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“Anytime I want to” is an excuse often employed, but rarely exercised. Most of the time it is in reference to quitting bad habits or making better decisions. Like most other excuses it has a portion of truth, but the majority of the statement is made in deception. The deception is that those who say this truly believe they can change anytime they want to. The reality is that mankind’s sin nature has such a strong hold upon them, that within themselves, they will never want to.

When the first man, Adam, sinned in the Garden of Eden, his choice of disobedience was passed down to all of us. His choice to do wrong now affects our ability to choose right. We are born with the wrong “want to” or desires instilled within us.

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. (Galatians 5:17)

The Old or Adamic Nature:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)

The ability to make better choices or decisions is not just a physical struggle but rather a spiritual one. Because of this it takes a spiritual transformation to change our desires or to make us want to do better. What mankind really needs is a brand new “want to.” Not only does this give a reason to do better, but the ability to succeed at it as well. It is only God who can change the desires of their heart and give them this brand new “want to”!

The New or Godly Nature:

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Galatians 5:16)

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)

God has promised to give us this new nature and change of desires if we would come to him in faith and repentance.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
(Ezekiel 36:26-27)

The Bible calls this transformation being “born again.”

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:6-7)

When it comes to being born again we don’t get to plan this around our own fleshly timetables, either. For our flesh is deceived and it will tell you to wait until a better day, while fully knowing that day may never come. We must come when the Spirit draws us unto God.

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44)

You will know the Spirit is drawing you when you start to see yourself as truly lost and to acknowledge your sinful condition. Then you will begin to hate the sin you once loved and to realize that the consequences of dying lost is not worth any supposed pleasure that sin has to offer.

When the Holy Spirit reveals your sinful condition, God will never tell you to wait. For God does not want you to spend one more day separated from Him.

For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

That one more day you waste waiting for a better one, could be your last day and the day you step out into eternity! Then you will be forever separated from the love that God had to offer! You will “want to” then, but it will be eternally too late! If God is speaking to your heart, why don’t you call out to Him right now for His forgiveness and salvation? He will give you a brand new “want to”!

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:13)

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