By Zenani Sizane
In the Christian faith, we face many challenges and, at times, even persecution for simply believing and putting our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The concept of Jesus being the savior and redeemer of the world is one that is often rejected and misunderstood, and therefore, at times, as Christians, it takes a lot more courage to wholeheartedly and fully trust and believe in Jesus Christ as Lord over your life and to be fully submitted to the Will and Power of God, despite what anyone may say or think about it. In this article, we will discuss the importance of surrendering your life fully to Christ and trusting Him in each and every area of your life.
Who is Jesus?
In every single relationship, there must be a level of trust, and trust is established by getting to know a person first. This happens by communicating and establishing the kind of relationship you will have with a person. Well, it is the same with Jesus. For every believer, it took a personal encounter with Jesus—hearing, seeing, etc.—about Him that convinced them to fully believe that He is the Son of God.
To answer the question formally, Jesus is the Son of God. A virgin (Mary, read Matthew 1:18-25) was visited by a Holy Angel sent by the Highest God to announce that she would be pregnant via the Holy Spirit to birth the Son of God, Jesus. Jesus would come to earth and save people from their sins. Now you may ask yourself, why did Jesus come into this earth, especially to come die for our sins?
The answer is in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Our sinful nature separated us from God, and the only solution for us to spend all of eternity with God was through Jesus the Son of God, who died on the cross for us, Blood had to be shed for us to live life in harmony with God.
Why do I need to give Jesus the keys to my life?
It depends on which angle you are looking at it from, because one might say, well, isn’t it enough to just Believe that Jesus is the Messiah and through Him you will reach Heaven? Well, from that perspective, yes, but one thing we miss as believers is that we are not sent to earth, only to accept that Jesus is the Lord and then return to heaven. We must always keep in mind that God created us for much more. God had a purpose and plan for us before we were even born into this world; no matter how you even came about, you were created by God to fulfill a purpose on this earth (Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1:4)
It is always important to keep in mind that we are spiritual beings sent on this earth to fulfill a godly plan and purpose. That is why each and every one of us are gifted/talented in something, because we are meant to use and multiply those gifts and have dominion on this earth.
And that is where Jesus comes in. Jesus describes Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6) and it is through Jesus that we will know how to use our gifts and talents in the ways and purposes of God. But also beyond that, Jesus is also a friend, a comforter, a healer, and allowing Jesus in every single area of your life, is really for you to know that when you have Jesus in your life, you never have to be alone in whatever it is you are facing, in the mountains and the valleys; He will be there to lead you, guide you, heal you, and comfort you. And that is the ultimate reason to give Jesus the keys to your life, He wants to be a part of your life because it is for this very reason (love) that He died and rose again is to love you and spend life with you.
How do I give Jesus the keys to my life?
Essentially, giving Jesus the key to your life is giving Jesus' access to take full control of your life, allowing Him to reign and rule as Lord in your life and giving him a platform to guide you in everything you do. In order to do that, you need to first believe that Jesus died for your sins, rose again, and accept him as your Lord and Savior.
Once you have put your faith in Christ, you are free and forgiven, and your brand-new life will be hidden in Christ. You will discover it by establishing a relationship with Jesus, and through your relationship with Him, you will discover more of who you really are, and you will know how to gradually surrender your life to Jesus.
It is not an overnight activity due to the fact that we all have a unique relationship with Jesus and He knows the strongholds and shortcomings of our lives; therefore, whatever Jesus leads and guides you to do will be specific to you. That’s why we never base our convictions on what Jesus is doing for others, but on our on individual relationship with Him. Another person’s testimony is for you to know that He is a miracle worker and more than able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all you can imagine. (Ephesians 3:20)
7 Practical Ways to Establish a Relationship with Jesus:
Pray
Praying is essentially communication with Jesus; this is an effective way to express to God your needs, wants, emotions, and everything in between. One thing that helps me to pray freely and effectively is keeping in mind that God hears my prayers, loud or silent; He hears them all and that cuts the pressure of wondering whether God will answer them or not. Another tip to keep in mind is to always keep in mind that God doesn’t always answer our prayers the way we imagine, but He always answers our prayers.
Start by praying for at least 15–30 minutes.
Use the T.A.C.O.S Method (Give thanks, Adore Him, confess your sins, pray for others, and pray for yourself)
Write down prayers
Pray the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:5-14)
Read Your Bible
The Bible is more than a historic book to read; it is the living Word of God; I like to think of it as God’s love letter to His children (human beings). It is a manual to help us grow and establish a practical relationship with God,
because the Bible teaches us the character and nature of God and how he originally created us to be.
If you do not know where to start, Start in The Book of John or the other Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke)
Start by reading a chapter a day.
Keep an open mind
Try to identify what each book teaches you about God.
Write down any questions you may have
Observe the Sabbath
The Bible teaches us that on the seventh day, after creating the earth and everything in it, God rested. He set the seventh day apart by making it holy. Now this is not for us to just read; it is for us to also practice and do. God wants us to rest, and observing the Sabbath allows us to be rested and reflective on the things God has done and also where and what to improve.
Eliminate all distractions
Stay off technology
Sit in silence
Journal
Spend some time alone
Join a local church.
Spend time alone with God
It is the most important thing you can do when you are trying to establish and build an everlasting relationship with God. Christianity is not about the religious practices that we do; it is about having an up and close relationship with God, as your Father, Friend, Helper, and Redeemer. It is because of love that God sent His Son, and it is because of that same love that He wants to spend eternity with you, but eternity begins here on earth by having a relationship with God and spending time with Him. As much as this faith-walk is between you and God, do not negate having a Christian faith community where you can build relationships with people on the same journey as you. This will help you grow and be accountable in your journey with Christ, so joining and attending church is just as important as your time alone with God.
Read the Bible
Speak to God about every single thing
Have Dates with God
Sit with God like you would with a loved one or friend.
Get in the presence of God physically via going to Church weekly
*Remember, God is not a far-away God; He will be present even when it doesn’t feel like He is there. Do not reduce his presence to a feeling.
Journal
Writing things down can be a powerful tool. A tool to express yourself in a way that you would not be able to verbally, a tool to keep track of the things you hope and pray for, and also a way to see how far you have come and the things you have overcome and achieved.
Journal about your day
Give thanks by writing what you are grateful for
Write down Future plans
Write down Prayers
Declutter emotional and mental mess
Give Thanks
Giving thanks goes far beyond what you may be feeling at the moment. The most powerful thing you can do is give thanks when things do not seem to be going the way you have planned or wanted, giving thanks means recognizing that God is still God even in the midst of the storm and that He is still worthy of our praise.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Write down what you are grateful for each day
This will help you keep a positive mindset and keep the faith and hope that God will turn things around for your good. (Psalm 23:4 and Psalm 27:1-3)
Learn to Praise and Worship Him
God is worthy of all our praise, purely because He has given us the gift of life—to live it out to the best of our abilities and to be there to walk us through this beautiful journey of life. Praise is more than singing loud, fast songs; it is casting down our crowns and honoring Him for all He has been and still is to us. It is recognizing that we are undeserving of Him, but because He loves us, we are priests and kings by His mercy and Grace. Praising God is not about being loud, it is a heart posture of adoration and thanksgiving to the King of Kings, Our Father, who is in heaven, and the King of Glory, Yahweh.
Praising God means recognizing that all that we are is because of Him.
Giving Thanks to the Great I Am.
What are the keys to your life?
The keys to your life are everything that encompasses your life; literally, every single part of you is important to Jesus. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is; Jesus wants to be part of who you are. In times when you are uncertain of who you are and what you are meant to do in your life, Jesus wants to help you, and He wants you to bring everything to Him that you may not understand or even the areas where you fall short. He is literally like a parent who would say: “I want to be a part of every single moment of your life,” and the best part about that is that, unlike a human parent, He is able to be there in every second of your life; you just need to let Him in and give him the keys.
Here are the other areas of your life you can surrender to Jesus:
Career
Children
Finances
Marriage
Relationships (friends, colleagues, family)
Your thoughts and Beliefs
Your Fears
Your Emotions
Your Physical Health
Environment
Your heart
Your mind
What happens after you give Jesus the keys to your life?
As mentioned throughout the post, giving Jesus the key to life is all established by a love relationship between you and Jesus. And for every relationship to succeed and grow, there needs to be constant communication between the two parties. Ultimately, that means that as you grow in your relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord over all areas of your life, you will understand more how to communicate with Jesus effectively and you will know what He expects from you, but most importantly, you will live each day of your life with Jesus as your guide, friend, healer, adviser, and more. It won’t matter where life takes you; you will know that Jesus is right there in the storms, or on the mountaintops, being everything you will ever need in life.
Final Thoughts
Giving your life to Jesus is more than just a religious act in order to get to heaven; it is acknowledging that God has put us on this earth to have dominion and multiply whatever He has given us by serving Him and His Kingdom, and that this life He has given us was out of love for us and that He created us and created us for Himself, and He loves us as His creation and wants nothing but the best for us, and that is what giving your life to Jesus really is about; God’s undying love for us.
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