Extreme Me Makeover – God’s Way

Bible Verses: Gal. 5:22

Often, when we are more attractive it not only changes the way we live our life but it reflects God and it points other people to Him. But that is not always the case.

Now, I’m not a big fan of Dr. Phil as I don’t agree with his worldly doctrine. However, one day Dr. Phil was interviewing a young lady who had undergone an extreme makeover through which she had lost a tremendous amount of weight. The problem was that she still felt “empty” inside, the same way she felt before her marvelous “renovation”.

This situation corresponds with the findings of the plastic surgeon Maxwell Maltz, author of the book “Psycho-Cybernetics”. He reported that some people who were miserably disfigured and were later transformed into raving beauties still had the same poor self image they have before their miraculous transformation.

Some of us Christians have the same problem spiritually. You can be a Christian and still carry the same inner identity you had as a non-believer. We can be buoyed up by what I call “Biblical Self-Confidence”. Let’s get it deep down into our “knower” that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Jesus assigned great value to us when He shed His blood for us (Matt. 26:28) and God loved us even when we didn’t love Him…when we were going our own way and doing our own thing. (Romans 5:8) However Genesis 1:26 contains the most compelling reason for Christians to have a fantastic self-image: “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”

In this overview message what I want to do is I look at this makeover idea.

I want to talk about the portrait of the makeover,
I want to talk about the predicament.
I want to talk about the plan.

All of that is found in one chapter in the New Testament called Galatians 5.

We’re going to take a look at that. Let’s start by looking at the PORTRAIT of attraction.
Galatians 5:22 “When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce [circle “produce”] this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Here there is no conflict with the law.”

What the apostle Paul was doing was writing to this church and saying, you guys are spending all this time focusing on the law. There are 613 laws in the Old Testament plus hundreds of human traditions. Paul instead says what’s really important is– love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Why? None of those are going to offend your laws. Let’s focus on what really matters.
Put an “X” by the 3 that you feel that you need the most right now in your life.

God’s portrait of who you can be can’t be purchased. It’s free. It can’t be bought. It can’t be earned. It can’t be made. It’s free. When you allow God’s Spirit to invade your life it becomes your.

How come I’m not producing them in my life?” Good question. It leads us to the predicament, the problem.

Verse 17 says-- “The old sinful nature loves to do evil which is just opposite to what the Holy Spirit wants. The Spirit gives us desires that are opposite to what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other. And your choices are never free from this conflict. ”

So if you’re not producing the fruit of God’s Spirit there are a couple options.

1. First, maybe God’s Spirit isn’t in you. Maybe you haven’t allowed God to invade your life yet.

2. Or two you are living in conflict with the Spirit of God so you’re not producing the fruit of God’s Spirit.

When we are struggling with the things of the flesh there is always going to be a battle.

What happens-- Our sinful nature route collides with God’s route. That’s the predicament, that’s the problem.

There are also other kinds of fruit that are reflected in our internal ugliness. They’re what I call the bitter fruit of the selfish spirit. Here’s what the Bible has to say about that.

Verse 19 “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature [I’m not going God’s route. I’m going my own sinful flesh nature.] Your lives will produce these evil results. Impure thoughts, sexual immorality, eagerness for lustful pleasure, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other kinds of sin.”

Thankfully, we don’t have to live at this problem stage if we don’t want to. God has a plan. It’s a great plan. It’s a plan for attraction.

Verse 16 “So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. If we’re living now by the Holy Spirit let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

So there’s the plan. What I want to do now is unpack that plan for you. Let’s talk about the ABC’s of the Plan—

A – Act in faith that God has given you these gifts.

These fruit of His Spirit are already your because you have a relationship with Him.
He has filled you with His Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control are available to you.

Act then as if God has given you these gifts.

B – Believe that God is the only source for a true me makeover.

Jesus told us that He is the source of a true makeover. John 15-- “Jesus said, ‘Remain in Me and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit [circle “cannot”] if it is severed from the vine. And you cannot be fruitful apart from Me. Yes, I am the vine and you are the branches. Those who remain in Me and I in them will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.’”

Jesus is saying, I am the vine, you are the branches, I am the only source that is going to help you produce this fruit.

So I’m acting as if God has given me these gifts. All the while believing that God is the only source for a true makeover. Then ultimately that I would…

C – Choose God’s way from the outset

This is walking in the Spirit. It is not easy. So what I want to challenge you to do is take that other half of that sheet and take that home.

I want to encourage you or challenge you.

Would you try to commit the fruit of God’s Spirit to memory?

Maybe you’re thinking why memorize it?

If it’s serving as a filter in my mind and it comes out in my vocabulary it can seep into my heart, my inner world, and then effect the choices that I make. That’s what makes somebody attractive.

A sermon in a sentence-- God’s plan for an extreme me makeover is an INSIDE JOB
…and it promises to make you “look” GOOD!