7 Steps for Building a Strong Relationship with Christ

As Christians, Jesus wants us to know Him in depth and breadth. Many Christians stop at salvation. They give their lives to Christ, sort of, and then they continue to live in sin, they are unwilling to truly give their lives to Jesus. At best these are weak, stumbling and ineffective Christians. Have we held back our time, our money, our attention, our imaginations, our musings, and hobbies? Give it all to God and you will not lose; you will gain fulfillment and strength. Joy and peace are abundant in a life given to Christ. Faith in Christ brings peace, peace creates a furtile bed for the buds of joy to flourish. Do you wonder why you stumble all too often, and slip back into sin? Upon what is your relationship with God built? Jesus wants a deeper and more meaningful relationship with you. It is in this relationship as it grows deeper and fuller that we begin to reap the greater benefits of peace and joy that God has for us. The Bible lays out a plan for gaining that deeper relationship with Christ.

Seven essential Steps to a Deeper Relationship with Christ:

1. Pray: God wants a relationship with you that begins with you telling Him about your day, your troubles, your feelings, seeking His mercyand thanking Him for your blessings. Hold nothing back. Be honest with God. He know's your thoughts anyway. We are to pray for one another. We are to pray always and in all things. Pray for those who hate you. Prayer is important enough that Jesus showed us how to pray.

James 5: 16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 6:9-13 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

2. Praise and Worship: Praise in worship of Jesus and the Heavenly Father is done because we are thankful and because we recognize His holiness and magnificence. Praising God gives God the honor He is due and replenishes us. God's people shall show Him praise. If you do not praise God are you truly His? All of the earth shall worship the Lord. If you love Him you shall worship Him. Revelation gives us an example of worshiping God. Relationships with Christ are built on praise and worship, because if you do not praise and worship Him, then you do not truly know Him.

Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Psalm 135:1-3 Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the name of the LORD; praise him, O ye servants of the LORD. Ye that stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.

Isaiah 43:21 This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

Psalm 66:4 All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

Revelation 4: 11-10 The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

3. Study and Read His Word: Read the Bible. He wants you to love Him enough to learn about Him. The more we know about scripture the more we know of Christ, and you cannot have a deep relationship with anyone until you truly begin to know them. We must study and read His word, in order to correctly understand His word, which is our responsibility. As we hear God's word over and over again we grow in faith and faith in Christ is the strength of a Christian.

John1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

4. Meditate upon Him and His word: Meditation has been kid-napped by the world, but God asks us in His word to meditate. We are to contemplate, muse, ponder and discuss His word for our own edification. Hearing the word of God builds faith. Meditation upon God's word increases our faith as another form of hearing His word over and over again. Meditation upon God and His word leads to understanding. God listens to our meditation; He hears; He answers; He is glorified.

1 Timothy 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Psalm 49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

Psalm 5:1-2 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

5. Fasting: Fasting is done as an exercise in overcoming the desires of the flesh and it is for today's Christians. Sin often begins with the desires of the flesh, thus fasting helps a Christian deny his flesh. This small sacrifice and attention to Christ is a Christian's strength and faith building exercise. Fasting brings mercy. We serve the Lord through our fasting. It is fasting which brings us to that place where we are strong against the enemy.

Nehemiah 1:4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

Luke 2:37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Matthew 17:18-21 And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

6. Keep His Commandments: If we love God we will obey God. Do as His word commands us. Follow Christ in deed, thought, and within our hearts. Loving God is the greatest commandment and then love everyone else. So, if you don't know where to start with God's commandments, or you are overwhelmed, start with love. Everything else will begin to fall into place.

Matthew 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Deuteronomy 6:1-2 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

7. Follow God's Will: God has a life purpose for you and you must discover and fulfill that purpose for your life. As you mature in Christ that purpose will mature. What your purpose seems to be today will evolve as God shapes you along your journey. If you refuse to serve God and work for Him, you will not grow, you will become weaker rather than stronger, and you will suffer.

Ephesians 1: 11-12 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

1 John 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Ephsesians 5:15-17 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

These seven essential steps of a Christian's walk with Jesus are faith builders. Faith is the strength of a Christian, because faith relies on God. Reliance on God rather than self is what Christ desires for us. We need to strive toward being effective Christians - Christians who are about God's work and doing it in God's way. Grow your relationship with God.

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Author: Jeff Harris

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