The Bible talks about establishing a relationship with Jesus Christ in several ways. A rich man was told by Jesus in John 3:3, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” In John 14:6, Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." We're told in Romans 10:9,10, "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. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved." Jesus said in Luke 9:23, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. We're told by Jesus in Revelation 3:20, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." (He's talking about the door to our hearts.)
If you've decided you aren't doing so well living life your way, and you want to get right with God, you don't have to clean yourself up or do a lot of things to make Him happy. You just need to talk to Him (out loud or in your heart) and say something like:
"Jesus, I'm tired of trying to live life my way. I confess I've messed up a lot, and I ask you to forgive me. I now want to be your follower. I open the door of my heart to you, and I ask you to come into my life. I want to live for you from now on. Please teach me how to do things your way. Thank you that I'm now born again to a new life in Your Spirit."
You're now on your own personal quest for freedom in the Spirit. Welcome brave heart!!! It would be great if you could find a church near you that preaches the Bible and with people who encourage each other as they follow Jesus together. Also, get a Bible in a translation you can understand and start reading it every day. Ask God to speak to you personally, and you'll be surprised at what you discover each day. The Bible isn't a book you automatically read from beginning to end. Many people like to start with the book of John in the New Testament as you'll get a picture of how great the love is that Jesus has for you. It's also great if you can tell someone else about your life change and as you continue to grow, share your personal Good News with others who are still stuck living a selfish life. May God bless you.
