The Holy Spirit Changes Us
SEPTEMBER 7, 2025
The Holy Spirit Changes Us
The Holy Spirit changes our minds and hearts so that we want to obey God, and He gives us power to obey. The Holy Spirit guides us as believers as we live out God’s mission for us to share the gospel in all the world.
Read all or parts of Galatians 5 from your Bible or watch the Bible story video.
ELEMENTARY GK STORY:
LIL' GK STORY:
STORY: Paul lived by following the Holy Spirit. He was not perfect, but he wanted to obey God and be His witness to tell other people about Jesus. Paul wrote to remind the Galatians that salvation only comes through faith in Jesus. We are not saved by following laws or commands. Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice on the cross.
Paul wrote that Jesus gives His followers the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit changes how we live and act by giving us power to obey and glorify God. When we follow the Holy Spirit, we are given power to turn away from sin. When we give our hearts to Jesus, the Holy Spirit can begin to grow good fruit in our hearts. Like a fruit grows from seed, growing the fruit of the Spirit takes time. But when this fruit grows in our life, we show others the changing power of the Holy Spirit in us.
DISCUSSION QUESTION #1: Is there a fruit of the Spirit that seems hard for you to grow? Why?
ANSWER: Discuss how growing the fruit of the Spirit takes time. Explain that just as a seed takes time to grow into a tree that produces fruit, so does our spiritual fruit take time to grow. Encourage your students to remember that God has given us our Helper, the Holy Spirit, and that He gives us the power to produce good fruit.
DISCUSSION QUESTION #2: Choose one fruit of the Spirit. Can you give me an example of how that fruit shows we love God or people? Explain.
ANSWER: Answers will vary. Help your students understand practical ways that we can see the fruit of the Spirit at work in our lives. For example, being joyful even when times are hard shows we love God by trusting that He is in control, or having self-control when we are upset shows we love our neighbor because we choose not to react in anger. Remind your students that when we display the fruit of the Spirit, others can see Jesus in us and see how His power changes us.
WORK ON MEMORIZING OUR SCRIPTURE VERSE!
Lil' GK verse
Elementary GK verse
Or learn it through song!
Lil' GK Scripture Song
Elementary GK Scripture Song
MORNINGS:
God, thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to help us live with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Teach us to live by the fruit of the Spirit so people will see Jesus in our lives. Amen.
EVENINGS:
Thank You, God, for the Holy Spirit and the way He works in our lives. Help us respond when You show us areas of sin in our lives and help us follow You as the Holy Spirit leads us. In Jesus’ name, amen.
