Forgotten God: Will Work For Change Series

Forgotten God: Will Work for Change

Romans 8:1-17

Pastor Steve began the series, Forgotten God, three Sundays ago. He pointed out that the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force but a Person. That the Holy Spirit is God, just as our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ are God. All three are the same one God.

Many of us, if we were to voice our thoughts, might ask, "How could one God exist as three Persons, Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit?" We might rationalize, "Maybe they're three forms or names for the same God?" That's not what the Bible reveals.

Here's a question: Can plants breathe carbon dioxide while we breathe oxygen? Of course. Here's another question: Can insects have their skeleton on the outside while our skeleton is on the inside? Of course.

Why? Because plants are not human. And insects are not human. But we expect God to be human. So we have trouble with one God existing in three Persons.

Pastor Steve's second message was, "Forgotten God: Be Filled." We are not to ignore the Holy Spirit. We are to be immersed by the Holy Spirit. When this happens, we grow in our closeness to God and in the character of God.

Last Sunday, Pastor Steve's third message was, "Forgotten God: Stop Grieving." God is a Person, and He has emotions. And the Bible identifies what grieves God, and what pleases God. You can read that in Ephesians 4:25-5:2.

This morning, we conclude our series, "Forgotten God: Will Work for Change." It's not what you think; it's a play on words. The Holy Spirit's work is to change us. Those who put our faith in the forgiveness and love Jesus Christ will never be the same.

Charles Bradlaugh, the famous English atheist, once challenged the Rev. H. P. Hughes to a debate. Rev. Hughes accepted the challenge with the condition that he could bring with him 100 men and women who would tell what had happened in their lives since trusting Christ as their Savior. They would be people who once lived in deep sin. Hughes said they would not only tell of their conversion, but would submit to cross-examination by any who doubted their stories. Then Rev Hughes invited his opponent to bring a group of non-believers who could tell how they were helped by their lack of faith.

When the appointed day arrived, Rev. Hughes came, accompanied by 100 transformed persons. But Bradlaugh never showed up. The meeting turned into a testimony time and many who had gathered to hear the debate put their faith in Jesus. The change those 100 people experienced was the work of the Holy Spirit.

There is a component of mystery in how the Holy Spirit brings change into a believer's life. Paul said in Philippians 2:12-13, "[Continue] to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." So we have a part and God has a part in our transformation.

Our text this morning helps us to understand a little bit more of what, how and why the Holy Spirit works to change the believer. Our text is Romans 8:1-17. (READ)

The Holy Spirit is described in a number of ways in this passage: The Spirit of life. The Spirit of Christ. The Spirit of God. The Spirit of sonship. What we will look at is specific to what, how and why the Holy Spirit helps us change.

First, the Holy Spirit gives us a new desire. Vs. 1-8.

Romans 8:1-8 tells us that our lives were once driven by sin, fear and guilt. But after we trusted Jesus' death on the cross as payment for the penalty of our sins, we are now driven to please God. That's the new desire that motivates us to live differently.

When some friends dared Jill Briscoe to stay out later than her curfew, she refused. Her friends asked, “Are you afraid of your father?” To which Jill replied, “No, I’m afraid that I’ll hurt my father, who loves me dearly.”

Sin is attractive and often feels good, at least temporarily. But as our experience of God’s love grows, sin’s attractiveness fades. And the desire to please God increases.

Here's another story of the Holy Spirit bringing change in a Christian's life. A young girl accepted Christ as her Savior applied for membership in a local church. The Pastor asked, "Were you a sinner before you received the Lord Jesus into your Life?"

"Yes," she replied.

"Well, are you still a sinner?"

"To tell you the truth, I feel I'm a greater sinner than ever."

"Then what real change have you experienced?" asked the Pastor.

"I don't quite know how to explain it," she said, "except I used to run after sin, but now I run away from sin."