“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you– unless indeed you fail the test?” II Corinthians 13:5
Is Jesus Lord of your life? Many people think they’re saved when they’re not. That’s why we’re supposed to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12-13) even though our salvation is secure (Romans 8:30). Knowing that Jesus died on the cross for your sin doesn’t mean you’re saved. Satan knows that Jesus died on the cross for sinners. He knows it for a fact. “The demons believe and shudder.” (James 2:19) So if you don’t care about sinning, if you sin on purpose and have no remorse, then Jesus is not Lord of your life.
Just in case you’ve been reading my articles and don’t understand the spiritual things that I’m saying, or if you’ve never truly given your life to Christ, I plead with you to open your heart to what I’m about to say, because it will radically change your life. When God lives inside of you, you have peace with God, and the Holy Spirit will begin to transform you. People who are truly close to God, you can see it in their faces. It’s almost like their faces are glowing. When Christ rules your life, you can be set free from the power of sin because He paid the price for it.
The first step in salvation is to understand your own depravity, the fact that you sin and are unable to stop sinning. You must recognize your own selfishness, because all sin really boils down to selfishness. You like to think of yourself as good, but you’re really not.
Then you must realize that God is holy. He has no sin. He radiates love, joy, and peace in all directions, and He is so spectacular that even the angels block their eyes in His presence. Ezekiel and John both describe rainbows coming out of Him. And anyone who stands in the presence of God gets struck dead, because God can’t endure sin.
Jesus Christ has an enormous love for you that is so huge, it can cover all the pain you’ve ever had. To know the love of Christ is so incredible, because you must realize that He died on the cross to pay the penalty for every sin you’ve ever committed. He died, was buried, and rose on the third day. This is the good news. God is coming to judge the earth, and if Jesus is Lord of your life, this will be a time of joy. If not, it will be a time of terror.
If you would like to make Jesus Lord of your life, just start talking to God, even if it sounds weird. Blurt out whatever prayer comes out. Be honest with God, and He will meet you where you are. You don’t need a formula prayer.
“If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9
Then grab your Bible and start reading. It will come alive to you and be so exciting. I think I like “Luke” the best if you’ve never read your Bible, because “John” is too surreal for a beginner. You also need to ask God to help you find a church, or you will never grow. If you’ve been a believer for years and you’ve stopped going to church, I’m slapping you upside the head (verbally) and telling you that God requires you to go to church or you will stagnate like a cesspool. (Hebrews 10:25)
