Thursday, September 9, 2021

How to Develop a Personal Relationship with Jesus

 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).

After accepting Jesus as your Savior (Romans 10:9), making Him your Lord is a process, which can only come through developing a personal relationship with Him. Your relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship you will ever have because it dictates how you see yourself, how you see and relate to others, and how you see the world. Below is a list of steps to developing a personal relationship with Christ.

Step one: purchase a Bible. I suggest the International Children’s Bible and a King James Bible as you progress in your relationship with Jesus. You will also want to purchase a Biblical Concordance and a journal. Use a Biblical Concordance to look up definitions to words you don’t understand. I recommend Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Go to https://therain.org/studies/strongs.html to learn how to use a concordance. Do not use a Webster’s dictionary or otherworldly dictionary to look up Biblical words. They will not have the same meaning because they exist in two different kingdoms.

Step two: establish devotion time. Dedicate a set time and place to meet with Jesus daily. Look at your meeting as a date – the most important meeting on your schedule. I recommend starting with thirty minutes. Turn off all distractions. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you in what you should read and study, in addition to asking Him to give you an understanding heart so that you can perceive what you read and apply it.

Use 5-10 minutes to meditate on what you read by asking the Holy Spirit to reveal how to apply what you have learned to your day-to-day life. Quietly sit until you hear from Him. You will have to train your mind to do this. If your thoughts start to wander, bring them back to focus on the scripture reading. When the Holy Spirit responds, write down His feedback in your journal. Do not become discouraged if you do not hear from the Holy Spirit for a while. Some people may hear from Him instantly, while others do not. This does not mean that you’re less important than the next person. Jesus wants to talk to you. He has so much to say to you. So if you don’t hear from Him during your first few devotions, be persistent. Continue to meet with Him at your appointed time. He will talk to you.

Step three: what should I read or study? There are various ways to read and study the Bible. You can start from the book of Genesis to the book of Revelation, alternate between the Old Testament and the New Testament (e.g., Genesis, Matthew, Exodus, or Mark), or you can choose a topic or theme. Sites like Free-Online-Bible-Study.com and teachsundayschool.com have great resources on various subjects about the Bible.

Step four: pray and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to a fellowship group or church that teaches Biblical doctrine. Avoid churches that identify explicitly with a particular denomination, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Pentecostal, Baptist, Presbyterian, Apostolic, or Catholic. They have their own doctrine and do not precisely follow the doctrine of Jesus Christ, or they will add their theology to the gospel (Revelation 22:18-19). Jesus tells us in His Word that His followers are of one church – one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. (Ephesians 4:1-6 and Philippians 1:27). Avoid churches that ask you to take the right hand of fellowship to join their church or request that you sign some document. You became a member of the Church of God when you accepted Jesus as your Savior. You can fellowship and be taught the Word of God under a minister with other believers in a home, community center, or park. Fellowshipping with other believers in prayer, worshipping, reading, and studying the Bible is essential to your growth as a Christian (Hebrews 10:25).

Step five: pray and ask Jesus to send you an accountability partner, godly companions, and wise counselors that can support you in your new walk with Christ.

Continue to consult Jesus on other things that you can do to deepen your relationship with Him.

Last but not least, obeying God is the ultimate key to an intimate relationship with Jesus. Obey God no matter what. Your obedience to God will increase your faith in Jesus.

 

XOXO,

 

Jay

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