Session 7 is about obedience and change—how God helps you turn from old patterns and grow in a new way of life, not by willpower alone, but by His grace and Spirit.
Putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man”
When you trusted Christ, you were given a new identity, but you still have old habits and ways of thinking that need to be laid aside. Scripture describes this as putting off the “old man” and putting on the “new man.”
Look up this passage:
- Ephesians 4:22–24
This passage says you should put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new man which was created according to God in true righteousness and holiness.
Notice three movements:
- Put off: say “no” to former patterns and sins.
- Be renewed: let God change your thinking.
- Put on: actively choose new, Christlike behaviors.
This is a daily, intentional process, not a one‑time event.
Grace trains you to say “no” and “yes”
Obedience is not about trying to earn God’s love. The same grace that saved you also trains you to live differently.
Look up this passage:
- Titus 2:11–12
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men,
teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age.”
Grace “teaches” or trains you—like a good teacher or coach—to turn away from ungodliness and worldly desires and to live a self‑controlled, upright, and God‑centered life. God does not forgive you and then leave you stuck; His grace actively works in you to reshape what you want and how you live.
Walking in the light, not hiding in the dark
Growing in holiness means learning to walk honestly with God and others, not pretending or hiding.
Look up this verse:
- 1 John 1:7
“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (NKJV)
To “walk in the light” is to live openly before God—confessing sin instead of covering it, bringing your struggles into the light with trusted believers, and aligning your life with what you know of God’s truth. The promise is that as you do, you enjoy real fellowship and experience ongoing cleansing through Jesus’ blood.
One simple rhythm to start this week
Here is a practical way to cooperate with God’s work of change over the next seven days.
- Ask God to highlight one specific area to “put off.”
Read Ephesians 4:22–24. Then pray, “Lord, show me one specific habit, attitude, or pattern from my ‘old life’ that You want to address first.” It might be something like harsh words, lust, bitterness, or a dishonest habit. Write it down. - Pair it with one “put on.”
God calls you not only to stop something but to replace it with something better (for example, Ephesians 4 goes on to contrast lying with speaking truth, stealing with working and sharing). Ask, “What new action or attitude can I ‘put on’ in place of this?” Write that down too. - Walk in the light with someone.
Read 1 John 1:7–9 . Share your “put off/put on” area with a trusted believer and ask them to pray for you and check in with you once this week. That simple act of honesty is a powerful way of walking in the light.
Change will not be instant, but as you keep bringing your life into the light and cooperating with God’s grace, you will see real growth. In the next session, you will look more closely at serving with your gifts—how God uses you, even in your weakness, to bless others.
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