I once asked my grandfather what was it about my grandmother that he loved so much…was it her beautiful soft brown eyes, her long black hair, or perhaps it was her great (and I mean great) cooking. They had after all, been married for over 35 years. His answer, to my surprise was this, “she introduced me to Jesus.” I never really understood what he meant or how he could even say that until I ran into Jesus myself. Having an encounter with The Lifter of Your Head and the Lover of Your Soul is somehow unexplainable with words. It’s what can take a drug addict and turn them into a sober, law abiding citizen for the rest of their life. It’s what can take an abusive alcoholic and turn them into a compassionate minister of the gospel, laying down their own life for others. It’s what can turn a rebellious, angry child into a gentle, loving, dedicated, hard-working missionary. You get the idea…it’s the ultimate transformation. A process called sanctification- a daily commitment to change and growth. Not just any growth, but growth and alignment to the character of Christ. If you truly desire to see positive changes in your life, begin with the following:
1. Acknowledge--For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23- for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You must acknowledge you are a sinner in need of a Savior. God be merciful unto me a sinner. Luke 18:13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
2. Repent--Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 13:3- I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. Repent, a turning away from sin, and a turning to Christ. Repent ye therefore and be converted, that your sins be blotted out. Acts 3:19- Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. Sins forgiven, washed away by the blood of the Lamb of God.
3. Confess--If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Romans 10:9- If you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
4. Forsake—letting go. We must let go of our old ways our old thoughts and anything that does not align with the Word of God. Isaiah 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord.. for he will abundantly pardon.
5. Believe—Even though God seems surreal sometimes, too good to be true, we have to retrain our thoughts to believe in something higher than ourselves. We must have faith. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Mark 16:16 He that believes and is baptized shall be saved, but he that believes not shall be damned.
6. Receive—We must receive the message of salvation. Christ loves us so much that He sends messengers, His spokesman and women to tell us the good news….salvation. But it is up to us to receive it. For some it is a life changing experience. For those who do not, it is rejection. Not only rejection of the message but rejection of Christ himself. John 1:11-12 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
I’ll be quite honest with you, anyone who tells you this road is easy would be lying. But it is worth it. To see all the desires of your heart come to pass and to be able to experience true love without limits is something only the truly free man (or woman) could understand. Once you have taken to heart all the steps above, you can make your commitment known to your Abba Father by saying this simple prayer, or one similar:
Sinner’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and I ask for your forgiveness. I repent of all my wrongs. Wash me Lord and create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me. I receive You now as my personal Saviour and invite You to manage my life from this day forward. I know it is not going to be easy and it will take time, but with you all things are possible. I trust you and I believe in you. Amen.