Change Begins with Truth

“Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth.” John 17:17 (GW)

If I want to change any area of my life, I need to know and apply what God says is the truth about that specific area.

For instance, If I want to change my finances, I've got to know what God has said about finances and apply that truth to my life. If I want to change my marriage, I've got to know what God has said about marriage and apply that truth to my life.

How do you know the truth? Jesus prayed in John 17:17, “Use the truth to make them holy. Your words are truth” (GW).

The theological term for being made holy is “sanctification.” Sanctification means to grow up, to be transformed, to become the way God wants me to be. I am sanctified—or grow up—by knowing and obeying God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:15 says in the Living Bible paraphrase, “We will lovingly follow the truth at all times—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly—and so become more and more in every way like Christ.”

I've got to know the truth if my life is going to be transformed. Why? Because every self-defeating behavior is based on a lie I'm believing. If I want to change my life, I've got to identify the lie and say, “That’s just not true.” Then change the way I think.

Maybe I believe a lie about my past or even my future, and it’s shaping the way I look at life. It’s so much harder to grow spiritually when I don’t know and believe what God says is true about my past, present, and future.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT).

The Bible shows me the path to walk on. It shows me when we get off the path. It shows me how to get back on the path. And it shows me how to stay on the path. I cannot know which way to go without the truth of God’s Word. It’s the only way to know what is right and true.

Transformation comes through truth. The more I get into God’s Word, the more it’s going to change the way I think. Once it changes the way I think, then it can change my life.

In summary:

To experience real transformation in any area of life—finances, relationships, or personal growth—I must know and apply God’s truth as revealed in His Word. Sanctification, or becoming more like Christ, happens when I align my thoughts and actions with Scripture. Every self-defeating behavior stems from a lie I believe, so identifying those lies and replacing them with God’s truth is essential for change. Jesus said, “Your words are truth” (John 17:17), emphasizing that God’s Word is the foundation for spiritual growth. The Bible not only teaches what is true but corrects, guides, and equips me to live rightly. The more I absorb and obey God’s truth, the more my thinking—and ultimately my life—will be transformed.