WE FOLLOW JESUS BY RECEIVING HIM BY FAITH
“Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
“For it is by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9
- When We Receive Christ, We Experience a New Birth (Read John 3:1-8)
- We Receive Christ by Personal Invitation – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him.” Revelation 3:20
- Receiving Christ involves turning to God from self (repentance) and trusting Christ to come into our lives to forgive our sins and to make us what He wants us to be. Just to agree intellectually that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died on the cross for your sins is not enough. Nor is it enough to have an emotional experience. You receive Jesus Christ by faith, as an act of the will.
YOU CAN RECEIVE CHRIST RIGHT NOW BY FAITH THROUGH PRAYER
Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested prayer:
Jesus, I believe in you. By faith, I give you my whole being, and invite you to come and live in me. I turn from everything in my life that self-focused, self seeking, and self medicating. I turn from pain I am holding, and any pain I am creating around me. I don’t want to hurt and I don’t want to hurt others anymore. I am tired of doing life on my own, and living my own way. Please forgive me.
I want a new start in You. I want a clean start in You. Everything associated with darkness, you are not welcome in my thoughts, my emotions or my actions anymore – go now, you no longer have a voice or authority over my inner-reality – Jesus is the only authority now, the only voice who will speak identity over me from this day forward. Spirit of God, though you are invisible, you are tangible, and I welcome your filling presence into my life right now. May your light flood to every corner of me being right now! I receive your forgiveness and your empowerment. I declare that I am reborn in you Jesus, made entirely new, and from now on, I am carrying your overflowing presence with me wherever I go. I receive you fully. I receive every gift you have for me right now. And, I receive my place as a son/daughter at your table, I receive my assignment to follow You with all of my life, and I receive your invitation to spend the rest of my life receiving, experiencing, and pressing deeper into your unconditional love for me.
Responses