HOW TO #CHANGE ___ Part 6: Substitute Good Habits for Bad Ones.

HOW TO #CHANGE ________________________________________ Part 6: Substitute Good Habits for Bad Ones. ________________________________________ Ephesians 4:22-32 - Do not just put off the old man. Put on the new man. Note the examples: Speak truth instead of falsehood (v25), work and give to others instead of stealing (v28), speak good instead of evil (v29), show kindness and forgiveness instead of anger and bitterness (v31,32). Matthew 12:43-45 - A demon left a man but later found the man's life still empty. He moved back in bringing seven other demons with him! Jesus applied this to Israel, but it is a general principle. "Nature hates a vacuum." Remove the air from a bottle, and it will try to get back in. Fill the bottle with something substantial, and the air stays out. So your life cannot stay a spiritual void. It will fill with good or evil. Replace bad habits with good and the bad is less likely to return. For example, suppose you determine to watch less TV, so you turn it off, but sit in front of it with nothing else to do. Soon you will turn it on again. But if you become actively involved in family activities, Bible study, etc., soon you will replace it with other habits. For every bad habit you "put off," find some useful activity to "put on" in its place. ________________________________________