“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” – Ephesians 4: 22-24 NIV
Our lives, is to a large extent, the sum of all our habits – good or bad. Because about 40% of our actions are not conscious decisions but habits, we can therefore take control of our lives by changing our habits.
According to our anchor scripture, before we received salvation, our old man had habits we used to conform to but as new creation, through the help of the Holy Spirit, we ought to intentionally put off those habits and cultivate new and godly habits.
According to scientists, for one habit to stop, it must be overpowered by a new and stronger one. Therefore, below are some godly and holy habits we should cultivate:
One of the most important new habits believers must cultivate is prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is how we communicate with God. As believers, we must pray regularly and consistently. Prayer is vital to our Christian walk because it preserves us in the faith, weakens our flesh, strengthens our spirit man, and keeps us from temptation (Luke 22: 42-46). To make a habit of praying, take practical steps like setting prayer alarms and surrounding yourself with praying friends who spur you to pray.
Another important habit to cultivate is bible study. Our entire faith is built on the word of God and without proper studying and understanding of the word, our faith walk will be faulty. Understanding that mind renewal is an effective way of overcoming sinful or bad habits, proper bible study will renew your mind and shape all aspects of your new life (Romans 12: 2).
Witnessing the Gospel of Christ to others is another important habit to adopt. This can be done through daily conversations, evangelism outreaches and social media. Preaching the Gospel to others strengthens our faith, reinforces the truth in our minds and shows that we are truly consecrated to Christ and His purpose. Winning souls is one of the most important things to God as He wants everybody saved (2 Peter 3:9).
By cultivating new habits by the Spirit, we soon realise that we no longer walk in our old nature. Like Apostle Paul charges us in Galatians 5:16 – “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
Forming new habits takes effort and consistency. It requires small, intentional steps that gradually become larger strides. That’s why accountability is invaluable in this process. Find someone you can trust and be honest with about your journey.
Remember, we are not alone in this journey. We have the Holy Spirit as our helper, ready to assist us every step of the way. Our good works alone are not enough to save us; we are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2: 8-9). With the help of the Holy Spirit, nothing is impossible!
So, start today, step out in faith and cultivate habits that honour God and transform your life.
Bible Reading Plan: John 7: 32 – 53