You are probably asking, "Now that I've become a Christian, what happens next?" An excellent question.
It's important to understand that, when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord, we became a new creature. We are not a better version of our old self - We are literally a brand new creature!
2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT
Our old nature of sin and self-gratification are still working inside of us, but at the moment of salvation, Jesus made our spirit come alive. When we accepted Christ, the Holy Spirit was deposited within our bodies as a seal showing that we belong to God.
Ephesians 4:30 NLT
The Holy Spirit, living in us, will transform our body, mind, and spirit to be holy. It is a constant, ongoing process that will take place throughout our entire lives. It's not something that we can do. Only God can make the transformation; however, by yielding to the will and power of God, our transformation can take place much faster and go much farther. If we try to do it ourselves, we will fail.
The idea of yielding to God's will and God's power is one of the essential concepts we need to develop as new Christians. Christians (and churches) are continually trying to serve God in their own capacity and strength. They try to serve God by following rules and behaviors that emulate holiness. This convention is a surefire recipe for failure.
The best way to serve God is by yielding to the Holy Spirit. Let the Holy Spirit speak through us, transform us, and empower us. Following certain practices will aid us in knowing God more intimately. Here they are:
You can assist this process by praying to God asking him for guidance on building your new lifestyle. Ask him to bring new friends and relationships into your life, and he will. Yield. Expect God to respond to this prayer. Allow him to make the changes, and don't fight to hold on to your old lifestyle.
You will have many failures and setbacks. Everyone does. It is part of the process. God's Grace more than cover those bumps in the road. The devil loves to remind you of your failures so that you will give up. Shake it off and keep moving forward.
Unfortunately, it is challenging to find a good, Bible-believing, Bible-following church today. The church has gotten involved in all sorts of factions and tangents that either distort or contradict the Bible. I will be writing a blog post or doing a video on finding a good church soon.
While you are visiting different churches trying to find the right one, I suggest that you follow one or more of these churches below, online:
- Dr. Charles Stanley - In Touch Ministries
- Dr. David Jeremiah – Turning Point
- Mark Driscoll - Real Faith
- Voddie Baucham - Voddie Baucham Ministries
- Chad Harvey – Cross Assembly
- Chip Ingram - Living on the Edge
- Alan Wright – Alan Wright Ministries
- Lon Solomon – Lon Solomon Ministries
- Mike Fabarez - Focal Point Ministries
- J. D. Greear - Summit Life
- Costi Hinn - Shepherd's House Bible Church
These online churches mentioned above are wonderful resources for instruction and learning about Christianity; however, they are not a subsitute for attending an actual church. You and all Christians need to have regular fellowship with other Believers.
SEE MY ARTICLE: How Do I Find a Church?
Avoid those marathon Bible readings where you try to read through the Bible or parts of it in a certain period. Simply read a chapter a day. Start with the Book of John in the New Testament. Then move to Romans, Psalms, and Genesis. Let the Lord guide you after that.
Most of the online ministries that I mentioned above also have a free daily devotional that they will send you to help with your journey through the Bible.
SEE MY ARTICLE: How To Study the Bible
Prayer is your connection to the source of all things in the universe. God loves you more than a parent loves you. You can go to God with tears, anger, joy, frustration, sorrow, despair, loneliness, or gratitude and know for certain that he hears you. Prayer is the greatest of all privileges. It should be used daily and often.
SEE MY ARTICLE: Prayer
See Also:
