Are We Changed by Magic?
Many have the idea that the Holy Spirit changes us through some sort of magic. They see faith as a magic wand or their quarter dropped into the heavenly vending machine. But faith is more a means by which we connect with, or tap into, the
realities of God’s kingdom. It’s like the reaction of one who hears the word “fire” in a theater. You can tell who has faith in those words by their response. Those who believe, act: those who don’t, sit complacently in their seats. Faith responds to the implications of the words spoken in attitude or action.
So if we are not changed by Holy Spirit magic, what is it that changes us? We are changed as our faith takes hold of the realities of God’s kingdom. The first is the moral atmosphere of grace. We will have little power in our lives while we live with God in an old covenant relationship driven by guilt and moral pressure. As we experience the loving attitudes of grace, in contrast to the rigidity of our old covenant, conscience dominated, morality, our hearts are changed. As we take hold of the implications of Roman 8:28, God's promise to work in all our circumstances to bless us, we find a peace that is empowering.
I’m not saying that God doesn’t free us from the chains of sin at conversion. That can be seen as a sort of magic. Nor am I saying that there are no miracles. God has both creative and restorative powers. However, the changes that are most important involve spiritual principles, not magic. This larger picture involves our entering into the experience of God’s love and care which inspires in us a response of love. This changes our heart which in turn motivates us to choose God’s way and experience power over sin in our lives.
This story about Elisha can help us see the importance of taking hold of God's perspective by faith. The king of Syria sent his army to surround the town of Dothan and capture the prophet Elisha (II Kings 6). Elisha’s servant woke to that terrifying scene. He then woke Elisha with the bad news. However, Elisha was unfazed. He asked God to open his servant’s eyes. The servant now saw that the army of God surrounding the Syrian army. It was simply a matter of perspective. Elisha’s servant saw things only from a human, or fleshly, perspective. However, that is only a very small piece of the whole. Elisha, on the other hand, saw things from a spiritual perspective, the perspective of God’s kingdom. God, as always, had everything under control. There was nothing for them to worry about.
Many seem to feel that this type of faith is for the mighty men of God. Not so. Faith is a choice. We simply choose to accept God’s perspective and resist any feelings to the contrary. Satan works on us through our feelings. God offers us facts that we must take hold of by faith. Taking hold of those facts then changes the way we feel.
We need to experience our relationship with God through the atmosphere of grace rather than through the legalistic atmosphere created by our conscience. We also need to rest peacefully in the love and care of our loving Father in heaven, our "Abba" (daddy). Living in the moral atmosphere of His love and the security of His care creates a perspective that should empower us and motivate our actions. This should allow us to rise above the stress, pain and frustration of this world while we reach out in love to those around us.
Copyright Patrick Fagenstrom, 12/2011, edited 7/13
realities of God’s kingdom. It’s like the reaction of one who hears the word “fire” in a theater. You can tell who has faith in those words by their response. Those who believe, act: those who don’t, sit complacently in their seats. Faith responds to the implications of the words spoken in attitude or action.
So if we are not changed by Holy Spirit magic, what is it that changes us? We are changed as our faith takes hold of the realities of God’s kingdom. The first is the moral atmosphere of grace. We will have little power in our lives while we live with God in an old covenant relationship driven by guilt and moral pressure. As we experience the loving attitudes of grace, in contrast to the rigidity of our old covenant, conscience dominated, morality, our hearts are changed. As we take hold of the implications of Roman 8:28, God's promise to work in all our circumstances to bless us, we find a peace that is empowering.
I’m not saying that God doesn’t free us from the chains of sin at conversion. That can be seen as a sort of magic. Nor am I saying that there are no miracles. God has both creative and restorative powers. However, the changes that are most important involve spiritual principles, not magic. This larger picture involves our entering into the experience of God’s love and care which inspires in us a response of love. This changes our heart which in turn motivates us to choose God’s way and experience power over sin in our lives.
This story about Elisha can help us see the importance of taking hold of God's perspective by faith. The king of Syria sent his army to surround the town of Dothan and capture the prophet Elisha (II Kings 6). Elisha’s servant woke to that terrifying scene. He then woke Elisha with the bad news. However, Elisha was unfazed. He asked God to open his servant’s eyes. The servant now saw that the army of God surrounding the Syrian army. It was simply a matter of perspective. Elisha’s servant saw things only from a human, or fleshly, perspective. However, that is only a very small piece of the whole. Elisha, on the other hand, saw things from a spiritual perspective, the perspective of God’s kingdom. God, as always, had everything under control. There was nothing for them to worry about.
Many seem to feel that this type of faith is for the mighty men of God. Not so. Faith is a choice. We simply choose to accept God’s perspective and resist any feelings to the contrary. Satan works on us through our feelings. God offers us facts that we must take hold of by faith. Taking hold of those facts then changes the way we feel.
We need to experience our relationship with God through the atmosphere of grace rather than through the legalistic atmosphere created by our conscience. We also need to rest peacefully in the love and care of our loving Father in heaven, our "Abba" (daddy). Living in the moral atmosphere of His love and the security of His care creates a perspective that should empower us and motivate our actions. This should allow us to rise above the stress, pain and frustration of this world while we reach out in love to those around us.
Copyright Patrick Fagenstrom, 12/2011, edited 7/13