Transformed by the Spirit | The Branch

"This isn't a sprint or a marathon. This is a lifestyle." — Pastor Matthew Johnson

Pastor Chris Reed and Pastor Matthew Johnson sat down for an honest conversation on The Branch Podcast about what it actually means to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. The discussion followed Pastor Matthew's recent sermon and became a chance to unpack the idea further, sharing personal stories along the way. Their conversation is part of the Proof series at The Tree Church, a study built around the belief that when the Holy Spirit is at work, there is evidence.

Pastor Chris opened the conversation by pointing out something true about the Christian life. God loves people as they are. That grace is offered freely, and scripture reminds believers that God pursued them even while they were still far from him. So why does transformation matter so much if love is already given.

Pastor Matthew answered with a simple truth. You can love someone and still think they need to change. He compared it to being a parent. A parent loves their child deeply, but that love does not mean they want their child to stay exactly the same forever. They want to see growth. The same is true in a relationship with God. People are loved fully, but they are also invited to change and grow.

Pastor Matthew described this as living in the tension between what once was in the garden and what will be in eternity. Sin still affects everyone, and because of that, every part of a person's life, their thoughts, desires, goals, and relationships, is either being led toward life by the Holy Spirit or toward death by the flesh. He explained that there are not a thousand choices in life. There are really only two directions. A choice toward God, or a choice away from him.

Both pastors agreed that people naturally want to get better. The culture is full of self-help advice and life hacks aimed at personal improvement. But there is a catch. People often want to improve on their own terms, using their own standard for what better looks like.

Pastor Matthew explained that being transformed by the Holy Spirit means giving up that control. He said that to be transformed by the Holy Spirit is to surrender control to him, and that surrender is exactly what people resist. He connected this to the story of Adam and Eve in the garden, explaining that part of what happened there was people wanting to define wisdom and goodness on their own terms instead of trusting God's standard.

Pastor Chris shared how this shows up in his own life. He admitted that the places he resists the most are often the places tied to deep hurt, insecurity, and fear. Some areas of his life have been easier to surrender to God over the years. Other areas, like pride and the way he relates to and trusts people, have come with a much higher cost and have been harder to hand over.

The conversation turned toward the reality that transformation often comes through difficult seasons rather than quick fixes. Pastor Matthew shared a story about a moment years ago when he lost his temper and spoke to someone in a way he had not acted in decades. He described the shame and embarrassment of that moment, but also the redemptive side of it. That failure brought something to the surface that needed to be addressed, and it led to a season of real self examination guided by the Holy Spirit.

He explained that before that moment, he thought controlling his outward behavior was the same as walking in the fruit of the Spirit. What he came to understand is that the fruit of the Spirit is not simply learning to manage behavior. It is having real peace underneath it. Pastor Matthew said that to have peace is better than to have low grade anger held under control.

Both pastors agreed that this kind of growth is rarely immediate. Sometimes God leads someone into a season of tension in a relationship or a struggle before things get better. The road to health often runs through struggle first.

Much of the conversation focused on the practical question of how someone actually hears the Holy Spirit speaking into their life. Pastor Chris shared that this summer he went through a week of intensive counseling, something he mentioned briefly on a previous episode. During that time, there were some things that she said to him that really hit home to him, especially the idea that sometimes God saves people from themselves by not giving them exactly what they expected.

The pastors talked about hearing the Spirit's voice through other people, through repeated situations, through scripture and sermons, and even through watching other people make mistakes. They also talked about the value of correction. Being told something honest and even uncomfortable by someone trusted can be one of the clearest ways the Holy Spirit speaks.

A natural question followed. Is spiritual transformation something a person works toward through disciplines and effort, or is it something they simply wait for the Holy Spirit to do. Pastor Matthew explained that it is both. Some things require supernatural peace that no amount of effort can produce. Other areas benefit from practical rhythms, like accountability, consistency, and healthy structure in daily life.

He shared that this isn't a sprint or a marathon. This is a lifestyle. Growth does not happen all at once, and it does not have a finish line either. It is something a person walks out over the course of their whole life, staying sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leading day by day.

Pastor Chris shared his own struggle with wanting to fix everything all at once, only to grow tired and see little lasting change. He explained that he has had to learn to let the Spirit set the pace and the priorities, trusting that peace comes through the process rather than through forcing quick results.

Toward the end of the conversation, the pastors discussed the idea of discipline. They pointed out that scripture describes God disciplining those he loves, the same way a loving parent corrects a child. They contrasted discipline with punishment, explaining that punishment carries a punitive weight, while discipline is meant to lead someone toward something better.

Pastor Matthew referenced Psalm 139, describing the simple invitation it offers. The invitation is to ask God to search your heart, show you anything displeasing, and lead you in his everlasting way. He explained that inviting this kind of honesty from God, and from trusted people in your life, is one of the clearest ways to grow in sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

The conversation closed with encouragement for listeners to build healthy rhythms in their own lives that help them stay sensitive to the Holy Spirit's voice. Both pastors acknowledged that the world is full of loud voices competing for attention. Because of that, staying attentive to God takes intention.

Their closing thought was simple and hopeful. God has promised to make himself known and to lead people toward something good, if they are willing to keep listening.

If you are looking for a church community in central Ohio, we would love to meet you at The Tree Church.

We have two campuses in the area:
Our Lancaster campus is located at 721 N. Memorial Drive, Lancaster, OH 43130. Our Logan campus is located at 36 Hocking Mall, Logan, OH 43138. Both campuses hold services on Sunday mornings at 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM.