time to discover from the Word of God whom he is, what his rights, privileges, duties and responsibilities are.

But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

James 1:25

In my early spiritual development, I learnt from Kenneth E Hagin that for a new believer to grow, understand spiritual things and who we are in Christ Jesus, Christians need to meditate on the epistles; for the epistles clearly shows every Christian what salvation means, what it means to be in Christ and how to live a successful Christian life.

As long as a Christian continues to engage with the Word of God and with the Holy Spirit, he will continue to grow and be transformed from glory to glory. The glory of the Lord is the Word of God and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The transformation process begins when you are born again.

But we all (Christians), with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 Corinthians 3:18

The real change happens to a person in 3 major dimensions;

1. Through the New birth.

2. By putting-off the old man.

3. By putting-on the new man.

THE NEW BIRTH; Being Born-Again

You Are Given A New Heart And A New Spirit.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26

This is why someone who truly repents and gives his life to Jesus Christ really becomes a changed person. God gives you a new heart and with your new heart, you can practice forgiveness, you can show unconditional love, you can have joy unspeakable, etc. With your new heart you are able to show and demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ to others.

A person who was very impatient, when truly born-again can now practice patience because patience is the fruit of his spirit. Another person who was full of anger and bitterness is now able to show and demonstrate love to a greater degree when he is truly saved.

All these changes and developments are possible when you truly repent and give your heart to Jesus Christ. God gives you a new heart that is able to do so many new things and bring forth good fruits.

BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Galatians 5:22-24

A genuine Christian can love anyone and everyone, a genuine Christian can be full of joy, a genuine Christian can be peaceful, a genuine Christian can be temperate and long suffering. A genuine Christian can be full of faith, a genuine Christian can be full of meekness and humility, a genuine Christian can control his or her fleshly feelings and emotions, a genuine Christian can overcome any inappropriate affection and lusts by the help of the Holy Spirit.

PUT OFF THE OLD MAN

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

Ephesians 4:22-23

There is an old man and there is a new man. The old man is the person you were before you met the Lord Jesus Christ. The old man is the figurative term given to that old life you used to live before you accepted salvation in Jesus Christ. The old man is that person who was living in darkness, living in sin and under the dominion of Satan, doing whatsoever he desired.

12 Things Every Christian Must Know About The Old Man

1. The old man was crucified and destroyed with Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed…

Romans 6:6

2. The old man was a servant unto Sin.

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him….that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 6:6

3. The old man and his deeds can be put off completely.

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man…..

Ephesians 4:22

4. The old man was corrupt because of deceitful lusts.

That ye put off …. the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts…

Ephesians 4:22-23

5. The old man is full of lies.

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.

Colossians 3:9

6. The old man describes anyone who is dead unto God because of their sins.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins….

Ephesians 2:1

7. The old man describes anyone who conducts his life in the same manner as unbelievers.

….wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world…

Ephesians 2:2

8. The old man describes anyone who is obedient to Satan also called the prince of the power of the air.

….wherein in time past ye walked….. according to the prince of the power of the air…

Ephesians 2:2

9. The old man describes anyone who living in disobedience to God. Unbelievers are called children of disobedience.

…wherein in time past ye walked according to….the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience…

Ephesians 2:2

10. The old man describes anyone who walks in the lusts of his body.

…wherein in time past ye walked…in times past in the lusts of our flesh…

Ephesians 2:3

11. The old man describes anyone who fulfils the evil desires of his body and his mind.

…. among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind…

Ephesians 2:3

12. The old man describes anyone who can be considered as children of wrath; that is people who are given to every form of evil work.

… and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Ephesians 2:1-3

PUTTING ON THE NEW MAN

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Ephesians 4:24

The Apostle Paul urges every believer to put on the new personality, new behaviour, new attitudes and characteristics of the new person we have become by being born-again; being given a new spirit and a new heart.

15 Ways to Put on the New Man / 15 Characteristics of a Born-again Christian

1. By allowing old things to pass way.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2Corinthians 5:17

2. By renewing your mind with the full knowledge and understanding of the Word of God.

And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that