The Holy Spirit Really Changes Lives

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. – John 8:36

 

The Holy Spirit changes lives. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost, the Apostle Peter stood up to explain the manifestations of a rushing wind, tongues of fire, and the speaking in tongues of the ones empowered by the Spirit. Then Peter, in the power of the Spirit, taught and spoke prophetically and preached evangelistically in the power of the Spirit with his newly received spiritual gifting. This was no small change in the life of the fisherman who had just a few days before, cowardly denied Jesus three times. The result was 3000 people were saved from their sins as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus.

In Acts 3, 4 and 5 we see the Apostles miraculously heal a beggar in the power of the Spirit and then receive a fresh refilling of the Spirit to empower them to weather the storm of persecution from the jealous religious leaders. No small change for those who had a few short days before, fled from Jesus side as He was taken into custody and unjustly beaten, falsely sentenced, and crucified.

In Acts 6 more servants were appointed to care for people in the growing church. In Acts 7 the church experienced her first martyr, Stephen. And in Acts 8 the persecution spread. But Stephen and others persisted in powerfully proclaiming the gospel wherever they went even though it meant persecution that would cost them everything. They were able to do this because the Holy Spirit had come upon them.

The Holy Spirit changes lives. He changes the cowardly into the courageous. He gives charisma to those who previously fumbled in their speech. The Holy Spirit is able to break through barriers and jump over walls. The Holy Spirit works real change in people.

The Holy Spirit Works Despite Persecution

Acts 8:1 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

The world doesn’t like to be told it’s wrong. People don’t like to be told they’re sinners in need of a Savior. There are those who hate Christians and the gospel message. Hating Christians is becoming more popular in our day. That is intimidating to a Church that wilts when someone raises an eyebrow to their message. The Church of our day seems more concerned with fitting into culture than confronting it with the gospel. The Church in America is tempted with comfort and often succumbs to it. While brothers and sisters in distant lands are persecuted and executed and lost everything at the hands of Islamists, Hindus, and Communist regimes, we are overcome by the littlest opposition. Why do we care so much about what people think of us? Why aren’t we bolder, braver? Why do we shrink back into silence when we live in a country where the Constitution guarantees free speech to preach Jesus? We need to be changed by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Those who hate Christians and the gospel will punch and pursue and burn churches down. In 2023 there was an upturn in burning churches in America.[1] With the Christian friendly President Trump this trend will hopefully be reversed. But even if it does not, we need to be willing, like Stephen, to give our life for the gospel. Why should we be excluded from persecution? We are living on borrowed time if you look at some of the prophetic words of Jesus and others (Matthew 10; 2 Timothy 3).

Would you be willing to have your church painted as criminal? The word “havoc” (Greek lymainnomai) means filthy, to soil, insult, mistreat, to affix a stigma, dishonor, treat shamefully, ravage, devastate. Much of the Church today is falling over itself to fit in and turn a blind eye to the word of God in order to avoid “havoc” by accommodating the sinful. Would you be willing to have persecutors burst into your homes, to be dragged out the door and thrown into prison? Would you avoid such a situation at any cost or see it as an opportunity for prison ministry? How much are we like those early Christians? Are we truly faithful, or just trying to fit in with the lost sinful world around us? What is the Holy Spirit saying to you right now about that?

Acts 8:4 Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word.

When the Holy Spirit comes upon Christians nothing can stop them from “preaching the word.” When the Holy Spirit comes upon Christians they are empowered by Baal Perazim, the LORD od breakthroughs (2 Samuel 5:20). The Holy Spirit empowers us to be unstoppable, undefeatable. The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us and puts a message in our heart and mouth. The Holy Spirit gives us power to persevere so that when persecution or opposition arises against the preaching of the gospel, we don’t give in to the temptation to stop, but bust through barriers, scale walls, and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Does that describe you? If it does, praise the LORD! If it doesn’t, the Holy Spirit is able to change you and make you what you need to be, to do what God calls you to do, for His glory, until Jesus returns.

Acts 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. 6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.

When you minister in the power of the Holy Spirit, expect opposition, but also expect victories. People will trust Jesus as their Savior (v. 6). The Spirit empowers to do miracles (v. 6). The Spirit gives victory over unclean spirits (victory in spiritual warfare – v. 7). The Spirit heals the hurting (v. 7). The Spirit will produce great joy in people (v. 8). All these things are possible when the Holy Spirit is working.

The Spirit’s Power versus a Sorcerer’s Practices

Acts 8:9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time.

Notice, those who practice sorcery and occult do so to astonish people in order that they might claim they are great. When the Spirit works the focus is on Jesus. Jesus said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me” (John 15:26). Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). When the Holy Spirit works, Jesus is exalted to the center of attention. Every work is worked in the name of Jesus and for His glory.

When people work apart from the Spirit the focus is on them. “Look at ME and MY healing ministry!” “Look at Me and how ‘God’ works through ME!” What Spiritless people are really saying is, “Come to MY meeting and worship ME!” Me, me, me, Spiritless “ministry” is all about someone other than Jesus. When people “minister” like that, just remember, they are more like the Simon the sorcerer than like the Savior Jesus.

12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.

Baptism, the immersion under water and being raised up out of it, is an outward sing of an inward reality. A person is buried by their sins but raised to newness of life through faith in Jesus Christ. This way of testimony is part of the Great Commission commanded by Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). There is really no such thing as not testifying or sharing your faith as a Christian. By instructing Christians to go into all the world preaching the gospel and baptizing converts in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Jesus was telling us to share out faith.

The Apostle Paul said of Christians, “You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that it, of the heart (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). Christian, you are an open book to be read by those around you. What are people reading in you? When they read you, do they think of Jesus and His gospel good news, or do they think “Yankees,” or “Cowboys,” or a pithy worldly phrase emblazoned on our shirts? Do allow yourself to be a cheap meaningless sentence. Be a profound and powerful ambassador of Jesus whose every life move proclaims, “we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

When a person hears the gospel (communicated by the Holy Spirit who convicts a person of their sin and need of a Savior – John 16:8-11, and presents Jesus as the Savior of those guilty of sin – John 15:26; 16:14), repents (i.e. has a change in mind and heart that leads to a change in life direction), and trusts Jesus as their Savior by faith, that person will be forgiven (justification) their sins and given new (eternal) life by the Holy Spirit who indwells them. Such an experience results in real life change.

When someone receives Jesus as Savior you can literally see a change on their face. Though start with a sullenness and sadness as the Spirit convicts them of their sinfulness. Then they show concern and total concentration as the good news of the gospel is communicated by the Spirit to their heart. They as they trust Jesus as Savior, sullenness is replaced with rapture and joy. The Holy Spirit works real change in people.

Real Life Change

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is powerful:

Romans 1:16–17 (NKJV) – ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁷ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

By faith we can be justified, acquitted by God of our guilt of sin because of Jesus stepping in and paying our debt death penalty for sins on the cross. The wages of sin is death. Every sin earns us an eternal wage of guiltiness before the Holy Judge. We will all come before God to give an account (Hebrews 9:27). We will all be called upon to pay our fines someday. Our only hope is if we have trusted in Jesus as Savior because only He is in a position to step in and tell the Judge, “I have paid their fine on the cross.” Then and only then will God stamp our ledger as legally justified; or just-as-if-I’d-never-sinned.

At that point of justification the Holy Spirit indwells the new believer giving them spiritual and eternal life (1 Corinthains 3:16; Romans 8:11). It is the Holy Spirit Who helps us move forward in our faith from its new birth (2 Timothy 1:14).

While living in sin, the sinner is at war with God. Only the justified by Jesus have peace with God:

Romans 5:1–2 (NKJV) – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

This leads to sanctification which is the Christian life in the Spirit where sin no longer dominates us:

Romans 6:12–14 (NKJV) – ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. ¹³ And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

“Sin shall not have dominion over you,” let that sink in. You can be freed from sin. “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Hallelujah! Nothing in this world can match that truth, nothing.

When the Holy Spirit enters a person’s life, they are changed and made a conqueror:

Romans 8:37–39 (NKJV) – ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

A” more than a conqueror” is someone that not only is confident and hoping for victory as they enter the battle, they enter the battle confident and knowing they will be victorious. Do you have such confidence?

The power of the Gospel results in actual real-life change (sanctification). This is a work of the Holy Spirit in us. We see this in a number of areas:

2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) – ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When the Holy Spirit is working His holy work in you through the sanctification process, you can see tangible changes in your life. It’s as though you look at the scale and see the pounds disappearing. It’s as though you look in a mirror and see anxiety lines replaced with peaceful smoothness of skin. It is the Holy Spirit of the Lord who makes real changes in us. No worldly resource can match such changes.

When we trust Jesus as Savior, we enter into a personal saving relationship with Him. “In Christ,” we become a new creation and are given a fresh start:

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV) – ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Imagine that a fresh start; “all things have become new.” Those are wonderful words to those living lives of regret over their sins.

If we become a plant in Christ, the Holy Spirit produces real life changing fruit in us:

Galatians 5:22–24 (NKJV) – ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The “fruit” (singular) of love is the primary characteristic to the work the Spirit produces in us. The joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, are the different sweet flavors of that love. Such love makes real changes in every aspect of life.

The Holy Spirit does a deep cleaning within us. He scrubs away the scars of sin. He fumigates and deals with the inner vermin we’ve allowed to creep in. The Spirit turns the light on and watches the cockroaches of carnality run for cover:

Titus 3:4–7 (NKJV) – ⁴ But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, ⁵ not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

When the Holy Spirit indwells a person at their conversion, He does actual real life changing work.

“But you don’t know the depth of my sins. I have a life dominating condition or lifestyle. I’m beyond being changed” you might think or say. RUBBISH! The Holy Spirit is able to change those with the most serious life dominating sinful conditions. Look what it says about such cases:

1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (NKJV) – ⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

No lifestyle or condition is beyond the power of the Holy Spirit. God doesn’t just want to clean you up; He wants to fix you and build you up. The Holy Spirit’s objective is to make us like Jesus. This was God’s plan from the beginning. “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). You are who He foreknew! Get ready to be changed.

The Difference

13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.

Simon the sorcerer himself could not deny the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ and work of the Holy Spirit. Even he bowed to Jesus and was baptized. That must have been an amazing day for those who previously thought of Simon as “great.” This astonishing sorcerer was humbled before Jesus. He got baptized and followed Philip. Sinon was impressed, amazed at the miracles, signs, and no doubt how the Holy Spirit was changing lives with the gospel of Jesus. This was clearly something more than anything Simon or those people had ever seen.

What’s the difference between the Spirit working and just people working? When the Spirit works Jesus is the focus and people are changed for the better and glory of God. When people work without the Spirit the focus is on them, and people aren’t really changed for the better (though they might try to make it appear they are through fakery.)

There’s no comparison between sorcery, fakery or merely secular efforts of the world, and the authentic work of the Holy Spirit. Worldly programs may help, but they don’t really free people from the bondage of sin. Instead worlding means facilitate a person being enslaved to their life dominating sin. The best the world can do is to help a person identify with their sin. “Hi, I’m Jim/Jane, and I’m an alcoholic/drug addict/porn addict, etc.” Multi step programs can satisfy some, but why settle for less than the real life changing one step program of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus?

The world can only imitate what the Holy Spirit actually really does. The Holy Spirit uses a one-step not a multi-step plan. The Holy Spirit convicts of sin, calls to repentance, counsels to put faith in Jesus, and then converts (regenerates – I.e., gives eternal spiritual life to) people (John 3; 17:3-4; Titus 3:4-7). The best the world can do is help people live with sin. This can become frustrating and therefore, the worldly resources try another strategy. They redefine sin to make it acceptable (e.g., same-sex LGBT+ practices). The Holy Spirit, through the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) frees us from sin and gives us power over sin. The world makes defeat acceptable. The Spirit makes us more than conquerors.

Then Why Do Some Christians Live Defeated Lives?

“Why then,” critics, and even we might ask, “are some Christians so defeated by sin?” Sin is so pervasive in humanity and this fallen world that it is likely even Christians will sin on occasion. But no Christian should be living in a sinful lifestyle or regular defeat.

1 John 3:8–9 (NKJV) – ⁸ He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹ Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

Keep in mind that the grammar of the verb sin here refers to a lifestyle of sin, not merely an incidental sin. We are fallen vessels living in a fallen world and even with the Holy Spirit residing within, the likelihood is that we will at some point sin. But we will not or should not, as Spirit-filled Christians, be caught up in life dominating lifestyle of sin.

The promise of God is that:

• 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV) 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

There is never a good enough excuse to sin. There is always an alternative or way of escape when we’re tempted by sin; ALWAYS. The problem or truth of the matter is that some Christians haven’t genuinely repented of their sins.

Here is where some good self-examination is helpful. When dealing with sin honestly appraise yourself with the following truths:

1. Do I really HATE evil? –

• Proverbs 8:13 (NKJV) – 13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil;

Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.

2. Do I see my sin as God sees it? –

• 1 John 1:9 (NKJV) – 9 If we confess [i.e., Greek homologeo – to say the same thing as another, I.e., to see your sin as God sees it] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

How does God view sin?

• Proverbs 6:16-19 (NKJV) – 16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren
• Isaiah 59:1-2 (NKJV) – Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
• Habakkuk 1:13 (NKJV) – 13 You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, And cannot look on wickedness.

How does God view the person who gives themselves over to sin?

• Psalms 5:5 (NKJV) – 5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.
• John 3:8-9 (NKJV) – 8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose, the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. (Note: “sin” here means continually sinning as in a lifestyle of sin.)

3. Do you truly understand that it cost Jesus His life, His shed blood to atone for your sin and be forgiven?

• 1 Peter 1:17-19 (NKJV)17 And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; 18 knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

4. Do you truly understand the precious nature of God’s grace to make a way for us to escape eternal just condemnation and torment?

•  Romans 5:8 (NKJV) – 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• Titus 3:4-7 (NKJV) – 4 But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

5. Do you truly understand the gospel?

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (NKJV) – 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Holy Spirit really does change lives. As Christians we sometimes leave a lot on the table of what could be ours from the Holy Spirit. The world is hurting. The world on its own is helpless. The Gospel of Jesus Christ really is good news for the hurting and helpless. If we truly love God supremely and our neighbor sacrificially, we need to share the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ with them in the power of the Holy Spirit.

If you are one of the hurting and helpless, I invite you to consider Jesus. Of Jesus it is promised, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoking flax he will not quench” (Matthew 12:20). So if you’re bruised and beaten down, reduced to a smoldering wick of faith, come to Jesus. Invite the Holy Spirit into your life through faith in Jesus and surrender to Him to change your life. “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). In Jesus’ name. Amen.

[1] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/feb/20/attacks-on-us-churches-more-than-doubled-in-2023-f/