How many times have you looked into a mirror and wished that your Creator had made you more handsome or prettier? How many times have you wished that your physical characteristics could have been more like Mr. Universe or Miss America? How many times have you looked at your inner man and wished that it was not so weak to sin?

You may even long to have inward strength to overcome your sexual, chemical, alcohol, or any other addiction. Your may hate what sin in your life has done to you, to your parents, to your friends, and to your marriage. You may hate the corruption that lies within your soul (Matthew 15:18-20). You desire to change, but you have no power to change.

Or you may consider yourself a law-abiding citizen; a loyal husband or wife; a respectful son or daughter to your parents; a religious person – and yet your spirit is filled with evil lust and a desire to follow the desires of the flesh and of the mind. But you do it in secret and you know you are a hypocrite; for you know how evil and desperately wicked your heart really is. You truly desire to change, but can’t.

In our text, God had chosen Saul, just a regular man living his life out in the flesh. Yet, for God to use Saul in His Plan and Purpose for His Kingdom’s Work, Saul must have a change; and so must you. It must be an inward change; you must be freed from the law of sin and death (spiritual death, which is a separation from God). The dominion of sin must not be your ruler. You must be set free from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; because we are born dead in sins and trespasses (Ephesians 2:1-3).

In the text (1 Samuel 10:6), the sign that would come upon Saul that he had been turned “into another man” and that “God is with thee” (verse 7) would be that the Spirit of the Lord would come upon Saul.

This is exactly what Jesus told the Apostles (Acts 1:8):

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

And this is exactly what happened on the Day of Pentecost to the Apostles and the 120 who were waiting for the Coming of the Comforter (Acts 2:1-39). This is called the Gift of the Holy Spirit; that is, the gift is the Holy Spirit Himself, fulfilling Jesus’ words (John 14:16-17):

“Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:17)

This gift manifested the Church and empowered the Church to be a witness for Christ (Acts 1:8) in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. Many equate this gift of the Holy Spirit to the New Birth, which is noted to deal with spiritual sight and spiritual power (John 3:3-8).

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to those who are “called” by God (Acts 2:39). The same thing that happened to Saul in 1 Samuel 10:6-9, happens to one who is called and given the gift of the Holy Spirit.

“And it was so, that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, God gave him another heart: and all those signs came to pass that day.” (1 Samuel 10:9)

“And when they came thither to the hill, behold, a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.” (1 Samuel 10:10)

(See Acts 1:8, the same terminology.)

For a man to be turned into “another man,” God must give that man “another heart.” A heart that Ezekiel 26:25-27 speaks of:

 “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. (26) A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. (27) And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27)

This is a heart of spiritual perception and a heart with spiritual power (John 3:3-8; 1 Corinthians 2:9-16). A heart that is a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17); made a “new man” (Ephesians 4:17-25). One that has been given the love of God (Romans 5:5; 1 John 2:15-17); and therefore loves God and not the lust of the flesh, lust of the eye, and pride of life. This is a heart that seeks to follow God, to please God in its attitude and actions; a heart that determines to endure to the end by God’s grace and mercy. It is a heart that follows after peace and holiness.

If you desire to be “another man,” to have “another heart,” one that produces the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and not the fruit of the flesh; one that produces the work of faith and not of works alone (James 2:14-26) – then, look to Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of The Faith; for He has begun a good work in you. Look to Christ, the Sacrifice for sins, the Substitute for sinners, and the Savior of sinners. Confess your sins and make confession that Christ paid your sin debt and set you free in His Atonement on the Cross (Isaiah 53:1-12; Romans 3:23-24; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 10:9-13; John 3:14-21). For there He reconciled you, justified you (or declared you righteous), and redeemed you. Therefore, the message to you that can hear and are thirsty is Revelations 22:17:

“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

The drinking of the water of life is the result and not the requirement. (See John 4:1-41; 6:44, 63.)

Yes, all of this is a Sovereign Work of the Spirit of God. However, confession is proof of His Work in the sinner (Romans 10:9-13). Confession is the sinner’s responsibility, having been given “another heart” by God. Confession is the result of regeneration, or having been given a new heart, or given the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you have received “another heart” (Romans 8:1-16, 2 Corinthians 1:22; 1 John 3:14, 24; 5:11-20), make confession with your mouth to God and to man. Follow Christ in believer’s baptism as a public confession of your knowledge of being co-crucified with Christ; co-raised with Christ to walk in the newness of life (1 Peter 3:21; Romans 6:4).

Give God the glory for giving you the New Birth by confessing Him to be your Savior, and by obeying His Commandments (1 John 2:3-5; John 10:27-30); that is, as sheep, follow the Shepherd. And when you do follow Him, it is proof you have been given “another heart”; or you have received the New Birth; or you have received the Gift of the Holy Spirit. Or even as with Saul, it was proof that God was with him, as he was a changed man and prophesied in God’s name.