NOW THAT YOU'VE REPENTED AND have become a Christian,
what do you do now?
Here are seven helps to growing your faith.
1. Read the Bible - Gaining Knowledge of God
Reading the Bible gives to you knowledge and understanding of God. The more you
read, study, and memorize God’s word, the more you come to understand what who
God is, what He expects and what glorious promises He has given to you and me.
1 Peter 2:2 encourages you to read the Bible in the same way that a newborn baby
desires milk—everyday and several times in a day. Your priority should be to
read the Bible daily, considering it as more necessary than the food you eat.
The more you read the Bible and apply it, the quicker you will grow in your
Christian life (Psalm 1). The more you memorize the Bible, the easier it will be
to keep sin out of your life (Psalm 119:11).
It is important to remember not to concern yourself with what you don’t
understand about the Bible. Concern yourself with what you do understand. You
will find that through daily study your understanding will increase.
2. Pray - Talking With God
You communicate with God through prayer. Without communication, a relationship
will not develop and will eventually bring separation. If you don't develop a
habitual prayer life, your relationship with God will not develop and you may
eventually separate from Him.
It is important to remember to pray without doubting (James 1:6-7). Understand
that God is real and therefore He does hear and will answer you. When you pray
you should:
Pray with faith (Hebrews 11:6)
Pray without sin (Psalm 24:3-4)
Pray from the heart, not repetitious prayers (Matthew 6:7)
Pray to the God who created you (Exodus 20:3-6)
Make prayer a daily routine, getting up each morning before you begin your
day, but don't let it stop there. The Apostle Paul encourages you to pray
without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This means to develop your subconscious
in such a way that you are aware of God's presence with you all the time.
As you pray regularly and habitually, you may be surprised at how you will grow.
3. Do Good Works - Doing Things With God
As a Christian, you are expected to do good to others. The Bible tells us: "As
you have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto
them who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:10).
It also informs us that the reason God created Christians is to do good works
(Ephesians 2:10).
In a growing relationship, it is important that you do things with the person
with whom you are in relationship. Good works is how you do things with God and
share in those things that please Him. You demonstrate Christ's love to an
unbelieving world and encourage others to glorify God through your good works.
It is important to remember that good works do not just "happen." You cannot
just wait around for them to take place. You must choose and plan to do
them whenever you see that you can.
The more you imitate God's actions of goodness toward others, the more quickly
your behavior will grow to be like God.
4. Evangelize - Sharing God With Others
Jesus gave His disciples (which include you and I) one final command before
ascending into heaven: "Go, and make disciples.... " (Matthew 28:19). he
commands you and I to share with others what He has shared with us and to
strongly encourage them to have faith in God through Jesus.
Think about it! Jesus has given to you your life and the promise of eternal
life. He has saved you from God's wrath and the hell to come. God has done great
and marvelous things for you through Jesus. This is such great news that you
want your friends, co-workers, acquaintances, and anyone else that crosses your
path to share in these also.
Think about it! Every person that you meet is enveloped with the flames of
eternal hell, unless they escape God's wrath through repentance and trust in
Him...but who is going to tell them? That is where you come in. God has given to
every Christian the responsibility to share the wonderful provision of salvation
with others.
Think about it! A house is on fire. Inside are people talking on the phone,
eating dinner, and watching television, totally oblivious to the flames that in
a few minutes will consume them. What would be your response? Of course you
would do everything you could to save those inside. There is a fire consuming
men, women, and children that is greater and more deadly than any house
fire...that is the fire of hell. Most people are oblivious to the flames
surrounding them. It is your responsibility to do something, anything, to help
save them from the fire.
This is all that evangelism is: seeing the enveloping fire of hell and doing
something to extinguish the flames.
Determine to tell others about Jesus. Start with those close to you (family,
friends, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, etc.) and then move out to those
not normally in your circle of influence. Determine to share with them the
salvation they can have through Jesus.
5. Fellowship With Believers - Hanging Out With Christians
Hanging out with other Christians is something God wants you to do. In Hebrews
10:25 you are encouraged to "Not forsake the assembling of ourselves together."
In 1 John 1:3, new believers are encouraged to join with other Christians: "that
you also may have fellowship with us." In 1 John 3:14, John writes, "You know
that you have passed from death to life, because you love the brethren. He who
does not love his brother abides in death." As a Christian, you will have a love
for other Christians and will want to be with them. The old saying that ‘birds
of a feather flock together’ is true of Christians.
As you fellowship with other Christians, you receive instruction from God’s word
and encouragement. In turn, you are able to encourage and build up those around
you.
6. Be Obedient – Letting God Know You Love Him
Imagine that you asked your son or daughter to do something for you and they
consistently refused or neglected to do it. Would you feel like they loved you?
Of course not: love is expressed through action.
Obedience is the proof of your love for God. The Bible tells us: "For this is
the love of God, that you keep his commandments: and his commandments are not
grievous" (1 John 5:3). Obedience is also the evidence that God lives in you and
you live in God (1 John 3:24). Obedience is the most important ingredient to
growing as a Christian. Everything written in this pamphlet has to do with
obeying God.
Obedience is nothing more than reading the Bible and putting what you read into
action. As you read the Bible, don’t just read the words, ask yourself how you
can put the words into action. Everything you need for dealing with this life
and preparing for the life to come is found in the Bible. Read the Bible and do
the Bible.
7. Fulfill Your Ministry - Using Your Spiritual Gifts
The Bible gives us these words in Luke 19:13: "And he called his ten servants,
and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come." As we
read further in this passage, the servants then went and used what their master
had given them (Luke 19:15-27).
While we continue to live in this present age, we are to take the measure of the
Holy Spirit that God has given to each of His children and allow Him to work the
work of God through us. We will be held accountable for how we have allowed the
Holy Spirit to work in us.
Now that you are a Christian, find out what gifts God has given to you and use
them. As Paul told Archippus:
"Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou
fulfill it." (Colossians 4:17)
There you have seven helps to growing your faith. Now go and live in
the adventure of a Christian.