chevron-leftchevron-right-+crossclosefacebook-bwGroup 15instagram-bwmenuNew Tabtwitter-bwyoutube-bw
facebook-bw twitter-bw instagram-bw youtube-bw menu close - +

The Hope of Change

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 6:5

Watch Week One: Is Change Really Possible?

The gospel changes everything.

Whether you have followed Jesus for a few days or followed him for thirty years, you know that he is our hope and our salvation. But when you wake up and look in the mirror each day, how do you change into a person who lives and looks more like Jesus? How does your day-to-day spiritual growth happen?

This is where we’re headed with this six-week study. And let’s be clear. This isn’t a self-help study. There’s no checklist of things for you to strike off that will take you from point A to point B. The gospel is what changes you. The work of the Holy Spirt in your life changes you. So, what does it look like to let the gospel transform you every day? We’re going to discover that we don’t work for our salvation. We work out our salvation.

becoming like Jesus

There is a big word we use for working out our salvation called sanctification. It just means the process of becoming more like Jesus every single day. We love him. We have a relationship with him. Now how do we live like him?

We want to change, but we cannot do it our own. Does that make you feel free or like a failure? For those of us who like control and being able to do everything on our own, the need for help feels uncomfortable. But an artist does not stare at his paint brushes and expect them to create by themselves. He picks them up. He combines them with paint. He cleans them. He creates. In the same way, the Holy Spirit works in us and through us. Another one of our studies, Enjoying Jesus, states: “Jesus doesn’t call us to simply put his teaching into practice by our own willpower. If we try to do that, we will fail. We will be utterly unprepared to turn the other cheek or to love our enemy if we haven’t spent time with Christ in the unseen, everyday things.”

We were made to reflect our savior, but we don’t do that on our own. We become more like Jesus when we surrender and let him work in us. You are his creation, and he has a great plan in mind for you. When you get to know him more, it becomes so much easier to see that his way for you is better than your own way. Take a deep breath knowing that.

There is hope. You can change because Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit changes you. Praise be to God. Hope is alive.

Share

Leader Guide

Download

Learn More

About IF:Equip

Go Back

The Power to Change

Daily Question

What are your hopes for this study? What would you like be different by the end?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comments (10)

I am seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus and the holy spirit. I have known about God I have worked over the years to learn about God. It has just been in the last 12 years that I started my VERY SLOW PROCESS of learning about Christ. I wanted to just go straight to God and skip all the middle men.
Especially in the last year I have wanted to get to know Christ and learn about him at a deep deep level. I am slowly learning by reading the bible.

A sense of renewal and empowerment- the trials of life have been relentless over the past decade of my life and I am worn down. Needing to be reminded and emboldened that there is still hope in Christ.

To draw closer to God and shift out of the complacent relationship I have with him. Something I would like to be different in by the end of this study is my desire to talk to God, instead of spending hours of overthinking I would like to not overthink at all and trust and know that God is on my side, I also would like to have consistency with my relationship in God

To learn to live everyday with Jesua by my side. I want to walk in his ways. I want to be anointed for ministry. I want to minister to broken people. But I need to be prepared for the battle first. I’m armed but I’m not trained.

To help strengthen my relationship with God. For maturity in him and growth. My faith to be stronger and for me to be more bold and understand Jesus more.

Have questions?

We've got answers.

View Our FAQs

Thank you to our study partner