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Presented by Lisa Bishop
We are examining the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and we’ll look at how the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin. Hopefully, that didn’t just make you want to tune out.
Being convicted of sin doesn’t necessarily sound like something to get excited about, but when God sheds light on your sin the purpose is for you to live in greater harmony with him. As we surrender our lives to God and walk in obedience (another word that can make us cringe), the Holy Spirit begins to renew and rewire our minds and realign our affections, and that’s a good thing.
Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer says this, “After salvation, because of the Holy Spirit, certain kinds of activities, thoughts, or attitudes don’t feel comfortable to you anymore, even if they did before. Something you may have once done without concern now feels wrong and problematic—increasingly so over time. Participating in certain behaviors, entertaining certain habits, and engaging in certain relationships may become awkward and difficult with little apparent reason. Other than this: God’s Spirit is infiltrating your soul—influencing you, molding you. Your conscience is being conformed into the image of Christ.”
When you become a follower of Jesus and order your life after him, your tastebuds change. Things that once were appealing lose their luster when we chase after Christ. As you continue to align your life with Jesus, you will become less and less captivated by your flesh and more conformed to Christ where truth is found. The Holy Spirit’s conviction is for your sanctification; to get your attention so that you, as 1 Peter 1:14-16 says,
Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16).
When the Holy Spirit exposes your sin, don’t fight against his conviction. If you ignore and override his voice, over time you will become desensitized to him. The Holy Spirit never points things to be punitive. Remember he loves you and wants you to free you from sin, so you live life to the fullest in him.