Have you ever reached a point where you’ve said, “I’m tired. I can’t do this anymore”?
Maybe you’ve faced financial pressure, family struggles, disappointment or a decision that feels too big to make. Church family, here’s the good news. The renewing of the Holy Spirit means we don’t have to face life’s challenges in our own strength.
This Sunday at 3C South Coast, Kurt Jackson continued our Standing Strong – Let Him Lead the Way series with a message about God’s mercy, spiritual transformation and the Holy Spirit’s daily work in our lives.
However, before Kurt began, we received a special greeting from Jerusalem!
A Message From Ps Larry in Jerusalem
Ps Larry joined us by video from Israel, where he was visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial and museum.
Reflecting on the six million Jewish people murdered during the Holocaust, he reminded us how precious our freedom to worship Jesus is.
He also challenged us:
“All we need for evil to prosper is for good people to do nothing.”
Ps Larry reminded us of our church vision: every believer is a leader, and every leader is called to become a soul-winner and disciple-maker.
Then Kurt brought us back to a vital question: Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to lead us?
The Renewing of the Holy Spirit Begins With God’s Mercy
Our foundation Scripture was Titus 3:5:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
Kurt explained something we sometimes forget. We can’t earn salvation through good behaviour. We simply cannot pray enough, give enough or serve enough to make God love us more. Salvation begins with His mercy, not our performance.
Ephesians 2:8–9 confirms this:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
But here’s where the message becomes personal. God doesn’t save us and leave us unchanged.
He gives us new life and continues transforming us through the Holy Spirit.
Kurt explained the difference between regeneration and renewal:
- Regeneration: God gives us a completely new life when we’re born again.
- Renewal: The Holy Spirit continues changing our thoughts, attitudes and behaviour every day.
We’re not simply becoming better versions of our old selves. God is making us new!
Are We Following the Holy Spirit or Our Own Plans?
Kurt shared a personal testimony about a business decision that took him and his wife seven years to recover from.
They had pushed open a door God hadn’t led them through.
Later, another opportunity came along. This time, they listened to the Holy Spirit’s warning and declined a major contract. Two months later, the opportunity collapsed. Had they accepted it, they could have been responsible for paying more than 80 employees without the money to do so.
Kurt reminded us:
“The Holy Spirit will lead and He will guide you when you don’t know.”
How often do we make our plans and then ask God to bless them?
Galatians 5:25 says:
“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Walking in the Spirit means following His direction, even when we cannot see the full picture.
We explored this same challenge in our earlier message, Stop Trying to Lead God: Let the Holy Spirit Lead the Way.
Transformation Comes Before Good Works
One statement from Kurt’s message deserves a place in our hearts:
“We don’t do good to become transformed. We transform to do good.”
Consider an apple tree.
Nobody attaches apples to its branches to make it an apple tree. Apples grow because that’s what the tree naturally produces. Likewise, when the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts, godly behaviour becomes the fruit of that transformation.
Titus 3:8 teaches that those who believe in God should devote themselves to good works.
Our actions matter. However, they flow from salvation rather than earn it. So, are we becoming more patient, forgiving, generous and willing to serve? Kurt reminded us that God wants to use every believer in our homes, workplaces, schools and communities.
That’s why discipleship matters. When we join a G12 Prayer Cell or get involved in ministry, we grow alongside believers who encourage us to follow Jesus.
As we learnt in Unstoppable: Bought by the Blood, Built Through Discipleship, we were never called to live this Christian life alone.
Oil and Water: Two Powerful Symbols of the Holy Spirit
| Symbol | What It Represents | What It Means for Us |
| Oil | Anointing, consecration and being set apart | The Holy Spirit marks us as belonging to God and sets us apart for His purpose. |
| Water | Refreshing, sustaining and ongoing spiritual life | The Holy Spirit continually renews, strengthens and refreshes us as we walk with God. |
Kurt also explored two beautiful biblical symbols.
Oil: You Are Anointed and Set Apart
Oil represents anointing, consecration and God’s purpose.
1 John 2:20 says:
“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.”
Kurt reminded us that the anointing isn’t reserved for pastors or church leaders.
Every born-again believer has been set apart for God’s purpose. You have a calling. You have a place in His Kingdom. And the Holy Spirit equips you to fulfil it.
Water: The Holy Spirit Refreshes and Sustains
John 7:38 says:
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”
Water refreshes, cleanses and sustains life. Likewise, the renewing of the Holy Spirit continues throughout our Christian journey. Kurt encouraged us not to give up during difficult seasons. God’s living water never runs dry.
He illustrated this with Jesus turning water into wine. There were no grapes, yet Jesus performed something extraordinary.
Perhaps you look at your circumstances and see nothing God can use.
Remember, He is able to do something new!
Church, Let Him Lead the Way!
Kurt closed by praying for people facing financial struggles, health challenges, relationship difficulties and situations requiring renewed courage.
Perhaps that’s you today.
Don’t allow disappointment to drive you backwards into old habits or old ways of thinking. Instead, invite the Holy Spirit to renew your mind and lead your next step.
And if you’ve never surrendered your life to Jesus, there’s no better time to begin. You don’t need to clean up your life before coming to Him. His mercy comes first.
Speak to someone at 3C South Coast. We’d love to pray with you and help you begin your journey with Jesus.
Our Prayer This Week
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your mercy and the precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
Holy Spirit, renew our minds, strengthen our faith and teach us to follow Your leading. Where we’ve become stubborn, make us willing to change. Refresh where we’re tired, and guide us where we’re uncertain.
Help us to live as people who have been transformed by Your grace. Use us to serve others, win souls and make disciples. We choose to stand strong, not through our own efforts, but through Your power working within us.
In Jesus’ mighty name.
Amen!
