So you want to change.

“Yes, I’d like to, but I’m not sure that it’s possible. I keep trying, but then find myself going back to my old ways again and again.”

You are a Christian?

“Yes. I believe that Christ died for my sins and rose again from the dead.”

Well, then, there’s every reason for you to expect to be able to change. Jesus is deeply concerned about helping believers change. Listen to this:

. . . as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves must become holy in all of your behavior
1 Peter 1:15

He is holy—set apart from sin and to righteousness—and wants you to be like Himself. He asks a believer to do nothing that He doesn’t supply the wisdom and the ability to do. He will help you. Listen to Philippians 2:13

. . . Since it is God Who is producing in you both the willingness and the ability to do the things that please Him.

If you truly desire to change in order to please Him, He’s already beginning to fulfill the first promise in that verse.

“It would be great, but I don’t see how. I try not to sin, but fall into sin anyway.”

Let’s consider some things that may make a difference.

“OK. Go ahead. I can’t seem to break my old habits.”

You recognize that you have old habits? Good. We’ll get into what they are in time. For right now, let’s examine how you are trying to deal with them. Did I hear you say that you are trying to “break” them?

“Right.”

Well, change is a two-factored process. You can’t bring it about by merely breaking habits. In Ephesians and Colossians, Paul says that you must not only “put off” the old manner of life (“old man” or habits), but that you must at the same time “put on” a new set of godly patterns.

“Oh! I didn’t realize that.”

Well, we’ll begin there, then. You can’t break habits; you must replace them-with their biblical alternatives. If you truly, from the heart, desire to live in ways that honor Christ you can do it, because the Spirit will help you more and more to put off and put on those things that He tells you in His Word that you must change. Are you certain that you want to change in order to please Jesus?

“Yes.”

Good. Then, let’s begin . . .

Check out our online courses, including, Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling and  The Use of Scripture in Counseling, taught by Jay Adams!

1. Competent to Counsel by Jay Adams
2. The Christian Counselor’s Manual by Jay Adams
3. How to Help People Change by Jay Adams
4. The Use of Scripture in Counseling by Jay Adams
5. Sanctification and Counseling by Jay Adams
6. Critical Stages in Biblical Counseling by Jay Adams
7. Check out our Bookstore for all the best counseling books!

The Christian Counselor’s New Testament and Proverbs, translated by Jay Adams

Visit our online bookstore for all your biblical counseling resource needs.
For more biblical counseling training, check out our list of INS Online Courses.

Follow INS on Social Media:
– Facebook: noutheticstudies
– Twitter: @noutheticstud
– Instagram: @noutheticstudies