KNOWING YOU ARE SAVED
Read: John 1:12-13; Romans 8:38-39; I John 5:11-15;
We can know we are saved because of the promises in the Bible about our salvation. (Hebrews 10:23)
What we think about determines how we feel and how we behave. Therefore, the first thing we need when being assured of our salvation is to think upon the promises of God in the Bible. The Bible gives us many assurances that the one who believes in Jesus is promised eternal life.
Read again the promises in John and I John listed above. How do they give you assurance that you are saved? How does Hebrews 10:23 assure you that the promise of salvation is true?
We can know we are saved because of the witness of God’s Holy Spirit in our hearts.(Acts 5:32; Romans 8:15-16)
Everyone who has truly received Jesus as Savior and Lord has the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. He is God’s down payment of our eternal salvation. We can know we are saved because the Spirit testifies to this in our hearts.
How does the Holy Spirit assure you that you belong to Him?
We can know we are saved because our desires are changing.
(Romans 12:10; Philippians 2:3-4)
Instead of living selfishly for ourselves, the Christian’s desires begin changing so that Jesus and others start becoming more important. When we sense our desires changing like this we can take that as one sign among others that God is changing our hearts. And if God is changing our hearts, then we can know that He has saved us from our sin.
How has God changed your desires since you’ve begun to know Him? How would you like God to change you? What are you willing to do to experience that change?
FEELING THAT YOU ARE SAVED
Read: Philippians 4:8-9; Ephesians 4:23; II Corinthians 10:5 The knowledge of our salvation changes our feelings.
(Philippians 4:8-9)
Have you ever tried to pull yourself out of a bout of depression? The depressed person thinks continually about things that make him or her feel bad. But often dwelling upon good things can turn that around. So too, when we dwell upon the promises of God for salvation we can change our feelings from insecurity to security.
Put this into practice today. Look up verses in the Bible about God’s love and dwell upon them. How does this practice make you feel?
The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives changes our feelings. (Galatians 5:22)
God’s Spirit is at work in you! The natural outgrowth of His work in you is a changed disposition. He naturally wants us to experience his joy. Therefore, submitting to the Holy Spirit’s work in you will change your doubts into security about His love for you.
What have you been thinking about? What does God’s Spirit want you to think about? How does God encourage you in this way?
The changing of our desires brings emotional assurance of our salvation. (Psalm 40:8)
What is your innermost heart desire? Is Jesus and the Word of God at the center of your life? When we change our desires for godly things we gain security that God is with us and will fulfill our desires for Him.
Think about the things you desire the most. Where are God and the Bible in that list? How can you rearrange your priorities so that your relationship with Jesus is the center of your life?
ACTING LIKE YOU ARE SAVED
Read: Matthew 22:37-38
Knowing and feeling we are saved changes our behavior.
(Romans 8:38-39)
Once we rest in the knowledge that God loves us and holds us in his hands our whole attitude about life will change. A full change in our lives in not possible unless what we know and feel about something works itself out in our outward expressions in the world around us.
How has knowing and feeling you are saved changed your behavior? Do you want to obey God’s commands? Do you want to share what you have experienced with others?
The Holy Spirit changes our behavior.
(John 16:7-14; II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:22)
When the Living God comes to inhabit us there is no way we can come away from the experience and not be changed. The Holy Spirit changes our convictions and that works out to a change in our behaviors. When we are filled with His Spirit we will want to live a life that gives credit and glory to God.
Since becoming a Christian how has your life changed? As you look ahead in your life how do you think He will work further change in you?
Our changing desires changes our behavior
When we decided to place Jesus as the center of all of our affections we will not be able to resist the changes that will happen in our lives. Making Jesus the center of our lives changes us in remarkable and exciting ways!
Make a list of the things that are the most important to you. Where are Jesus and the Bible on that list? How can you reorder your life so that Jesus is at the center of your existence?
