Real Truth Matters Podcast

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode of Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham tackles common misconceptions about sanctification and offers biblical clarity on the believer's relationship with the Holy Spirit. Durham exposes unbiblical terminology like "dying to self" and "crucifying self" that has infiltrated Christian vernacular, while explaining the truth that believers are already new creations in Christ.

Rather than presenting sanctification as a constant struggle to become something we're not yet, it is demonstrated as the Spirit-empowered process of living from our true identity. Listeners will discover the divine partnership between the Holy Spirit and believers, practical steps for Spirit-led living, and the beautiful tension of our salvation's "already" and "not yet" aspects.

This episode provides a refreshing perspective on spiritual growth, emphasizing grace over striving and identity over performance. Whether you're a new believer or seasoned Christian, this teaching will deepen your understanding of how the Holy Spirit manifests Christ's life in and through you.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the RTM Podcast! I hope you had a chance to listen to last week’s episode, Circuses and Cemeteries, Part 1, where we examined the excesses and abuses surrounding the doctrine and ministry of the Holy Spirit. While not all Pentecostal/Charismatic believers endorse these extremes, it seems much of the movement has been hijacked by unbiblical practices.

Now, in Part 2, we shift to the opposite extreme—the cemeteries of the traditional church. While some have rightly rejected the chaos of charismatic excesses, have they also quenched the Spirit entirely? Join me as we explore this sobering reality and seek a biblical, Spirit-led balance.

Send us Fan Mail

In this powerful two-part series, Michael Durham explores the abuses of the doctrine and ministry of the Holy Spirit. In this episode, he addresses the excesses and distortions within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements—where emotionalism, sensationalism, and unbiblical practices have often overshadowed the true work of the Spirit. With biblical clarity and pastoral insight, Durham examines how these distortions have turned genuine revival into spectacle, replacing reverence with entertainment. How can we discern the real from the counterfeit? Join us as we seek a biblical, Christ-exalting understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work.

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to The Real Truth Matters Podcast with Michael Durham, founder and director of Real Truth Matters. In this episode, The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in Regeneration (Part 2), we continue our deep dive into the essential work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. Michael Durham explores the Spirit’s instrumentality in regeneration, explaining both its passive and active nature—how the sinner, though entirely dependent on the Spirit’s sovereign work, immediately responds in faith upon being made alive. This transformative act of grace is not a delayed process but an instantaneous awakening to the reality of Christ. Join us as we unpack these profound truths and gain a deeper understanding of the Spirit’s role in salvation.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Michael Durham explores the profound work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration—what it truly means to be born again. He clarifies the distinction between regeneration and the conviction of sin, showing that while conviction awakens the sinner to their need for salvation, regeneration is the actual transformation that brings spiritual life.

The New Testament uses three powerful metaphors to describe this divine work:

• New Creation – In Christ, the old passes away, and a completely new spiritual nature emerges (2 Corinthians 5:17).
• New Birth – Just as natural birth brings physical life, regeneration is a supernatural birth that imparts eternal life, as Jesus explained to Nicodemus (John 3:3-8).
• Cleansing – The washing of regeneration purifies the heart, removing sin’s defilement and making the believer holy before God (Titus 3:5, Ezekiel 36:25-27).

Join us as we delve into this foundational truth of salvation and the indispensable role of the Holy Spirit in bringing sinners from death to life.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, Michael Durham continues our exploration of the Holy Spirit’s role in convicting sinners. We dive into the three stages of conviction, an essential process through which the Holy Spirit leads every sinner before true conversion occurs. Without this deep, transforming work, salvation is impossible. Join us as we unpack these critical phases and better understand the Spirit’s ministry in drawing souls to Christ.

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we explore the vital role of the Holy Spirit in convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, as revealed in John 16:8-11. What does it truly mean to be convicted of sin? Is conviction the same as condemnation? And what specific truths does the Holy Spirit bring to light in the hearts of believers and unbelievers alike?

Join us as we unpack the meaning and subject matter of conviction, laying the foundation for a deeper understanding of the Spirit’s work in drawing people to Christ. This is Part 1 of an eye-opening discussion that will challenge and inspire your walk of faith.

Send us Fan Mail

In this follow-up episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham shifts the focus to the key differences between the Holy Spirit’s work in the Old Testament and His ministry under the New Covenant. While the Spirit’s presence and power were evident throughout the Old Testament, something profoundly changed after Christ’s resurrection and the outpouring at Pentecost.

Michael unpacks how the New Covenant ushered in a deeper and more personal work of the Holy Spirit, including His permanent indwelling, the fullness of His empowerment for all believers, and His direct role in transforming hearts. What was once a selective and temporary work became an abiding and universal reality for those in Christ.

Join us as we explore how the coming of Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant brought about a greater outpouring of the Spirit, fulfilling God’s redemptive plan in a way never seen before.

Send us Fan Mail

In this thought-provoking episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham delves into the profound continuity of the Holy Spirit's ministry between the Old and New Covenants. Often misunderstood or overlooked, the Spirit’s work in the Old Testament provides the foundation for His transformative power revealed in the New Covenant.

Michael examines how the Holy Spirit empowered individuals, inspired Scripture, and moved in the hearts of God’s people in the Old Testament, drawing striking parallels to His ministry in the New Covenant. Discover how the Spirit's role in regeneration, sanctification, and empowerment connects the Testaments, revealing God’s unchanging purpose and promise.

Join us for an episode that bridges the Old and New Covenants, showing the Holy Spirit as the eternal agent of God’s redemptive plan. Be encouraged to see His work as timeless and ever-present in the life of every believer.

Send us Fan Mail

Building on our last episode, where we explored three compelling reasons to believe the Holy Spirit is both God and a person, we now delve into a fourth reason that underscores His personhood: His work. The Holy Spirit operates with clear objectives—saving sinners and helping believers—and His actions reveal His purposeful and personal nature.

Join us as we unpack how the Spirit’s work reflects His divine character, His intimate involvement in our lives, and His mission to transform hearts. Whether through conviction, guidance, or empowerment, the Holy Spirit is actively working as a person to fulfill God’s redemptive plan.

Let’s continue uncovering the truth about the Holy Spirit’s nature and His profound impact on our lives!