How would you describe your current experience as a Christian? Growing? Frustrated? Disappointing? Fulfilled? Freeing? Stuck? Struggling? Joyful? Defeated? Exciting? Up and down?
A LIFE NOT CENTERED ON CHRIST: Serving Jesus is not their top priority. They grow very little in faith and often live in frustration because they do not listen to the Spirit or trust Him to empower them to obey. They may go to church, but Jesus is not leading their life. They have invited Jesus into their life, but possessions, desires, and interests are not Christ-centered.
They might say: “I’m doing OK.” || “No one’s perfect.” || “I’ll get serious about Jesus one day.” || “I feel stuck doing the same sins over and over.” || “The Holy Spirit doesn’t feel real to me.” || “I don’t have much joy in my Christian life.”
A LIFE CENTERED ON CHRIST: These Christians have placed Jesus at the center of their life — their time, decisions, work, relationships, and everything else, are being directed by Him. It all belongs to Jesus. They are growing spiritually and experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit by faith. Possessions, desires, and interests are Christ-centered. They still make mistakes, but they’re quick to re-center their life on Christ through confession, trusting in God’s forgiveness and inviting the Spirit to guide them and empower them to obey.
They would say: “What I want most is to follow Jesus.” || “I can’t do this on my own, so I run to the Holy Spirit again and again.” || “When I get side-tracked, I’m quick to make God the center again.” || “Following Jesus is bringing me more and more joy.”
When you center your life on Jesus, you begin to experience amazing joy. Life becomes full of meaning and purpose. God begins to change you from the inside out. The best is yet to come. God desires to make your life more and more abundant each day, but to experience that you need to rely on the Holy Spirit by faith. Here are three faith steps, with suggested prayers, that will enable you to experience the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the day.
1. Express your commitment to Jesus each morning:
“Dear Jesus, I want You in the center of my life and commit to serve and obey You through Your power. Anytime. Anywhere. At any cost. To do anything.”
2. Live in the freedom of forgiveness:
“Dear Jesus, I sinned against You when I (state specific sins here). Thank you for forgiving me through Your sacrifice on the cross. I choose to center my life on You again and life fully for You.”
3. Rely on the Holy Spirit’s power by faith:
“I can’t do this alone. Empower me through Your Spirit to love You with my whole being today and to love others with Your love.”
Jesus is offering you an abundant, Spirit-filled life every single day. Take hold of that life by faith: keep Him the center, run to Him whenever you fall, trust Him for everything you need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:1-4).
BECOME FULLY ALIVE IN JESUS!
(THE LIFE TEAM, thelife.com)