“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” – Philippians 2:13 NLT.
In a puppet show, we see a master with strings connected to the puppet, directing its every move. The puppet has no life and so moves as it’s led. That is the disposition of a man without Christ – dead in sin and firmly controlled by his desires (Ephesians 2:1-2). The flesh leads, and he follows.
Contrarily, for everyone that has believed the Gospel, God has given us His Spirit through salvation, birthing His desires in us. God does not need strings to move us around. Instead, He gives us a new life that has the capacity to align with His will.
When we receive the life of Christ, there is an expected transformation that should be evident in our choices, passions and desires. Sometimes, this transformation can be so dramatic that we say it could have only been a miracle.
For example, in the life of Apostle Paul, a man who once persecuted the church, we see a complete turnaround in his desires after salvation.
Who would have thought that a man who once killed and arrested those who believed in Jesus would be the same one to preach the Gospel? The change in Paul’s life was so much of a miracle that some believers thought he was pretending (Acts 9:26). It was unbelievable. That’s the power of God!
At other times, this change can be gradual, with an increasing distaste for sinful habits and tendencies and an increasing appetite for the things of God. Whether dramatic or gradual, this change by God’s spirit is a miracle which God works in every believer as seen in our anchor scripture.
As believers in Christ, we see this consistent transformation in our lives as we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit. We already have a new heart and a regenerated spirit capable of recognising and doing the desires of God. Now we must allow the Holy Spirit guide our lives. Apostle Paul put it this way,
“Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.” – Galatians 5:25 NLT.
Furthermore, as we go around preaching the Gospel, we must learn that God, through His Spirit, can change the desires of any man. No one is beyond redemption.
Ultimately, recognizing the position of changed desires in Christ makes us more compassionate. It helps us look beyond the past and holds no one in guilt or condemnation.
God’s will remains that no one should perish but that all will be saved and come to know the truth (1 Timothy 2:4). To achieve this as ambassadors of Christ, we must recognize the miracle of changed desires in us and others.
Bible Reading Plan: Luke 9:37-62