Where Change Starts

Jeremiah 50:15

Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

Many people who have changed said they would never change. Their goal and desire was great, but they did not keep the change from happening. Throughout my ministry, I have seen men who once stood firmly for truth change their whole ministry to become something different. I have seen men who once desired to start churches quit the ministry for money, worldly living, and even becoming atheists. If you had asked these men when they were young if they would be doing what they are presently doing, every one of these men would have adamantly said “no.” These men that I have seen change are like the thousands of people who start right but end up wrong.

How do people start right and end up wrong? God shows us how in His prophecy against Babylon. Babylon was a tool in God’s hand that became the mightiest nation in the world, but they are now just a history lesson of what they used to be. So many men of God and believers are history lessons of what they used to be and what sin and worldliness did to them. Let me share three steps people take that lead to change.

First, they change their direction. Notice that Babylon hath given her hand. She gave her hand, which means she changed her direction from God to something else. Change always starts with a directional change. Directional changes are not positional changes, but directional changes always changes positions. You change your direction of what you once used to do to look more like others. Directional changes often happen because of a sincere desire to help people, but it always leads to a positional change. Directional changes always start with your friendships. It starts by yoking up with people who are not like you or reading books by people who are not doctrinally right, and your direction changes because of those you let influence you. Whoever you give your hand to in friendship is the direction you will go. You will never change positionally if you don't give your hand to a person who is directionally wrong.

Second, directional change always leads to a breakdown of standards. Before the foundations were fallen in the verse above, the walls were thrown down. Once you change your direction, you will justify changing your standards. Your music begins to change, then your dress standards change, and before long you will see what you believe has changed. A directional change always leads to the breakdown of the walls of standards that you set up to keep you from the world.

Third, the breakdown of the wall of standards leads to the foundations being destroyed. Once you let your standards down, you have exposed your doctrine to the wrong influences. I have yet to see someone let down their ecclesiastical and personal standards and it not affect their doctrinal positions.

My friend, it all starts with your direction. Who you give your hand to in fellowship will always determine your direction. Protect your direction if you don't want to change. If you separate from people when their direction changes, you will never see your wall of standards crumble, and the foundation of doctrinal positions will not change.