I was driving down the road the other day and saw a sign that advertises for a company that specializes in removing residential oil tanks that are leaking toxins into the soil. These oil tanks had served the useful purpose of storing heating oil for people’s heating systems. Without them, people would have frozen within their homes. Problem is that they were constructed with old technology out of metal that rusts through. The new replacement tanks are made out of materials that don’t rust through and leak toxins into the environment.
This made me think about what the Scriptures say about becoming a Christian. When we accept Jesus into our hearts as our LORD and Savior, our old toxic leaking oil tank is replaced by a brand new oil tank that supplies a most precious heating oil to a freezing world that is most desperate for the warmth of Jesus Christ.
The following Scriptures concentrate on becoming new creations when we are truly Born Again:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:5-6 KJV)
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; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24 KJV)
Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. (Colossians 3:9-10 NKJV)
That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them do not belong to Him at all. (Romans 8:8-9 NLT)
Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. (1 Peter 4:1-3 NKJV)
The question now comes down to: “Are you leaking toxic waste to the world around you?” It doesn’t matter whether you may or may not have made a commitment to Jesus Christ in the past. What matters is now. Your oil tank may have served its purpose for many years. But now it is leaking toxins. I beg of you to allow Jesus to remove the old and clean up the toxins. Only Jesus can install a new incorruptible one into your life!
Annointing 