FORMED BT THE SPIRT: Changed and Still Changing • Pathway Church Shorewood • 06/07/2026

Devotional

Day 1: Plugged In But No Power

A vacuum cleaner without electricity makes noise but changes nothing. Many believers go through spiritual motions – attending church, reading Scripture, praying – yet lack transformative power because they’re disconnected from the Holy Spirit’s current. True change happens not through self-effort but through abiding in Christ’s strength. Like appliances needing a live connection to outlets, Christians thrive when plugged into God’s presence through surrender and obedience. The Spirit’s power flows through those who prioritize intimacy over activity. [33:03]

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been “going through the motions” spiritually? What practical step can you take today to reconnect with Christ as your power source?

Day 2: Apple Seeds Don’t Grow Oranges

An apple will never produce citrus fruit, no matter its effort. Similarly, human willpower cannot manufacture the Spirit’s fruit. The sermon’s visual of fruitless striving reminds us that sanctification isn’t self-improvement – it’s Christ’s life emerging through us. Our old nature lacks the “DNA” for holiness, but the new creation carries divine potential. Transformation happens when we stop trying to reform our flesh and instead yield to the Spirit’s inner renewal. [28:09]

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What areas of your life are you still trying to “self-reform”? How might surrendering these to the Spirit look different?

Day 3: Wrestling the Defeated Enemy

A pinned toddler still flails – dangerous if engaged, harmless if restrained. Like the sermon’s squashed sibling illustration, sin’s power was crushed at Calvary, though its tantrums continue. Believers often overestimate temptation’s strength or underestimate Christ’s victory. The battle isn’t to defeat sin but to enforce Christ’s finished triumph through Spirit-empowered resistance. Our enemy is a nuisance, not a threat, to those who stand firm. [19:30]

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7, ESV)

Reflection: When have you recently “taken the bait” of sin’s empty threats? How does Christ’s finished victory change how you approach today’s temptations?

Day 4: Mercy Cleans, Grace Empowers

Mercy removes sin’s penalty; grace supplies holiness’ power. Like the vacuum needing both electricity and operation, Christians require both forgiveness (mercy) and the Spirit’s strength (grace). The sermon warns against reducing salvation to mere pardon while neglecting transformation. God’s grace isn’t leniency for sin but dynamite against it – not excuse-making but chain-breaking power for those plugged into Christ. [24:35]

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Do you lean more toward abusing mercy (excusing sin) or neglecting grace (self-reliance)? How can you receive both aspects of Christ’s work today?

Day 5: Fighting Proof You’re Alive

Dead people don’t struggle. The sermon’s key insight reframes ongoing battles: your spiritual conflict confirms the Spirit’s presence within. Like Israel’s journey from Egypt, salvation happens instantly but sanctification unfolds gradually. Persistent repentance – not perfect performance – marks genuine faith. Falling isn’t failure; surrendering the fight is. Each round with sin is training ground to experience Christ’s victory afresh. [16:36]

“For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.” (Galatians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What ongoing struggle most discourages you? How might this battle actually be evidence of the Spirit’s work to make you more like Christ?

Sermon Summary

The gospel names the fight. Christ has changed the believer, and the Spirit is still changing the believer. Philippians 1:6 sets the tone: he began a good work and he will finish it. Paul speaks in the past tense about decisive change. Romans 6 says the old self was crucified so sin has lost its power. Galatians 2 says the believer has been crucified with Christ. Ezekiel 36 promises a new heart and a new spirit. Second Corinthians 5 calls the believer a new creation. So identity is settled. A transfer has happened.

The paradox then lands here: completely new but not fully formed. Israel left Egypt in a day, but getting Egypt out of Israel took a long time. Paul, the same apostle who declares the old man crucified, also commands believers to put off the old self, put sin to death, and walk by the Spirit. That is not contradiction. That is identity being practiced. The presence of a battle is not proof of being lost. Dead men do not fight. The danger is not falling, but making a peace treaty with sin. Keep it pinned. Do not let it up.

Grace is not permission. Mercy withholds the judgment deserved. Grace gives what is not deserved. God gives mercy in forgiveness, and grace in the Spirit’s empowering presence. That is why willpower, New Year’s resolutions, and extra rules cannot sanctify. Only the Spirit can produce the Spirit’s fruit. An apple cannot grow oranges. A new seed must be planted. New creation means new DNA, not Hi-C substitutes.

Walking by the Spirit looks like staying plugged in. A vacuum pushed around without power only moves dirt. Some are active without connection. Others are powered but idle. Power plus obedience moves where he says and real change happens. True freedom is not having no master. True freedom is being transferred from a cruel master to a good one, from slavery to sin to belonging to Christ who turns slaves into family. Assurance belongs to the one who keeps turning back, keeps repenting, keeps fighting. The struggle does not mean abandonment, failure, or absence of the Spirit. What matters is allegiance. Run to Christ, listen to the Spirit, and keep fighting while he finishes what he started.

Key Takeaways

1. Changed, yet still being changed [05:33] Paul settles identity in Christ as past-tense gift and insists on present-tense formation. The cross dethrones sin’s rule, and the Spirit now trains habits that match the new heart. Paradox is not failure; it is formation. Confidence rests in the finisher, not the speed of the process. [05:33]
2. The battle signals life, not loss [17:25] The clash between flesh and Spirit is evidence the Spirit is alive. Falling is not the proof of being lost; quitting the fight is the warning sign. Refusing a peace treaty with sin honors the new allegiance. Keep it pinned, and keep getting back up. [17:25]
3. Grace empowers, mercy forgives [24:35] Mercy withholds the judgment deserved; grace supplies the power not deserved. The Holy Spirit is grace in action, enabling what willpower cannot. Grace is not a hall pass for sin but the engine of real change. Where mercy wipes the slate, grace writes a new story. [24:35]
4. Stay plugged into the source [31:27] Activity without connection only moves dirt around. Power plus obedience transforms, because the Spirit does what effort alone cannot. Being full and idle also misses the point; power is meant to move. Stay plugged in, turned on, and responsive to his lead. [31:27]
5. New seed bears new fruit [27:12] An apple cannot will itself into an orange, and the flesh cannot produce the Spirit’s fruit. New creation means new DNA planted by God. Real fruit grows from the Spirit’s life within, not from artificial look-alikes. Walk by the Spirit and the tree proves the root. [27:12]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:56] - Formed by the Spirit series
[02:19] - Why am I still struggling?
[04:35] - False paths: legalism and license
[05:33] - He began and will complete
[07:54] - Sin’s power is broken in Christ
[11:04] - Completely new, not fully formed
[12:37] - Repentance for believers matters
[16:11] - Reject sinless perfection
[17:25] - Battle as evidence of life
[22:47] - Grace is not license
[24:35] - Grace empowers, mercy forgives
[27:12] - New seed, new fruit
[31:27] - Plug into the power source
[37:00] - Assurance for the repentant fighter

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
- Philippians 1:6 (ESV): "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
- Romans 6:6 (ESV): "We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin."
- Galatians 5:17 (ESV): "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Observation Questions

According to Philippians 1:6, what two aspects of God’s work in believers are highlighted?
The sermon describes a paradox: believers are "completely new but not fully formed." What examples from Scripture or everyday life illustrate this tension? [11:04]
How does the sermon distinguish between grace and mercy? [24:35]
In Galatians 5:17, what does the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit prevent believers from doing?

Interpretation Questions

Why might the presence of an ongoing battle with sin actually be evidence of spiritual life rather than failure? [17:25]
How do the extremes of legalism ("change yourself to be accepted") and license ("change isn’t necessary") misunderstand the gospel’s answer to sin? [38:20]
The vacuum cleaner illustration contrasts being "plugged in" versus "unplugged." What does this metaphor reveal about the relationship between human effort and the Spirit’s power? [31:27]
Romans 6:6 says sin’s power is broken, yet believers still struggle. How can both truths coexist without contradiction?

Application Questions

Where in your life have you tried to overcome sin or habits through willpower or rules instead of relying on the Spirit’s power? What would it look like to "plug into the source" in that area? [26:03]
The sermon warns against making a "peace treaty with sin." Is there a specific struggle you’ve quietly surrendered to or rationalized? How can you "keep it pinned" this week? [17:25]
How can you practically "walk by the Spirit" (Galatians 5:17) in a situation where you feel torn between a fleshly desire and God’s leading?
The sermon says, "The struggle does not mean abandonment." When have you felt discouraged by ongoing battles? How might focusing on who finishes the work (Philippians 1:6) change your perspective? [43:29]
What daily habits or rhythms could help you stay "plugged in" to the Spirit’s power rather than drifting into self-reliance or apathy? [34:43]
Identify one area where you’ve confused grace (empowerment) with mercy (forgiveness). How would embracing both truths reshape your response to failure? [24:35]

Sermon Clips

39s

#FallingIsNotFailing

“The presence of a battle is not evidence that you're unsaved. Even losing some battles sometimes is not evidence that you're lost. But refusing to fight, that's slightly more concerning. If you just give in. You don't even try and fight anymore. Falling is not the evidence. Peter fell. David fell. The Corinthians, they were they were a serial mess. And I don't mean that they were bad at eating breakfast. Scripture still addressed them as God's people and called them to repentance.”

43s

#FightDontMakePeaceWithSin

“Christians fall. But it's important that we don't make a peace treaty with our sin. Don't come to a simple understanding with it. Sometimes, fighting a battle is evidence that the spirit is actually alive in you because dead men don't fight. Keep fighting. Don't settle. Don't surrender. There is a battle. There is a war inside of us. The flesh and the spirit are at war because the spirit is alive in you.”

43s

#SavedAndBeingFormed

“If salvation were merely a legal transaction, where the moment we accepted Christ into our life, that that then he could just forgive us and take us straight to heaven. The moments we said, I believe, boop, and we were gone. But instead of doing that, he gave us the Holy Spirit that he might continue to form us even after he's transformed us into something new before he glorifies us. You see, we were changed. We were made new. Christ did do something. He finished something at the cross.”

52s

#RepentanceIsOngoing

“In the letters to the churches in Revelation, we see time and time again, the churches, the people there, they are called to repentance. We were changed, but we are still being changed. This is current tense. Future tense. Colossians three five, put to death therefore what is earthly in you. He they're talking to believers here and they're saying there's still earthly things in your life that are still in you. This is scripture. While it seems like it's a contradiction, it's not. He did change us and he continues to change us.”

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