“Then the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man.”

I did not quote chapter and verse here because I would like us to consider the event without considering context.

Would we be willing to be overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, lose control of ourselves and be changed instantly?

When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior we become a new creation but we do not feel it immediately. Change comes slowly, as babes in Christ we mature with time. Most of us did not even consider being changed but rather wanted to escape the corruption in which we were trapped. Not everyone comes to the Lord with the expectation of being changed.

Eventually we learn about the rapture and our minds are filled with thoughts of what it might be like to be caught up in the air with the Lord. Others see putting on incorruption as the final stage of change. We still are not sure everything that will be manifested by perfection but we desire that welcomed end.

Now place the opening verse in context. It is 1 Samuel 10:6. The context is Saul’s anointing as the first king of Israel. We know from Saul’s history that his change was not permanent and that he disobeyed God later in his life.

The context of being changed upon new birth is that while we are a new creation our molding into the image of Christ is incomplete and care must be taken in the choices we make. Obeying God is more complex as we grow in Christ. Nothing is expected of babies except growth.

Grow we must and how we mature is very much a matter of being willing to listen, willing to change our minds, willing to change our plans, and willing to obey by faith.

Living a life of faith is one of willing submission.