Daily Devotional – Thursday, February 5, 2026
…that you put off concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NKJV)
That Jesus wants to transform our character is in no doubt. Indeed, it is a fallacy to believe in Christ yet remain unchanged in attitude, character, and speech. Believing in Jesus is accepting a turn away from the past and embracing a new life. What we often forget, though, is how this transformation takes place.
Renewed in the Spirit of Your Mind
Scripture is emphatic that we cannot, by our effort, attain righteousness. Yet, we still try to earn salvation, sometimes unknowingly, by modelling upright character. In today’s guiding passage, Paul reminds us that we undergo transformation because of the indwelling power of God, but we have a role to play.
In verse 22, the apostle emphasises that we have to ‘put off’ our ‘former conduct’, which is intrinsically evil. In essence, we have to make a deliberate choice to accept Christ’s offer to make us new beings.
Understanding Character Transformation
Now comes what you cannot do by yourself. In verse 23, Paul says, “and be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” After deciding to follow Jesus, the Holy Spirit now takes over. He initiates the internal metamorphosis. You begin to change naturally—hating evil and loving righteousness. This is what verse 24 calls putting on the new man, who embraces “true righteousness and holiness.”
Now, instead of struggling to change from bad to good on your own, why don’t you submit to the Holy Spirit and allow God to do what only He can do? Moreover, as you appreciate that character transformation is a process, you will be less frustrated when you find yourself struggling with weaknesses. God is on your side.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, I submit myself to you. Change me into the person You intend me to be. Help me to be patient as You create a new righteous being in me.
