How to Live an Altered Life: Overcoming the Enemy Through Sacrifice

How to Live an Altered Life: Overcoming the Enemy Through Sacrifice

Living as an overcomer requires more than just knowing about God's power - it demands a transformed way of life. The Bible tells us we overcome the enemy by three things: the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and not loving our lives unto death. While most believers embrace the first two, the third element often gets overlooked, yet it holds the key to true victory.

What Does It Mean to Not Love Your Life Unto Death?

The phrase "not loving our lives unto death" doesn't mean we should hate our existence. Instead, it calls us to live what can be described as an "altered life" - a life transformed by sacrifice and surrender. This altered life is characterized by placing God's will above our own desires, even when it costs us something significant.

Living an altered life means understanding that not every blessing is meant for us, and not every open door leads to our destiny. Sometimes the enemy's greatest strategy isn't to stop us but to bless us in the wrong direction, leading us away from God's perfect plan.

Understanding the Power of Altars

How Altars Are Built

In the Old Testament, altars were constructed by disturbing and rearranging the territory where they were built. The land had to be transformed - rocks moved from one location to another, strategically placed to create something new. This process required change and shift in the existing landscape.

Why Altars Were Built

Altars weren't built to invite God's presence but because God's presence had already been encountered there. They marked places where people had experienced divine encounters. These weren't mere monuments for remembrance - they were active places designed for sacrifice and ongoing worship.

The Principle of Encounter and Sacrifice

Encounter Grants Entrance

The key to entering promised places isn't through force or manipulation but through genuine encounter with God. Moses was chosen to lead Israel not because he was the most qualified speaker (he actually had a stuttering problem), but because he was the only one in 400 years who had left Egypt and found God's presence in the wilderness.

What to Bring to the Altar

Never approach an altar without a sacrifice. This doesn't mean you have to pay for God's presence, but it demonstrates obedience and surrender. Your sacrifice might be:

• Financial offerings

• Your personal will and plans

• Your opinions and preferences

• Dreams that aren't aligned with God's purpose

• Relationships that compromise your character

• Opportunities that lead away from your calling

Recognizing the Enemy's Strategy of False Blessing

When Blessings Become Traps

The enemy's primary strategy isn't always to stop you - sometimes it's to bless you in the wrong direction. Just as Jesus was tempted with the kingdoms of this world when He was about to enter His ministry, we too face moments where attractive opportunities can derail our destiny.

How to Discern God's Blessing from the Enemy's Trap

Ask yourself these questions about any opportunity:

• Does this require me to compromise my Christian character?

• Does this align with God's revealed will for my life?

• Am I surrounded by the right people in this opportunity?

• Does this move me toward or away from my God-given purpose?

If an opportunity requires you to remain silent about sin or compromise your values to maintain favor with others, it's not from God.

The Importance of Correction and Accountability

Learning from David's Example

King David understood the value of correction. When the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sin, David received the rebuke with humility. He was so grateful for Nathan's willingness to speak truth that he later named one of his children after the prophet.

Surrounding Yourself with Truth-Tellers

Living an altered life requires surrounding yourself with people who will:

• Protect your purity and calling

• Speak truth even when it's uncomfortable

• Walk with you through restoration, not just point out problems

• Care more about your character than your comfort

The difference between being nice and being kind is crucial: nice avoids hurting feelings, while kindness prevents someone from derailing their life.

Moving from the Valley of Indecision to Promise

Why We Get Stuck

Many believers find themselves in a "valley of indecision" - no longer prisoners to their past but not yet walking in their promises. This in-between place can become comfortable, causing us to settle for small changes instead of world-changing impact.

The Cost of Delayed Obedience

What seems expensive to sacrifice today becomes far more costly tomorrow. When we refuse to pay the price of obedience in the present, we forfeit greater opportunities in the future. God's interest on early sacrifice often exceeds what we initially gave up.

Becoming Promise Carriers

Only Promised People Enter Promised Places

The Promised Land wasn't blessed because of its soil but because of its people. The same territory with the wrong inhabitants isn't a promised land. Only those who have been transformed by encounter with God can step into and maintain promised places.

Fighting from Victory, Not for Victory

As overcomers, we don't fight to gain victory - we fight from the victory Jesus already won. We're called to collect the spoils of war, not sit around being spoiled by comfort and complacency.

Life Application

This week, identify one area of your life that needs to be "altered" - transformed through sacrifice and surrender to God's will. It might be a relationship, opportunity, habit, or mindset that's keeping you from fully walking in God's promises.

Take that area to God in prayer and be willing to lay it down at His altar, trusting that what He has planned for you is far better than what you're holding onto. Remember, living an altered life isn't about losing something good - it's about making room for something better.

Questions for Reflection:

• What opportunities or relationships in my life might be blessings from the enemy rather than from God?

• Am I surrounded by people who will speak truth to me, even when it's difficult to hear?

• What sacrifice is God asking me to make that I've been avoiding?

• How can I move from the valley of indecision into the promises God has for me?