spiritual struggles

A New Relationship With Jesus

from Focus On the Family

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20).

I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except though me" (John 14:6).

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

You can become a Christian right now — you can come home — by opening the door to Christ and trusting Him as Lord and Savior. It is so easy a child can do it, yet, at the same time, it is hard because we first have to realize that we cannot do it on our own. Jesus said that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, a person must be willing to humble himself as a child, and only then will God receive him.

How about you? Are you ready to make this commitment? All it takes are three simple steps. But first, you should stop and think about the cost of serving Christ and consider these steps very carefully.

  1. Acknowledge that you are a helpless sinner separated from God. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). All of us were created to have fellowship with God, but, because of humankind's stubborn self-will, we have chosen to go our own independent way. No amount of good deeds on our part can win God's favor. Agree with God that you are a lost sinner unable to save yourself. You need a Savior to bring yourself back to God. Understand that God is holy. No sin will ever enter His presence, for "righteousness and judgment are the habitation of His throne" (Psalm 97:2).
  2. Agree that Jesus Christ is the only provision for your salvation. Through the Lord, you can know and experience God's love and plan for your life. You must believe that Jesus Christ died for your sins, and know that He wants to be your Lord as well as your Savior. He wants to take possession of your heart and rule in it so that from now on, His Word is law to you. "As many as received Him, to them He gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." (John 1: 12).
  3. Truly desire to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and ask Him to come into your heart. You should understand that when you receive Christ, you experience a new birth. You do this by turning from self to God (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into your life to forgive your sins and to make you the kind of person He wants you to be. You receive the Lord by faith through prayer, as an act of the will. You must also confess the Lord Jesus Christ before men. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).

God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. If you clearly understand what Christ accomplished on the cross and have considered carefully the demands He makes, there is nothing to stop you from becoming a Christian. Now you should go where you can be alone or in the presence of another Christian, get on your knees before God and pray a simple prayer such as this:

Lord Jesus Christ, I need You. I agree that I am a sinner and have sinned in my thinking and speaking and acting. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I have counted the cost of following You. I repent and turn away from my past sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be. Amen.

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If it does, pray it right now, and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.

Copyright © 1992 Focus on the Family. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Adapted from an article that first appeared on the Focus on the Family Web site.

Background Information

If I had Faked the Resurrection
Only a Master-Planner would have arranged such a perfect series of events.

Jesus: Liar, Lunatic or Lord?
How could one man turn the world upside down?

Questions and Answers

If God is a powerful and loving Father, why doesn't He do something about the mess on earth?
Answer

How can anyone watch the evening news and seriously say that the universe is run by a loving Father?
Answer

How could Jesus Christ die for everyone's sins? Isn't every person responsible for his own sins?
Answer

Just what is sin? Who decides what is or isn't sin?
Answer

Review Frequently Asked Questions

Stories

Salvation in Times of Crisis
Losing her father at a young age was the beginning of this woman questioning God's plan.

If you've been through a experience related to this topic, we invite you to share your story with others.
Share Your Story

Other Things to Consider

A Relentless Pursuit
At the time I became Christ's, my life was consumed by feminist politics and the gay and lesbian community.

Spend It Any Way You Like
Sometimes, the meaning of life is found in the most surprising places.

The Cross: What It Isn't, What It Is
Does Christ's cross have any power to help you?

The Perfect Family
In a world where even the best of families have problems, can there really be a "perfect family"?

Related Topics

Transitions: Changing Jobs, Moving

Relationships: Communication Gaps

Parenting Teens: Communication Problems