(Part 7 of a series)

This series explores two essential topics: God and people. When children know who God really is and what He says about who they really are, they can confidently navigate faith and life. Kids must know both the Lord and themselves intimately—not superficially.

God matters most. Learning about the Lord is more important (and more rewarding) than anything else we can do!

People matter to God. People who truly grasp what God says about their identity finally understand who they are and how to live.

A single word answers the question, “What Is God Doing?”—sanctification. From the divine perspective, God sets His disciples apart from the world—to become like Himself. This article looks into God’s role in sanctification. The question, “What Is God Doing?” follows naturally from the previous topic, “How Do You Relate to God?” Read that article of this series here.

“What Is God Doing?”

Short Answer
“God Transforms Life. God rebuilds believers from the inside out. He is tireless.”

When we believe in Jesus and start following Him, God begins working on us. He doesn’t let us stay the way we are. He changes us to love and serve Him. The Lord begins by performing open-heart surgery—He removes our selfish heart that was disobedient and cold to Him.

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

God replaces that old heart with a new heart that wants to obey Him and do what’s right. The more we cooperate with God, the more He changes us. This process of change is called “sanctification.” God sets believers apart from the world to carry out His wonderful plan.

Expanded Answer

God is never passive or disengaged from earthly events. He is dynamically involved—every moment of every day. From Adam and Eve, to Israel’s history, to the present, God’s activity is clearly visible. He “sanctifies” His children—setting us apart from the world and transforming us for His own special purposes.

“You shall keep My statutes and practice them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.” (Leviticus 20:7-8)

Apart from the Lord’s daily activity in our lives, we can never be conformed to Christ’s image. We desperately need His help to change and grow. How does God sanctify His children? He sustains us, purifies us, empowers us, and directs us. Let’s unpack those four words:

GOD SUSTAINS. The Lord undergirds believers so they trust His goodness.

“You gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, Your manna You did not withhold from their mouth, And You gave them water for their thirst. ²¹Indeed, forty years You provided for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell.” (Nehemiah 9:20-21)

God cares so much for us that He never leaves our side; He never stops helping us deal with life. He sustains us, holding us up. We can trust the Lord to protect us from danger (2 Thessalonians 3:3). We can trust Him to provide everything we truly need (Philippians 4:19). We can trust Him to answer our prayers (Psalm 34:17-19). We can trust Him to heal our diseases (Psalm 41:3-4). God also places believers in a like-minded community of people—like devoted teammates who support us through challenging times (John 17:20-21).

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10)

GOD PURIFIES. The Lord refines believers so they reflect His holiness.

“He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness.” (Malachi 3:3)

God views each believer as a valuable treasure. But like gold ore (gold mixed with worthless minerals), that treasure is not pure. Miners who find rocks with flecks of gold or silver put those rocks into an iron pot that gets so hot that the rocks melt! The gold or silver separates from the worthless minerals. The refiner throws everything else away, but keeps the valuable metals.

The Lord is holy and wants to make us holy as well. He wants to remove our impurities. God burns up the worthless stuff in our lives and refines the good stuff to purify us. He cleans up our sinful habits and selfish motives. Sometimes He puts us through the fire—which is not much fun—but the result is worth it! He purifies us by praying for us (Romans 8:26-27, 34), disciplining us (Hebrews 12:7-8), forgiving us (Jeremiah 33:8), restoring us (1 John 1:6-7), and consecrating us (Revelation 1:5b-6).

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. (Hebrews 10:22)

GOD EMPOWERS. The Lord strengthens believers so they magnify His greatness.

The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places. (Habakkuk 3:19)

God’s enemy, Satan, is determined to stop what the Lord is doing throughout the world—and in your life. The only way believers can build God’s kingdom is through the power that the Lord supplies. We must rely on God to supply the energy and power to follow His ways. Without His help, we soon become weak and weary. What are some ways the Lord strengthens us?

He Fills. God infuses His children with the Spirit’s supernatural power (Acts 1:8).
•He Enables. God partners with His followers to produce spiritual fruit (John 15:5).
•He Equips. God distributes gifts from the Spirit to build others up (1 Peter 4:10).
•He Anoints. God appoints specific people to fulfill vital ministries (1 John 2:27).
•He Sends. God commissions witnesses to make disciples everywhere (Jeremiah 1:7).

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

GOD DIRECTS. The Lord guides believers so they affirm His faithfulness.

“You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.” (Nehemiah 9:19)

A real battle takes place inside us each day. The flesh fights against the Spirit. The Holy Spirit tells us what is right and what He wants us to do. But the flesh tries to divert us from God’s plan by doing wrong. The Holy Spirit is like heaven-sent wind that guides disciples along God’s path (John 3:8). Have you ever tried to run or ride a bike directly into the wind? It’s hard! But when the wind is blowing hard in the same direction you are going, it’s easy. God wants us to move with the Spirit, not against Him. To direct His children, the Lord promises to teach us (1 John 2:27), lead us (John 10:3-4), counsel us (Proverbs 19:21), and give us wisdom (James 1:5). He also warns us to stay alert against deception and disloyalty (1 Timothy 4:1).

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (John 16:13)

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So, What Is God Doing? —“God Transforms Life. God rebuilds believers from the inside out. He is tireless.” It is primarily God’s job to sustain, to purify, to empower, and to direct His children.

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13)

Application

Ask God to remove their old heart of stone and replace it with a new heart of flesh.
Trust God to sustain you and to supply your daily needs!
Invite God to clean up your sinful habits, wrong actions, and selfish desires!
Ask for God’s power to do the work He gives you!
Thank God who always directs you to do the right thing!

Read the next article in this series: What Is God Doing?