Exchanged Life: Knowing You Are Friends Forever with the Lord

“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on Him to guide you, and He will lead you in every decision you make. Become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you wherever you go.”— Proverbs 3:5–6 (TPT)

Does a fish have to try to swim? Does a dog have to learn how to wag its tail? Does a cat have to be taught how to purr?

No. These things come naturally—because they flow from their nature.

In the same way, the Christian life was never meant to be forced, strained, or manufactured through effort alone. God’s intention has always been for us to live from our new nature, not merely try to imitate godly behavior from the outside.

You Have Been Given a New Nature

Scripture is clear: you have been given the very nature of God.

“He is the divine portrait, the true likeness of the invisible God…”— Colossians 1:15 (TPT)

And pertaining to us:

“So God created mankind in His own image; in the image of God He created him.”— Genesis 1:27 (NKJV)

Through Christ, we are not merely forgiven sinners—we are new creations. Renew your mind to the truth of this reality.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”— 2 Corinthians 5:17

The gospel does not just change behavior; it reveals the heart. Our old stories, crooked heart patterns, and self-driven understanding must give way to the truth of who we are now in Christ.

“The one with the perverse heart never has anything good to say.”— Proverbs 17:20

Living From the Spirit, Not Just the Soul

God created us as spirit, soul, and body.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless…”— 1 Thessalonians 5:23

The question is not whether you have God’s Spirit—the New Covenant guarantees that.

The real question is this: Are you allowing your perfected spirit to lead, or are you still operating from your own understanding?

Living from the heart means connecting with the Spirit in relationship, not formula. The heart is our automatic pilot. What is happening in your heart is always affecting others—you are sending a signal, whether you realize it or not.

The Heart: Where Life Is Lived From

Jesus taught that the meditative process determines how much life we receive from truth. When we disengage from the heart and return to intellectual control, we lose sensitivity to God’s voice.

The mind does not hear God—the heart does.

“My son, give me your heart, and let your eyes delight in my ways.”— Proverbs 23:26

Anxiety, fear, and depression are not random experiences; they originate in the heart.

“Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression…”— Proverbs 12:25

Fear produces dread. Dread leads to anxiety. Anxiety, when sustained, leads to depression.

This is why transformation must occur at the heart level—not merely through knowledge accumulation. Meditation on the biblical truth of our true identity displaces contradicting thoughts. Let’s hold on to the promises.

The Fight of Faith

In the New Covenant, there is one primary battle we are called to fight—the good fight of faith.

When our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs align with the finished work of Christ, we are resisting the devil. When we focus on distractions, fear, or the enemy instead of God’s promises, we become devil-conscious instead of Christ-conscious.

Every New Testament scripture on spiritual warfare places the battleground in the soul—the realm of thoughts and emotions. If we maintain our “in Him” awareness, peace becomes our default state.

Any thought, idea, doctrine, or fear that contradicts what Scripture declares about Christ’s victory is a stronghold—and strongholds are dismantled by truth believed, not truth merely heard.

Spending time in reflective, meditative thought is essential. In a physically relaxed state, the mind quiets and the heart becomes receptive. It is in this place of peace that we recognize the still, small voice of God.

God gave you His Spirit so you could understand what He placed within you.

“Now we have received… the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”— 1 Corinthians 2:12

The Holy Spirit searches the heart—not to condemn—but to reveal areas where trust is missing and truth needs to be believed. Knowing truth sets us free.

Praying With Your Spirit

One way God activates spiritual understanding is through praying with your spirit.

“For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful… I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding.”— 1 Corinthians 14:14–15

Praying in the Spirit strengthens the inner person, opens the heart to God’s guidance, and aligns us with His will. It is cooperation with divine authority—not religious activity.

Be baptized in the Holy Spirit. (See Acts.)

From Slavery to Friendship

Jesus made something very clear:

“I no longer call you servants… but I have called you friends.”— John 15:15

Slaves obey out of fear. Friends obey out of love.

Friendship requires a willing heart. God has always desired friends—not robotic servants. Moses and Abraham walked in extraordinary friendship with God because they desired to know His ways, not just follow commands. How much more so for New Covenant saints?

“If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.”— Exodus 33:15

God’s presence and rest always go together. His rest for us is our trust in His finished work.

The more we know Him, the more we want to know Him. Knowing God is progressive, intimate, and endless.

The Lord will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).

Jesus is our friend forever.