When you receive this editorial, the Feast of Unleavened Bread will be drawing to a close. These days picture for us the necessity to be on the lookout for sin and to deal with it before it grows in our lives.
As we have gone through this week and have eaten unleavened bread the entire week, it shows that we want to continue to have a relationship with Christ and we want to avoid sin as sin adversely affects our relationship with God. There is a question that we should ask ourselves as we move out of this period of time: What have we done this week to help ourselves overcome our individual sins or sinful proclivities? What is going to be different for us as we move forward into the coming weeks?
We can use this beginning of the Spring Holy Days to help us springboard into further action!
We have heard in many messages the need to change and grow. It is up to us individually, however, to move forward with our conversion. The Bible makes it clear that coming to conversion is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey. It is the beginning of transformation, not the conclusion. When we become baptized, we step into a new life that is meant to grow, deepen, and mature. As Paul exhorted the Thessalonians, we are to “abound more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:1). But how exactly can we move forward in our conversion in practical and Spiritual ways?
David was also concerned with this very concept.
In Psalm 139:23-24, he said: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
We are so good at self-deception and reasoning that it can be easy to get caught up in doing the wrong things and not see exactly what we need to be seeing, which is why David writes here his need for God to show him and lead him in the right ways!
As we move towards God’s next Holy Day (Pentecost), we should be mindful of continuing to move forward. Here are a few Biblical steps that show how we can grow and use these Feasts of God to their Fullest extent:
1. Stay Rooted in the Word
1 Peter 2:2 reminds us: “as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby.”
The Word of God is our primary source of nourishment. It reshapes our thinking, reveals God’s character, and instructs us in righteousness. Regular reading, studying, and meditating on Scripture is essential if we want to keep moving forward.
2. Be Devoted to Prayer
Paul urges us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.”
Prayer isn’t merely about presenting our needs; it’s about building a relationship. In prayer, we align our hearts with God’s, receive His peace, and gain spiritual insight. As we grow in our prayer life, our faith deepens, and our awareness of God’s presence will become more constant.
3. Put Off the Old Self, Put On the New Self
Ephesians 4:22-24 teaches: “…that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
Conversion involves continual repentance. It means turning away from old habits and attitudes and actively embracing a life that reflects Christ.
4. Walk in the Spirit
Paul writes in Galatians 5:25: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit is our guide in this journey. It convicts, empowers, and leads us toward Christlikeness. Moving forward in conversion requires sensitivity and a willingness to follow His lead daily.
5. Stay Connected to the Body of Christ
Proverbs 27:17 says: “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
Community is crucial. The Church provides encouragement, correction, support, and discipleship. Being in regular fellowship with other believers helps us stay grounded and growing.
6. Embrace Trials as Growth-Opportunities
James 1:2-4 encourages us: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
God uses hardship to shape us, to expose weak spots, and to strengthen our character. Moving forward sometimes happens most powerfully in the furnace of difficulty.
7. Keep Your Eyes on Christ
Hebrews 12:2 tells us that we must be “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Conversion is not just behavior management; it’s about transformation through proximity to Christ. As we behold Him, we become more like Him.
Conversion is a process of growing in grace, deepening in faith, and becoming more like Jesus. It is not a stagnant state, but a living journey. We move forward in our conversion not only by striving harder, but also, and more importantly, by staying closer to Christ, relying on His Spirit, anchoring ourselves in the Word, and walking in fellowship with others. Let us press on into the fullness of the life God has promised.