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Dec 08, 2025 06:00am

Inside-Out Transformation

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This house was a mess!

We watched a show where they flip houses, but this one was going to be a house the owner was keeping. Some rundown house, in need of repairs and deep cleaning, seemed like the best choice for them. The look on the wife’s face when she first saw that house was priceless. She said, “No way am I living here! This place is a mess!”

The husband promised to clean it up and make it something spectacular for her. They bought it, and the work began. But not to the outside. You couldn’t just replace all the grass and shrubs at the beginning. It wasn’t ready yet, and things could get trampled on, run over, or destroyed along the way. So, it had to wait. They had to start on the inside first.

They ripped out old cabinets, carpet, and flooring and replaced them with items that were beautiful and brand new. The work continued on the inside, and eventually it started to make its way to the outside of the home too.

Pretty soon, the whole place looked like a brand-new house. Neighbors actually saw the work being done and the changes to the home, and they began to spruce up their own places too.

Now, she could call this place home.

2 Corinthians 7:1
“Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.”

Paul continued his letter to the Corinthian church. Remember, Corinth was an epicenter for pagan worship. Shrines and temples along with everyday practices were geared toward worshipping these false gods and idols. Everywhere you went, you were surrounded by pagan influence.

But if they were going to commit to a life serving and loving God, they had to turn from those things and that lifestyle. They had heard the truth. They believed in Jesus. And the Holy Spirit was changing their desires from the inside out. That’s what the Holy Spirit does in all of our lives when we confess our sins and ask Christ to save us.

The Holy Spirit dwells or lives within us, and He cannot abide where there is sin. So, He starts cleaning house. Those changes that occur within begin to make their way to the outside. We no longer desire to be in the same places we used to be. Our choices change—not because of our flesh, but because of the Holy Spirit changing us.

We turn to God, which means we have turned from those things we once desired. They are now behind us. They are in the past. Now, we are moving forward.

And pretty soon, it’s not just the inside of the house that’s being cleaned up; the outside begins to look different too.

Fix your eyes on Christ—study God’s Word. Learn it, meditate on it, and live it out. Let it work within you to change you into who God desires you to be.

We will never be perfect. Just like that house, there will always be projects and things that mess up and need repairs. But because we have the Holy Spirit within us, if we continue pursuing God and His will for our lives, we will continue to be changed.

He’s always at work within us.

Today, get in the Word. Open your Bible. Learn more about the God who created you, loves you, and wants to use you in His great mission. And surrender. Hand over the keys to the house and let the Holy Spirit start the cleanup process.

Need help? Go to follow.lifeword.org. It’s a great place to learn more about Jesus and how He can transform you.