There are many areas in our lives where God speaks to us—when we’re willing to listen—about changes He wants to help us make. When I received Jesus as my personal Savior at the age of 24, I began reading the Bible for the first time. But as I read, I realized that much of my life didn’t align with what I was discovering in God’s Word. It troubled me—until a wise person helped me understand that aligning our lives with God’s Word is a lifelong process of change.
He explained that we can’t truly change our hearts by willpower. Real change happens only through the help of the Holy Spirit, who walks with us day by day, teaching, convicting, and empowering us.
Many Christians live with a constant awareness that there are things in their lives that need to change—things that would make their lives more pleasing to God. Thinking about becoming more Christlike keeps our hearts tender toward Him. But when we stop thinking about it, we grow numb and callous to His gentle voice.
We don’t want to resist God’s prompting to change, but we also don’t want to live under guilt or shame. The answer is to keep learning His will for how we should think, speak, and live—and take steps toward it each day.
You must know this about God: He is never disappointed or angry with you. That’s a human reaction, not God’s. Through Jesus, He has already forgiven you and sees you through robes of righteousness—clean and pure in His sight. His desire for change in you comes from love, not frustration. He wants you to reflect Jesus in this world—to be His ambassador and the light of Christ. That’s why He gave you His Holy Spirit, your personal coach, to help you become more like Him. And as you do, His favor and blessing will flow more freely into your life.
Satan, however, wants the opposite. He works relentlessly to keep you trapped in bondage to sin. He tempts you toward wrong thinking, destructive habits, and harmful actions, hoping they’ll take root and enslave you. Then he turns and accuses you before God for the very sin he led you into.
Revelation 12:10 (NKJV) — “…the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night…”
Many people try to hide their sins, hoping no one will find out. But sin always surfaces eventually.
Numbers 32:23 (NLT) — “…you may be sure that your sin will find you out.”
God already knows every secret. When He speaks to you about change, it’s not to condemn you—it’s to free you. If you feel condemnation, that’s from Satan, not God. When God speaks repeatedly, it’s like a loving parent reminding a child to clean their room. It’s not anger—it’s care.
God is merciful, patient, and kind because He knows sinful thoughts and actions always bring harm—not just to us, but to others. Out of His love, He keeps speaking, urging, and guiding us toward change because He wants what’s best for us.
The Apostle Paul explained God’s power to help us change:
Romans 8:3–9 (NLT) — “But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent His own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin’s control over us by giving His Son as a sacrifice for our sins... Those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit... But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”
These verses aren’t meant to condemn you—they remind you that the Holy Spirit within you is powerful! You are not a slave to sin. Say that often until it takes root in your heart: I am not a slave to sin. I am free in Christ.
When I learned what Jesus did for me, and that sin no longer had power over me, I began applying my faith to that truth. When temptation came, I’d say out loud: “Satan, the power of the life-giving Spirit of God has freed me from the power of sin that leads to death. You have no authority over me. I am God’s child—empowered by His Spirit. I rebuke this temptation in Jesus’ name.”
At first, I had to say it often, but over time, those old thoughts began to fade. Sinful patterns dropped off one by one.
There is power to change, and it’s supernatural—the power of the Holy Spirit within every believer. If you rely on yourself, you’ll fail. But if you lean on God, trusting His mercy and grace, you will change. As you pray, apply your faith, and depend on His Spirit, transformation will come—a day at a time—leading you out of bondage and into blessing.
Romans 8:2 (NLT) — “And because you belong to Jesus, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”
