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Welcome to Gods Vision Ministries Bible Study Teacher: Pastor Burnice B. Green, Sr.

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How to Change Yourself: A Bible Pattern for Self-Help and Self-Improvement Becoming a Christian requires change. We must remove old habits and develop new ones. This study considers Bible principles to help us improve ourselves: faith, love, repentance, Bible study, prayer, avoiding temptation, and patience. God's word is the best source of guidance for self-help and motivation for self-improvement.

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How to Change Yourself: Introduction: Have you ever had difficulty trying to change a habit? Human beings are creatures of habit. We tend to continue acting as we have acted in the past. Like a river flowing through a canyon, the longer a habit continues, the more deeply it becomes ingrained, and the harder it is to change. This is true of all habits, good or bad.

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How to Change Yourself: Ephesians 4:22-24 shows that major changes must occur when we are converted to serve God. Old practices and attitudes must be replaced by new ones. Christians must learn good habits like Bible study, prayer, love, faith, patience, attending church meetings, giving, teaching others, etc. We must also eliminate bad habits like foul language, uncontrolled temper, gambling, drugs, smoking, drinking, gossip, lying, pornography, sexual promiscuity, etc

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How to Change Yourself: Knowing what changes to make is not enough. We also need to know how to make them. Change does not come easily. Since the Scriptures provide us to all good works (2 Timothy 3:16,17), they give all the guidance we need. God's word is the best source of guidance for self-help and motivation for self- improvement. Let us study 12 specific, practical steps the Bible gives to show us how to change and improve our selves to become what God wants.

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How to Change Yourself: Step1: Change Your Purpose in Life. Before people are willing to act, they must be motivated. A sound sleeper is more likely to get up in the middle of the night if the house is on fire than if he remembers he did not brush his teeth! Christians have some of the strongest possible motives for changing. Consider some:

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How to Change Yourself: Love and Dedication to God Romans 12:1,2 - Christians are transformed (changed) by renewing their minds (cf. Eph. 4:23). To live differently, we must think differently. We must not seek to be like the world but to use our bodies in God's service. The Macedonians practiced generous giving because they first gave themselves to the Lord (2 Corinthians 8:5). Changing our conduct becomes much easier when we are totally dedicated to God's service. (See also Ecc. 12:13; Matt. 6:33; 16:24.)

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How to Change Yourself: 1 John 5:3; 4:19,9 - What motivates us to obey God? Our love for Him. What motivates us to love Him? The fact that He loved us. How do we know He loved us? Because He gave His Son to die to save us.

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How to Change Yourself: Step2: Believe You Can Change with God's Help. Proverbs 4:23 - Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. The way you act is determined by your attitudes and intentions. People and circumstances may influence you, but you do not have to give in. You do what you decide to do (cf. Matt. 15:18,19; 12:34-37).

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How to Change Yourself: 1 Corinthians 10:13 - God will not allow temptations that are beyond your ability to bear. He will always make a way of escape. "God is faithful." He will always keep this promise. It follows that you can break any bad habit and develop any good habit according to God's will. Philippians 4:13 - We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us

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How to Change Yourself: Psalm 37:5 - If you commit yourself to the Lord and trust Him, He will accomplish His will for you. No matter how strong a temptation you face, no matter how long you have practiced a sin, if God says to change, you can change. (See also Eph. 6:10-18; 3:20,21; 2 Cor. 9:8; Josh. 1:5-9.)

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How to Change Yourself: Step 3: Study the Bible about Your Habit. Joshua 1:8 - To succeed in God's work, meditate on God's word. List the pertinent Bible passages about each habit you need to change. List reasons why you should change. Meditate on these verses daily, filling your mind with them. (Cf. Psalm 1:2; 119:11.)

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How to Change Yourself: Deuteronomy 6:6-9 - Frequently remind yourself of these verses. Write them and place them where they will remind you: on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator door, on your table at mealtime, on the TV knob.

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How to Change Yourself: Matthew 4:1-11 - Jesus overcame temptation by quoting Scripture. But this worked only because He knew the Scripture. Memorize verses about your habit so that, when you are tempted, they will come to mind and strengthen you. Quote them to yourself and to those who tempt you. (See also Prov. 3:5,6; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Eph. 6:17; Rom. 1:16; Heb. 4:12.)

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How to Change Yourself: Step4: Repent of Sin. Acts 8:22 - Sin requires repentance. Repentance is a change of mind - a determined commitment to cease sin and obey God (see Matt. 21:28,29; Acts 17:30; 11:23). Before one can change his conduct, he must change his mind.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 5: Develop a Plan of Action. Proverbs 14:22 - We must devise to do good, not evil. God's example demonstrates the importance of planning. He purposed man's redemption (Rom. 8:28), the church (Eph. 3:10,11), the temple (Heb. 8:5), etc. (cf. Gen. 12:1-7). Likewise, God's servants need to have a plan to succeed in His service (Luke 14:26-33; Dan. 1:8; Psalm 17:3; Acts 11:23; 2 Cor. 9:7).

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How to Change Yourself: In what other important endeavors will we succeed without a plan? Consider the forethought needed to build a house, run a business or a household, program a computer, etc. Worthwhile activities, to be successful, need planning. Likewise, to change your life, you need a specific, practical checklist of steps you will take to change.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 6: Pray Regularly. Prayer is essential in two ways. A child of God should pray for forgiveness. Then pray for God's help.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 7: Seek Help from Other Christians. James 5:16 - Christians should confess their faults to one another so they can pray for one another. We should bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2). If our sins have harmed specific individuals, we should apologize to them (Matt. 5:23,24).

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How to Change Yourself: When we are fighting an especially difficult habit, it may help to choose one or two special counselors to talk with regularly. They can give us Bible passages and good advice about how to change. They can encourage us. It may motivate us just to know that others are aware of our problem. And they can surely pray for us.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 8: Diligently Practice What is Right. 1 Corinthians 15:58 - Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work. Abundant, steadfast work is needed. We have discussed several steps to prepare us to change, but none of them can substitute for hard work and dedicated effort. All the good attitudes in the world will not get the job done until we follow through with action. God does not promise change will be easy, but He promises it is possible if we work diligently according to His word.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 9: Substitute Good Habits for Bad Ones. Ephesians 4:22-32 - Do not just put off the old man. Put on the new man. Note the examples: Speak truth instead of falsehood (v25), work and give to others instead of stealing (v28), speak good instead of evil (v29), show kindness and forgiveness instead of anger and bitterness (v31,32). Matthew 12:43-45 - A demon left a man but later found the man's life still empty. He moved back in bringing seven other demons with him! Jesus applied this to Israel, but it is a general principle.

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How to Change Yourself: For every bad habit you "put off," find some useful activity to "put on" in its place

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How to Change Yourself: Step 10: Avoid Temptation. Matthew 6:13 - We should pray, "lead us not into temptation." If we pray this, surely we obligate ourselves to avoid people, places, and situations that tempt us (cf. Rom. 13:14). 1 Corinthians 15:33 - Evil company corrupts good habits. Note: "Do not be deceived." Many people think they can return to bad company without returning to bad habits. They are deceived!

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How to Change Yourself: You cannot change a bad habit while continuing to run with the "crowd" that caused the habit. Changing the habit will require changing your friends because the "friends" are part of the habit!

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How to Change Yourself: Step 11: Face One Day at a Time. Matthew 6:33,34 - Do not worry about tomorrow. Today's temptations will be enough to handle today. Handle tomorrow's temptations tomorrow - if tomorrow comes.

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How to Change Yourself: Often people quit trying to serve God because they are overwhelmed by the sacrifices required to live the rest of their lives for God. But ask yourself this: "Can I practice what is right today - just today?" Of course you can. So when you get up each morning, promise yourself and God, "I will live today for God." Don't worry about handling tomorrow. If it comes, you can handle it the same way you will handle today.

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How to Change Yourself: Two men were climbing a steep path up a tall mountain. One looked to the top and asked, "How will we ever make it?" The other replied, "One step at a time." And that is the only way for you to change yourself.

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How to Change Yourself: Step 12: Be Patient. Romans 2:7 - We receive eternal life if we continue patiently in well doing. We must be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord's work (1 Cor. 15:58).

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How to Change Yourself: Galatians 6:9 - Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Your habits did not develop overnight and will not likely disappear overnight. It will take time. If you fall, repent, and ask God's forgiveness. But get up and go on. Do not give up. (1 John 1:8-2:2)

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How to Change Yourself: 2 Peter 3:18 - Becoming a mature Christian is a process of growth. You are born again as a baby and gradually grow up in Christ. You may look at mature Christians and think, "Why can't I be like them?" But they probably took years to mature. Do not be impatient with yourself.

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How to Change Yourself: As a child grows, you may notice small changes from day to day. But look at pictures from years ago and you will see amazing differences. So you may not see much change in your service to God today compared to yesterday. But if you diligently apply the steps taught in God's word, after a period of 5, 10, or 20 years you will see significant changes compared to where you began.

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How to Change Yourself: Conclusion What choice will you make? By using the means God provides, you can change to be what He wants. He gives motivation, guidance, and encouragement. All that is left is for you to determine to follow His will and then diligently act on that decision. He provides the tools. You must use them. What choice will you make?