Jerry Prevo: Letting go of bad habits, learning to listen are keys to healthy, Godly living

Liberty University Interim President Dr. Jerry Prevo delivered Wednesday morning’s Convocation message, using God’s Word to encourage them to rid their lives of poor habits so that their relationship with Christ can be vibrant and healthy.

Prevo referenced Ephesians 4, where Paul instructs the church in Ephesus to not walk in their former ways of ignorance when they were living apart from Christ, but to instead actively walk in the newness of life that comes from surrendering to the Lord and following the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

“You can never have the relationship that you want to have and that the Lord wants to have (with His children) unless you’re willing to let some things go from your life,” he said.

Prevo said everyone has habits and, whether good or bad, the fruit that we bear often stems from the patterns we cultivate in our daily living. One poor habit, as Hebrews 5:11 notes, is not listening.

“The Lord is saying, ‘Listen, if we’re going to have a relationship, if we’re going to walk and talk together, you’re going to have to learn to listen,’” he said.

Not listening to the Godly people in our lives can lead to not listening to the Lord’s leading, a dangerous place for a Christian to end up.

“Until you start listening to the Lord and you start obeying Him, you’re not going to have that close relationship that He wants and that you want with Him,” Prevo said.

Prevo also addressed what he referred to as “bad faith.”

“I’m surprised by how many people today think that they’re going to get to Heaven because of good works,” he said.

He explained this is a concerning and incorrect view of the Gospel because Scripture states that it is not by human works but rather the atoning work that Christ paid on the cross that made a way for mankind to be able to have a relationship with God the Father and spend eternity with Him in Heaven.

Prevo said it was when he was young and heard his pastor preach on the horror of hell that he turned to the Lord, realizing with clarity how real the separation from the Lord is in this place of torment.

“(Jesus) came to save us from having to go to that place,” he said. “And how does He save us? It’s when we believe. That’s a good faith, that’s a good belief.”

Many people today claim that there is no life after death, but the Bible says otherwise.

“There is life after death,” Prevo said. “And we need to be prepared because one day we’re going to die.”

He reminded students that those who are unbelieving will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.

“The only way to get into Heaven is to believe that Jesus died for your sins and for mine, that He was buried, (and) that He rose again (on) the third day,” he said. “He’ll save us. Not because we deserve it, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what He’s done.”

At the beginning of Convocation, Liberty welcomed candidates on the ballot for the Nov. 8 general election in Liberty’s voting precinct (Lynchburg City Third Ward, Second Precinct). All candidates for the at-large Lynchburg City Council seat as well as Virginia’s U.S. House of Representatives Fifth District were invited and accepted the invitation to attend. The candidates were introduced briefly before Prevo delivered his message.