Two questions I want to ask when I get to heaven is: How much more could I have done or how much better could I have been had I totally surrendered control to Christ and trusted the Holy Spirit’s guidance?

John 10:10 tells us, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” KJV

Are we enjoying life like Christ intended? As Christians shouldn’t we be living an extra-ordinary life style? God created an ugly old worm, called a caterpillar that crawls along the ground with all kinds of obstacles blocking its way. After a time, this worm is instantaneously transformed into an insect called a butterfly, which is one of the most graceful and beautiful of all insects. What kind of life are we living, like the caterpillar or the butterfly? As a result of sin and our self-centered nature, we were born ‘caterpillar-like’. But Christ came to offer us a ‘butterfly-like’ life. If God can transform a caterpillar into a butterfly, can’t He transform a sinner into one of His children? The Bible says God will bring our life into a new dimension. (“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17). As a caterpillar, I face death. As a butterfly, the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

Do we feel liberated and free from a caterpillar-like life? To become a butterfly requires being born again into a new life that we might be forgiven of our sins and become free. For that to happen we had to accept Christ as our Savior so we could be forgiven of our past, present and future sins in order that we might become free. Do we believe that it is possible to completely change and live as a new person? Do we sense His power, His love and His guidance in our lives? Do we believe God wants anything but the best for us? Scripture tells us if we accept the truth it will set us free to become whatever we dream to be.

My freshman year in college my business management professor told the class that we could be and do anything we believed we could do. It took a while before I believed that was possible. In fact with the Holy Spirit’s guidance I believed that most everyone had more potential than they would ever use. Yet many Christians do not realize that the Holy Spirit is in our lives to help us become what is best for us. Have we not witnessed supernatural changes in our lives? The Bible tells us God wants each of us to live extra-ordinary lives and has placed the Holy Spirit within us to help live that kind of life. He tells us we are to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Have we seen evidence of this change or is there too much caterpillar-like still in us? To become a butterfly we must fully surrender the ways of the caterpillar life. It may take changing both habits and ideas.

Do we live like a son or daughter of a Father that has unlimited power and wealth? Do we think like a person of wealth, fame and power? Do we realize how rich God has made us? Too often we accept the role of the caterpillar’s life and allow the devil’s lies to deceive us. He tells us we as Christians are unworthy and will never amount to much. If we believe him our lives could end in failure. Well, do we want to keep living the way we have been or do we want to live the life God has for us? Our first step is to surrender our controlling nature and seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We must trust that God has a better life for us than we are able to make for ourselves. But we must live by His ways.

I have written previously about the importance of praying for purpose and direction. What happens if a real opportunity presents itself? How many of us are willing to take risks? What if a suitable circumstance occurs? How will we know if it is God opening a door? Are we always sensitive to His Spirit’s leading? What percent of our decisions are based on what we want rather than what God may believe is best for us? Are we letting our past, when we were caterpillars, influence our decisions?

We must always be alert! Sometimes God allows obstacles or problems to come our way to get our attention. God wants us to listen to Him, depend on Him, wait on Him and watch for Him to work on our behalf. Many times God wants to demonstrate His power by intervening in our lives. God works silently and is invisible. If we are not expecting God’s intervening into our lives, we may not recognize when His work is being done.

How familiar we are with the Bible and God’s promises may depend on how willing we are to take risks. If we are not aware of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives we probably wouldn’t expect God to intervene and help us to be the person we could be. Shouldn’t we believe God wants us to use his power working in us, so we reach our full-potential?

God opens and closes doors, but we must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to realize when doors are opening or closing. We probably will not recognize whether a door is open or closed unless we have given up the caterpillar life and become God’s butterfly.

When we had outgrown our church on Mojave and needed to relocate we did not have the finances to do so. Yet, God kept opening doors. We continued to follow each door that opened. First the land became available and a member loaned the money to purchase the land. We obtained an architect; we worked with the City of Henderson to get permits and allowed God to open door after door. Had we not seen God moving and showing what we thought was impossible become possible chances are we would not be in our present building. I can personally say I was a witness to seeing God build our church. As a result, we now have thousands who attend and we see supernatural events as hundreds accept Christ monthly and thousands yearly.

I have been asked what do you think is the most important necessity to success in life? Through my experience and watching thousands of others there is one word that can make a total difference. That word is ‘preparation’. Want to be a better Christian? Study your Bible and have an attitude of prayer. Want to be better educated? Take the time to study and learn. Want to be financially secure? Make a budget and set financial goals and then make the plan work. Choose your investments wisely after thorough research and do not take unreasonable risks. No matter which direction we wish to go, always let the Holy Spirit lead and expect He will.

Set your goals high enough that it will make you stretch. Pray about them and sense the direction God is leading. When you feel the Holy Spirit leading, start preparing. Get as much information as you can, research your possibilities and then make plans. Be willing to take the risks necessary and be dependent on God and then execute your plans. Think of yourself as having become God’s butterfly!

Don’t think your path will always be easy. The Devil’s evil spirits may throw every conceivable obstacle to frustrate and discourage you. Each obstacle that you overcome and God will help you, will build your faith and some day you could have enough faith to move mountains. Then is when you will be able to do whatever you believe you can.