Day 1 - Assurance - What Just Happened?
“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God’s grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.” - Martin Luther
"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.” Colossians 2:6 (NLT)
You made a courageous choice to respond to an invitation to accept Jesus. But the ground didn’t shake and the skies didn’t split open with hallelujahs from heaven, so how do you know it’s real? Well let’s start your quest for assurance here -
Why do I need to be saved?
Romans 3:23
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23
The Bible makes it clear that every person has purposeful and thoughtless shortcomings called sin.
The Bible makes it clear that every person has purposeful and thoughtless shortcomings called sin.
Romans 6:23
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
The consequence for our sinful thoughts and actions is death.
The consequence for our sinful thoughts and actions is death.
1 Peter 3:18
“Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18
Our debt of wrongs is so great that we can never pay our way out of it. For us to be forgiven, the wages of our sin has to be paid by someone who can pay it.
Our debt of wrongs is so great that we can never pay our way out of it. For us to be forgiven, the wages of our sin has to be paid by someone who can pay it.
Ephesians 2:8
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.” Ephesians 2:8
Jesus offered Himself as a substitute - His life for ours. The result of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice is that He paid for our sins and salvation can be offered to each of us as a free gift.
Jesus offered Himself as a substitute - His life for ours. The result of Jesus’ substitutionary sacrifice is that He paid for our sins and salvation can be offered to each of us as a free gift.
Romans 10:9
“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
To receive the gift we turn from our own way of living without God and trust our lives completely to him. A way we can express our turn and trust is through prayer.
To receive the gift we turn from our own way of living without God and trust our lives completely to him. A way we can express our turn and trust is through prayer.
1 John 1:9
“But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” 1 John 1:9
If we ask the Lord to forgive us and put believing trust in Jesus, then we can know God will be good on His promise.
If we ask the Lord to forgive us and put believing trust in Jesus, then we can know God will be good on His promise.
1 John 5:13
“I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
(1 John 5:13).
These facts about our sin situation and God’s salvation provides this confidence.
(1 John 5:13).
These facts about our sin situation and God’s salvation provides this confidence.
John 1:12
“But to all who believe him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” John 1:12
You can be assured that your decision to accept salvation was accepted by God.
You can be assured that your decision to accept salvation was accepted by God.
SAY OUT LOUD: “I AM A CHILD OF GOD.”
You can now walk with a firm assurance that you are a child of God. Walking confidently that God’s promises are true and that he will be faithful to fulfill his promise to you.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
As you begin your faith journey, know that wherever God calls you to go, however hard the journey may feel at times, whatever doubts or fears that might emerge along the way, always hear Him say to you:
“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:8
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:3-5
As you begin your faith journey, know that wherever God calls you to go, however hard the journey may feel at times, whatever doubts or fears that might emerge along the way, always hear Him say to you:
“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore.” Psalm 121:8
MILE MARKERS
Write It Out
WRITE OUT YOUR (3X3) TESTIMONY
1) Your life before you met Jesus.
2) How you met Jesus.
3) Your life with Jesus.
1) Your life before you met Jesus.
2) How you met Jesus.
3) Your life with Jesus.
Share it
SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY with a friend or family member!
Commit
Commit to continuing through the Fresh Start Guide!