Trust, Repent, Agree to Follow Jesus, and Abide in Prayer and His Word
Trust God. He is not worried. It is easy to humanize His character because we are accustomed to imperfection. We cannot perform perfectly at all times, and others let us down, too. Because we have limitations, we sometimes incorrectly believe that He has limitations, as well.
Do we truly understand, deep in our hearts, that God has no limitations in perfection, power, righteousness, or justice? Do we believe that He really loves us? If we accept His Word, which says there is no deceit in Him, and we know His Word says He loves us, then we can be sure that He loves us! God also demonstrated His love by what Jesus Christ did on the cross.
Yet He is also perfectly just. He made a way for sinners through Jesus Christ. If we do not trust Jesus Christ, we reject His payment for sins. The eternal consequences are Hell and the Lake of Fire. This does not mean that God hates all people who never come to Him; He is just. Justice is not hatred.
For instance, an earthly Judge should execute justice without hating the person being sentenced, otherwise the Judge is not just. God, being perfectly just, can do the same. We cannot slander God by assuming He hates any person. The Bible says that He loves us and desires that all would come to repentance.
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
He commands Christians to love their enemies. That means He Himself can love His enemies, for only His Spirit working in us makes it possible for us to obey this command.
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5:44-45)
Those who continue to reject placing their full trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior also reject His atonement for their sins. Jesus Christ’s atonement provides Grace and Mercy in exchange for the Justice we deserve.
Without the perfect sacrifice of Christ, there is no payment for their spiritual crimes. Instead, they remain under judgment—on spiritual death row. This is where every person is heading without Jesus Christ. God cannot change His holy character; justice must be carried out. That is precisely why Jesus came in the flesh—to save those who trust Him and His payment for sins. Completely trusting in Jesus satisfies God’s righteous justice against a person!
For those of us who trust Him, He reconciles us to the Father and gives us the Holy Spirit. Our reconciled relationship brings many blessings, one of which is fellowship with Him. And who better to fellowship with than God Himself? No one!
He also delivers us from the slavery of sin, ongoing sin, and new strongholds that may develop. He delivers us when we confess, repent, and apply truth.
We must remind ourselves daily that He is more than capable of handling anything that comes His way, our way, or the world’s way. We worry about so many things, but He is never anxious, never thinking: “Oh my goodness, what is she going to do next that will ruin my entire plan for her life? How will I ever fix this?”
He is not worried. And He doesn’t want His children to worry either. He wants us to trust Him. He is the creative master planner, all-powerful and secure. We know this. God demonstrates His power in creation, through His interactions with humans, in His Word, in the preservation of His Word, and in transforming the lives of born-again Christians (Jesus Christ is the common denominator).
Miracles happen when people follow Christ. First, they are saved from His wrath and become His sons and daughters. They enter fellowship with the most important Person in existence. The spiritually blind see, people with addictions can be set free, the physically ill have been healed, and the mentally tormented have been given sound minds!
Does this mean followers never get sick? No. Those topics deserve their own discussion, which I will share in another post.
There are numerous testimonies—many of which are also available online—that demonstrate Christ’s power. And we must not equate Him with our limited human experience or with people who doubt, worry, or restrict our vision. We must believe what God says about Himself and what He reveals in Scripture.
We must also remember what we have personally witnessed in our lives and in the lives of others, especially when some try to mock or downplay it. In your heart, do not allow anyone to convince you to slander God, downplay His work in you, ridicule your relationship with Him, or discount your testimony. Stay in the Word and write down the truth about what He has done in you. It will remind and encourage you throughout each day!
Who is the Word? What does the Bible say about the Word?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1-2
“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. John 1:14
“That which was from the beginning, that which we have heard, that which we have seen with our eyes, that which we beheld, and our hands handled, concerning the Word of life (and the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare unto you the life, the eternal life, which was with theFather, and was manifested unto us); that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ:and these things we write, that our joy may be made full.” 1 John 1:1-4
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
“Establish my footsteps in thy word; And let not any iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133
“Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:17
“God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:1-3
Jesus Christ is the Word. When He speaks, it happens. He upholds “all things by the word of his power.” His words are life. The Word of God is truth. It is our spiritual food, our instruction, and our peace. His Word and the Holy Spirit resolve mental disputes between truth and lies while chiseling away and delivering us from sinful thoughts and desires. Sometimes this happens instantly; sometimes it is a process.
We not only have the testimony of Jesus Christ, but also the testimony of His first disciples and countless others throughout history, from biblical times to the present day. Also, the New Testament threads hundreds of Old Testament prophecies, as well as Old Testament feasts, which were fulfilled by Jesus Christ, as demonstrated in the New Testament. No one could have ever made up the Bible!
If we struggle with unbelief, we can confess it to Him and ask for deliverance from disbelief and any sin that hinders our relationship with Him. We can also ask Him for help in making time to read and study His Word, as well as the ability to absorb its truth. With the Holy Spirit’s help, reading His Word replants truth where lies have crept in.
Jesus Christ
“Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
God is in control, regardless of circumstances. We cannot rely on our circumstances to reassure us or to give us a sense of control. We humans sin, and circumstances constantly change, so we must keep our eyes on Jesus Christ to stay steady. The simple fact is this: we are not in full control of everything. Also, we are warned not to lean on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Instead, we must look to Him, spend time alone with Him, read His Word, listen for His guidance, and obey Him.
Because He is the Truth, He is entirely trustworthy. Christians know this because the Holy Spirit convicts us when we sin. When we lie to Him, ourselves, or others, He convicts us and calls us to confess and repent. He does not sugarcoat reality, and He disciplines those He loves. Often, discipline involves the consequences of our own sins in both the physical and spiritual realms, as we are not bearing good fruit when we remain in unrepentant sin. God’s discipline not only helps us recognize when something is wrong, but it also guides us back to the right path, helping us grow and be refined through the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?” (Hebrews 12:6-7)
“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.” (Hebrews 12:11)
“Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.” (Jeremiah 2:19)
We know that God is all-powerful and the Creator of all things. We know that He is holy. We know He is righteous. That is how we know that every so-called “god” is not the true God. We Christians pray in Jesus Christ’s Name, and this distinguishes us from others who call entities or things they worship “god.” Most of their so-called “gods” have no issue with any sin or lying, but all of them reject following Jesus Christ, which proves we do not all worship the same God.
No one else came in the flesh to pay the penalty for our sins so we could be reconciled to our Creator, and no one else could have – it had to be God in the flesh because He is sinless. Also, no other “god” can perform miracles like our God.
Honestly, even some who do not follow Jesus Christ use His name when upset. Do not let it surprise you that they only use Jesus’s name, not Mary’s, not Buddha’s, and not the devil’s. They point to Jesus Christ as Lord themselves when they do this, and are unjustly blaming Him for their sins, the sins of others, or circumstances. Also, most satanic bands are anti-Christ, not anti-Mary, anti-Buddha, etc.
To know Jesus, we are to place a saving faith (trust) in Him. That faith will lead us to repent and submit to Him as Lord of our lives. We cannot reach His purposes on our own, but when we are willing to follow Him, He gets us there!
Repent from Self-Lordship
Repentance means turning away – in heart – from self-lordship (living as if we are our own god) —which encompasses all sin. It also includes being willing to follow Jesus Christ. We are turning away from sin towards Jesus Christ, in our hearts. We agree with Him about our sinful condition.
It is essential to know what to turn away from, who to turn to, and who to trust in! Otherwise, our faith is misplaced. We do not turn to church rules, priests, or pastors who teach contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ, or others, as found in the New Testament.
Always begin in one of the first four books of the New Testament as a new Christian. They are Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John.
Our faith must be in Jesus Christ, not in humans or physically passed-on saints; otherwise, our faith is not in Christ. If our faith is not in Jesus Christ, then we are not faithful followers of Christ. Instead, we may be believers in Christ, and that is a good start, but even the demons believe in His existence, and they shudder. They do not follow Christ. We must repent in heart, trust, be willing, and keep moving in to follow Jesus. James 2:19
When salvation is genuine, it will begin to show in both attitude and lifestyle.
“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Luke 24:47
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentence.” Luke 15:7
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Matthew 3:11
When we trust Jesus Christ, which comes by hearing or reading the Bible, and repent, we receive the Holy Ghost, who is a Person. He is God and helps us not want to sin. He sanctifies and works through us when we submit to His leading.
Receive the Holy Spirit
This is what God’s Word says about receiving the Holy Spirit:
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” Acts 10:44
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:38
“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” Acts 10:47
“In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that [H]oly Spirit of promise.” Ephesians 1:13
Follow Him
“Then Jesus said unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 16:24-25
Walking outside God’s will is sin, but the Lord can clean up any mess, use it for good, and bring us back on track with Him! Sometimes He calls us to do difficult things, but obedience is key. That is how we show Him love and trust. That is how we remain fruitful. We must keep our focus on Him, His will, and follow Him in obedience.
Are we entirely surrendered to Him? Personally, I often pray for help to abide in Him and remain obedient. I still sin at times (do not live a lifestyle of sin), but I persist in prayer for deliverance and forgiveness. He always answers—sometimes instantly, sometimes through a long process of putting off sin daily, especially ones that are difficult to discern.
We must continually seek His will, confess sin quickly, repent, and forgive ourselves for not being perfect. To the world, this may seem backwards, but the more we die to our self-will, the more blessed we become within. Sin makes us spiritually sick and hinders fellowship with the Lord.
But when we confess and walk in godly repentance, He delivers us. Deliverance may take time, but once it comes, we walk in closeness with Christ and bear more fruit. Being close to Christ makes it easier to be obedient to Him! We can only keep with repentance and obey because He changes and sanctifies us!
What is the Fruit of the Spirit?
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22
“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11
“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:17-18
How Are Christians Recognized?
“By their fruits ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but the corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” Matthew 7:16-17
“Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 7:22
Christians are recognized by their fruit. But we are also a work in progress. We fail at times, but His love remains constant. He calls us to stay near Him, remain in His Word, confess and repent, and keep obeying. That obedience is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.
If you do not know if you have the Holy Spirit inside of you or possess a relationship with Jesus Christ, and you want to follow Jesus, you must repent by turning away from sin and self-lordship, basically being your own little god, which means denying yourself (turn from – repent), taking up your cross (being willing to follow), and following Him (moving in faith). I would recommend praying the following prayer when you are ready:
Dear Heavenly Father, I have lived my life for me and know that I am not God. I am praying for deliverance from all evil, for my salvation, and to have a close fellowship with You, Your Son, andYour Spirit. Please help me to repent and fill me with Your Holy Spirit to dwell inside of me so that I can stop being a slave to sin, and follow your Son in obedience and be transformed through sanctification and Your Word.
I cannot follow Jesus Christ if I do not know Him. I cannot know Him if I do not read the Word of God. Therefore, I ask for help in reading and understanding the Bible so that I will know and understand what You desire. Please open my eyes to see and my ears to hear, spiritually. Please give me knowledge, wisdom, and understanding of Your will for my life. Please help me read the Bible.
Your Son is Lord, and I acknowledge that. I pray for Him to also be my Savior. Thank you for giving your Son to pay the penalty for my sins so that I could be reconciled to you, Him, and the Holy Spirit. Thank you for hearing my prayer, Father. I ask and pray this prayer, in JesusChrist’s Name. Amen.
If you said that prayer, keep moving in faith by reading the New Testament and find a biblically based church.
Transformation may occur quickly in some areas, while others may experience it more slowly. You will still sin at times, but you will no longer desire a lifestyle of sin. You will desire repentance because you love the Lord and want to obey Him.
“In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,–in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is an earnest of our inheritance, unto the redemption of God’s own possession, unto the praise of his glory.”Ephesians 1:13-14
Time with God
We do not need to worry about how He will answer specific prayers. Instead, we must spend quality time with Him—praying, confessing, repenting, and reading His Word. Just as food nourishes the body, time with God nourishes the soul.
Abiding in Him requires daily focus on His Word and sensitivity to the Spirit’s promptings. If we neglect this, lies creep in, and we drift from Him. But when we abide in Him, His words abide in us, shaping our thoughts, desires, and prayers.
“I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” John 12:46
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever” John 14:16
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” John 15:4
“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:6 -7
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” John 15:10
We should immediately confess our sins to God as soon as we realize them. We maintain repentance by denying ourselves, taking up our crosses, and following Him daily.
As we do this, the Lord blesses us with love, peace, joy, and other supernatural fruit. We must continually seek Him in prayer, through His Word, and trust and obey Him.
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abide for ever.”1 John 2:17
