Lookalikes
by David Cross
This verse encapsulates a powerful spiritual principle. We take on the character of whatever or whoever we worship. This can clearly have a negative effect on our lives if we’ve chosen to idolise something or someone that is contrary to God’s desire for our wellbeing.
There’s no doubt that some pop-idols, celebrities, and media influencers have had a detrimental effect on a number of their followers, who have been drawn to emulate the sometimes-destructive lifestyle of the one they idolise. For the followers of many false religions, there’s often a noticeable group similarity in character, and even appearance, a fact that is more than just a human choice, but rather the result of a spiritual compulsion.
But there’s good news. This same principal works for followers of Jesus. The more we are surrendered to Him and to His teaching, and the more we worship Him in our hearts, then the more like Him we will become, bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is, in effect, the character of Christ.
This process of transformation into His likeness is not achieved by striving, but by yielding to Him in every area of our lives. As we do this, the result is spiritually empowered and inevitable: a bearing of fruit that will last.
David Cross David is part of the Executive Leadership of Ellel Ministries, with particular responsibility for the Ellel centres in Western Europe. He is married to Denise and they have three grown up children and eight grandchildren. David has been a civil engineer and ski-touring instructor in the Highlands of Scotland. He is passionate about the teaching and practice of the healing and deliverance ministry of Jesus and has written several books: Soul Ties, Trapped by Control, God’s Covering, The Dangers of Alternative Ways to Healing(co-authored with John Berry), an A to Z Guide to the Healing Ministry, What`s Wrong with Human Rights? and, most recently, God`s Way out of Depression. You can follow a daily thought from David on Twitter: @dmcross62
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
