Changed

Ministry of the Holy Spirit

Who is it that does amazing things that magnify and glorify God, those who fulfill His purpose for them way beyond any natural gifting or ability? This equipping transformation takes place in those who have welcomed and become full of the Holy Spirit. Where He is given access, He changes the vessel into someone far different than they had previously considered themselves to be.

In the case of Saul, even before he became king, it was when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him that he took on a God-empowered identity. He was already distinguished in appearance and size, but what established his validity before the people was the man he became when the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Tragically, his Spirit-empowered identity was lost to a nagging insecurity, that ever returning fixation on who he was on his own. The same secret place that his successor would abide in was available for him as well. Trusting and relying upon the Spirit’s equipping would surely have produced a much different outcome for his life.

Thankfully, this battle of identities resulted in the ultimate fulfillment of purpose for Jesus in the final week before His death. He would have to let go completely of an earth life He had cared for so perfectly. As the Son of Man, He was also in need of the Spirit’s ministry. From celebration and honor to rejection and abandonment, He was ever in need of enablement and equipping by the Spirit. When His soul cried out for an alternative, the Spirit’s comfort and adjusted perspective to a joy set before Him, changed human desperation for avoiding the pain to steadied, eternity significant determination.

There is for each of us this same opportunity to fulfill our God-given purpose. In Christ we have received the same identity transforming Spirit. We also can be changed into someone who is doing things way beyond what we could have thought possible. It is in this change that Jesus is personally glorified, seen and experienced through our sacrificed, Spirit-filled life.

Notes

In Jesus’ final week before crucifixion the continual and identity challenging influence of people was offset by the identity preserving ministry of the Spirit.

John 12:12-13 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

It’s when who you are naturally is planted in the soil of your new creation that Jesus is glorified by the power of the Spirit’s working through you.

John 12:23-26 23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

In the reception of the Spirit’s declaration was preparation for its transformation.

1 Samuel 10:6 6 The Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.

1 Samuel 10:10-11 10 When he and his servant arrived at Gibeah, a procession of prophets met him; the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he joined in their prophesying. 11 When all those who had formerly known him saw him prophesying with the prophets, they asked each other, “What is this that has happened to the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?”

From hiding to world-shaking witnesses

Acts 1:8 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

The Spirit ministers strength in our weakness

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The world is waiting on restored favor proclaimed through Spirit filled and empowered vessels.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (AMPC) 18 But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself [received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself] and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation [that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Him]. 19 It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but cancelling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

Overview:

There is a kingdom purpose that we will fulfill as we lose our life in reception of Christ’s by the Spirit.
Upon reception of the Spirit through proximity and revelation, there is powerful transformation when we respond in obedience.
An area of weakness does not disqualify, but makes way for greater demonstration of transforming power.
Whether or not we consider it to be “who we are” in the natural, each of us has been called to be a witness and minister by the power of the Spirit.
We become as we respond.

Prayer:

“In the reception and overflow of Your Spirit now, I long for the transformation of identity and ability by the Spirit. Fill me with Your vision of who I am made to be in Christ as I place the seed of everything I’ve been in the soil of who You are in me. Produce Your image and purpose through my life by the power of Your Spirit.”

Action:

As you position yourself for the Spirit’s transformation in prayer, ask Him to reveal areas where who you think you are is in need of His affected power.
Receive revelation of who You are to become as a witness and minister of restored favor.
In faith respond to the Spirit’s leading and experience transformation into another person.

Proclamation:

“Who I have thought I am will no longer inhibit who I am to become as a witness and minister of God’s loving salvation. I release completely any restricting hold upon an identity that would disable the Spirit’s working through me. I step out in faith, anticipating the activated power of the Spirit to be someone I could never be on my own.”