6 Steps to Start Living for God - How Do I Live My Life for God?
Welcome to this guide on how to live your life for God! I want to start by saying I am proud of you! The fact that you are reading this post shows that you are growing closer to God already and that your heart is in the right place.
If you have accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior (which is the best decision you'll ever make!), you have begun a new life. It may seem overwhelming at first trying to find a church, having so many people give you advice, and just not knowing how to actually live this Christian life. That is why it is my goal to show you where to start and what to do. I also want to help you see how amazing and rewarding it is to live for Jesus.
Why is Living for Jesus so Amazing?
In my own life I have discovered that it is so amazing to live for Jesus because I am living for the One who created me and that brings more fulfillment than living for the world ever could. I have joy that just seems to never leave, I have peace in the unknown, and I know that God loves me and that will never change. God’s love is so great that words cannot describe it, and I want everyone to get to experience His unconditional love.
As you live for Jesus, you will see Him working in your life and see Him answering your prayers which is so cool. You can always go to God with everything, and He always is faithful to be there to help you and lead you.
Note: This post is not only beneficial for new Christians, but for all who want to grow closer to God and live their lives more for Him.6 Simple Steps to Living and Thriving with God:
1. Give Your Life to Jesus
2. Replace the Old with the New
3. Find Community
4. Pray Continually
5. Read the Bible
6. Don't Stay Silent
Find the How and the Why
This isn’t a to do list for living for God. Everything you do should be done with the right intentions, with the right "why". I want to give you the "why" for the things you do to live for God. Not only that, but also the steps and overall "how". For example, it's easy to say, "read the Bible", but that comes with questions of "where to start", "how do I understand it" etc. This isn't a place that'll leave you hanging. So, let's get into it!
1| How to Give Your Life to Jesus
The first and most crucial step to the journey of living for God is giving your life to Jesus. By taking this step, you are accepting God's free gift of salvation and securing your spot in heaven (Romans 6:23). We are ALL sinners, and we ALL need salvation, and God freely gives salvation to everyone who believes.
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Romans 3:23-24
Jesus, who is perfect, was crucified on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He took the punishment of your sins (and everyone else's) so that you could live free from any guilt and shame. His blood bought your COMPLETE forgiveness (1 John 1:7). You don't have to earn it at all; in fact, you couldn't even if you tried. It is a gift. That is how much God loves you — that He was willing to die for you. Let that sink in.
The Bible clearly lays out how to give your life to Jesus and gain salvation through Him:
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16
"Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
Yes, it is that simple. You just have to confess, believe, and receive.
If you are ready to make the decision to give your life to Jesus and start living in His freedom, you can pray this prayer:
Dear Lord,
I believe that you sent your one and only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for the sins of the world. I believe that after He was crucified, You raised Him to life on the third day. I believe that Jesus is Lord and through Him I have salvation. Lord, I confess that I am a sinner, but today, I accept your gift of salvation, and I give my life to You. I no longer want to live bound by my sin, but instead in the freedom of Your forgiveness.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen
Congratulations! If you truly meant that prayer, your life is now changed. You are forgiven and freed from your sins and now living under God's grace. You are on your way to living out your God given purpose. God has been longing to have a relationship with you because you are His child and this is where that relationship starts. Heaven is literally celebrating over you right now; how cool is that?!
"And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance."
Luke 10:6-7
Now What?
2| Replace the Old with the New
When you give your life to Christ, you become a new creation (1 Corinthians 5:17). Unfortunately, that doesn't mean that your old habits and sins automatically disappear. In Ephesians 5:21-24, Paul teaches that we need to put off our old ways and put on our new self which is to put on the characteristics of God. This replacing of our old self with our new self is part of the continual journey of living for God.
So how do you replace the old with the new? By following God's guidance. As you learn more about living for God by going to church and reading the Bible, you will see what areas in your life don't line up with the plans God has for you. Some things that used to feel perfectly fine will almost suddenly feel wrong and that is God guiding you onto the right path — showing you the old ways that need to be put off.
“He shows us what sin is because He knows we don't know. He does that so we can have peace and be in union with Him.”
-Linda Greene
TIP: Changing our habits isn't always easy because it moves us from comfortable to uncomfortable, but in the uncomfortable is where growth happens. God doesn't direct you to make changes for no reason, He asks you because He loves you, and He knows it is better for you. He knows what the results will be. Remembering that God's ways are so much higher and better than our own is crucial in living for Him (Isaiah 55:9).3| How to Find Community
Find community by going to church. As humans, we often fail when we try to do life alone; we need accountability, advice, encouragement, and friendship. This is why having a community around you is a necessary part of living for God. A good community of people are there for you when you feel down, when you need help making a decision, when you want to celebrate, when you need a favor, and everything in between.
Don't let pride trick you into believing that you don't need community.
The Bible stresses the importance of community in many of it's books because God knows we need it:
"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25
Furthermore, it is important to have the RIGHT community because you become like the people you are with the most.
"Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another."
Proverbs 27:17
If you want to live for God, then you need to find a community of people who are living for God. You can do this by finding a church to attend weekly and by praying for God to bring the right people into your life. Almost all of my closest friends are people I met at church, and many of them came into my life after I prayed about it. They have helped me see what it is like to live for God and continue to help me grow in my faith.
TIP: If you really want to find a community, I would recommend joining Bible studies or different small groups that your church might have. This allows you to really get to know people in a smaller setting. 4| Pray Continually
"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful." Colossians 4:2
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
As you can see, to live for God means to be in constant conversation with Him. This is something I have been trying to focus on in the past year, and I can truly say it has made a difference. I used to really only pray when I did my quiet time with God, partly because I wasn't always aware of God's constant presence and partly because I felt like God deserved more than prayers said under my breath in a moment of busyness. But the truth is that we are called to pray alone with focus and in our everyday busyness (Matthew 6:6).
Continuous prayer will bring peace to your life and help you grow closer to God. Remember that your prayers do not have to be extravagent. God doesn't want to hear what you think you should say, He wants to hear the truth (Matthew 6:7, Psalm 145:18).
So, no matter what, know that you can always talk to God in ANY and EVERY circumstance, NO MATTER how bad or good.
5| The Importance of Reading the Bible
Reading the Bible changed the directory of my relationship with God. One year at church camp, the morning speaker spoke about reading the Bible daily which led to me committing to read it every day. This commitment brought me from believing in God to living more for God.
The Bible is God's Word, and He uses it to teach us, speak to us, help us make decisions, encourage us, protect us, and equip us to do good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Word is a weapon that we can use every day to fight fear, anxiety, depression, doubt, pride, and anything else you can think of (Ephesians 6:17). There have been many circumstances in my life that the Word has helped me through, either by recalling verses I have memorized or by God reminding me of something that I recently read, and I know that it can help you grow through whatever you are going through.
Don't know where to start reading the Bible? Here are some good options:
⦁ Read the book of John to learn about Jesus' life from the beginning of time.
⦁ Read a chapter of Proverbs and a chapter of the New Testament each day.
⦁ Follow along a Bible reading plan. The "Bible" app has many well written plans from reading the Bible in a year to weeklong plans on certain subjects.
Keep in mind that reading the Bible doesn't always have to be a whole study session with notetaking and highlighting. Although those things can be very helpful, but if they prevent you from getting the Word in because you "don't" have the time or motivation, then stick to just reading even if it is only one verse. Something is always better than nothing. Look for growth, not perfection.
TIP: Take your time to understand and learn from what you are reading. Ask questions. Look up definitions. It's not about how many chapters you read, but about what you learn and how you can apply it to your life.6| Don’t Stay Silent
Living for God means glorifying Him and loving people. We do this by telling the world about Jesus.
So how do you tell people about Jesus? By telling them about what God has done for you, and how your life has changed because of Him. Believe me, I know this is easier said than done because it is something I struggle with. So often I stay silent because I don't want to say the wrong thing, offend someone, or I simply get to the end of the day and realized I forgot to mention Jesus to my coworkers, but that is exactly what Satan wants -- for us to stay silent.
I find that I am more likely to talk about God when I have been consistent in spending time with Him. Pray for courage and boldness to tell others about the great love God has for them and that He died for their salvation.
Another important thing to remember is that your actions speak also. Continue to grow in living according to the Word and people will see that there is something different about you; they will see the joy, peace, and love that you have.
This verse gives a good overall on what the Bible teaches on how to live as a Christian:
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:12-17
Bringing It All Together
"Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
Matthew 22:37-38
Reducing it to a sentence, living for God means to love Him and to love His people (Matthew 22:37-38). Putting off your old ways, finding community, praying, reading the Word, and sharing about Jesus are all actions that help you love God and love others. Although, everything in this post may feel like a lot, it really is simple:
⦁ Spend some time each day praying and reading the Word.
⦁ Find a Church to attend weekly if you don't have one.
⦁ Put your trust in God, and He will lead you.
Remember, God loves you so so much, and He is always with you and has more for you than you could imagine!