Adventure of Living W Jesus 161216

Beginning with Christ
Series One
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The Adventure of Living with Jesus
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The Adventure of Living with Jesus
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................... 4
1. Becoming a New Person in Christ............................................................................. 6
2. The Holy Spirit–God’s Gift to You………………………............................................ 14
3. Faith–The Key to Walking in the Spirit.................................................................... 20
4. The Bible–God’s Love Letter to You! ...................................................................... 32
5. Prayer–Talking to Your Heavenly Father................................................................. 39
6. Citizens of Heaven–God’s Family … and You! ....................................................... 47
7. Obedience–Running to Win.................................................................................... 54
8. Additional Resources............................................................................................... 64
Introduction
When you have asked Jesus Christ into your life, it is important to begin to learn
about the wonderful life God has planned for you. Jesus promises to take our
ordinary, self-centered lives, and make them exceptional and rewarding.
It only makes sense that the One who created us knows what is best for our lives
and can fill them with meaning and focus. By letting Jesus direct your life, you
will truly experience purposeful living and a life filled with adventure.
In his booklet, My Heart, Christ’s Home, Robert Boyd Munger wrote about how
Jesus can make this difference in our lives. When Munger gave his heart
to Christ, he imagined Jesus as the new guest he had invited into his home.
Munger explains how his relationship with Christ changed everything else in
Jesus promises to his life.
take our ordinary,
self-centered lives, “One evening I invited Jesus Christ into my
and make them heart. What an entrance He made! It was
exceptional and not a spectacular, emotional thing, but very
rewarding. real. Something happened at the very cen-
ter of my life. He came into the darkness of
my heart and turned on the light.
He built a fire on the hearth and banished

the chill. He started music where there had
been stillness, and He filled the emptiness
with His own loving, wonderful fellow-
ship. I have never regretted opening the
door to Christ and I never will.
In the joy of this new relationship I said

When Munger gave to Jesus Christ, ‘Lord, I want this heart
his heart to Christ, of mine to be Yours. I want to have You settle down here and be perfectly at
he imagined Jesus home. Everything I have belongs to You. Let me show You around.’”
as the new guest he
Munger writes of the different areas of his life as “rooms” of a house that Jesus
had invited into his
now resided within. He imagines Jesus looking around his house, offering to
home. change each room, “removing the filth and making it warm and clean.”
For example, the “Study” of his heart represents the books and magazines he
read. For us today that would include the TV programs that we watch and the
Jesus can bring Internet sites we visit. Ashamed of the things he had been putting into his mind,
meaning and Munger writes,
purpose to your
“Red-faced, I turned to Him and said, ‘Master, I know that this room needs to
life as you surrender
be cleaned up and made over. Will You help me make it what it ought to be?’
to Him and apply ‘Certainly!’ He said. ‘I’m glad to help you. First of all, take all the things that
God’s promises to you are reading and looking at which are not helpful, pure, good and true,
your life. and throw them out!’”
One room, the closet, was so private Munger felt ashamed. But Jesus reminded
him that His light can change even the darkest areas of our lives.
Munger’s story illustrates how Jesus can bring meaning and purpose to your
life as you surrender to Him and apply God’s promises to your life. These
promises are contained in His Word, the Bible.
The Bible tells us that it is God’s will that we grow in our relationship with
Christ, and live the tremendous life He planned for us (Ephesians 2:10). As we
study and apply God’s Word to our lives, we really begin to live a life that finds
its purpose in Jesus Christ. This course is all about the adventure we experience
If you have made the in life when we let our relationship with Jesus direct our lives.
decision to receive
Jesus as your Running a Marathon
personal Savior
If you have made the decision to receive Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord,
and Lord, you have
you have begun an exciting journey with Christ that will never end.
begun an exciting
journey with Christ The Christian life is more like a marathon than a sprint. At the beginning of a
that will never end. race, competitors always feel great and have lots of energy. However, you can’t
expect the emotions that you are feeling as you begin your walk with Christ to
carry you through when the pressures of daily life are upon you.
Running a marathon requires a great deal of time in training. But training time
definitely pays off in helping a runner to run a better race.
In order for you to run your best race for

Christ you need to spend time in training.
Is Christ at the finish line, or is He actually
running the race for us? God wants you
to glorify Him in the Christian life, and is
totally committed to your success, and His
Holy Spirit will empower you and help you
during each mile you run in life.
Becoming a New Person in Christ
1
Are you certain you would go to Heaven if you died today? God’s Word tells us
we can know for sure.
The material in this section will help you determine the certainty of your eternal
future with Christ. Even if you have already invited Christ into your life, it is vital
Are you certain you to have assurance that you belong to Him forever.
would go to Heaven
if you died today? On September 11th, 2001, nearly 3,000 people died in a violent act of terrorism at
the World Trade Center. They immediately faced their Maker. None started his or
her day with any clue it would be their last day on planet Earth.
You and I will also face our

Maker at some point in the future.
Then it will be too late to make a
decision to live for God. Are you
ready to face your Maker? The
Bible says you can be ready. It
You are no accident! says that you can be absolutely
sure that, as one who trusts Christ,
you actually have God’s guaran-
tee of His acceptance.
In order to understand why God

created you, why Jesus Christ
died, and how you can be assured
of eternal life, let’s review what
the Bible says about God’s eternal plan.
How You Got Here

You are no accident! (See Psalm 139:13-18.) The Bible tells us that God created
everything from nothing—and the Bible also says that it was mere “finger work”
for Him. There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on the entire
Earth, yet God says you are more important to Him than all of them put together.
Psalm 139 tells us that God’s thoughts about you as a person are more than all the
grains of sand. He thinks about you and me all the time!
What You Are Here For
The Bible tells us God is your loving Father, who planned and designed you to
be His child for all eternity. He wants you to share in the treasures He has for
you in Christ. (See Ephesians 1:3-11.) God could have made you like a robot
who had no other choice but to love Him. However, He wanted you to choose
to love and obey Him of your own free will. And so God gave you free choice!
Wrong Choices
The first man, Adam, was given the choice to love and obey God. When Adam
chose to disobey, he began the sad plight of
selfishness and rebellion that’s prevalent in
our world today. Read Genesis chapter 3 to
find out how sin originated.
The problem is that we all have made

The problem is that
wrong choices in life. The Bible calls these
we all have made wrong choices “sin” which in the original
wrong choices in Hebrew language means “missing the
life. The Bible calls mark” … like an archer missing his target.
these wrong choices Sin is the reason for wars, terrorism, social injustice, selfishness, greed, jealousy,
“sin.” and addictive behavior, among other things.
Q Read Romans 5:12. What does this verse tell us about sin?
_______________________________________________________________
Q What does Isaiah 53:6 say we have done with our choices?
_______________________________________________________________
Q What do Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21, and Jeremiah 17:9-10 say about the
human heart?
_______________________________________________________________
Q In Romans 3:23, how many have sinned?
_______________________________________________________________
In spite of our Q Does that include you?
unworthiness, our
loving and merciful _______________________________________________________________
God found a way to
give us hope and Separation from God
favor.
The Bible says that God is absolutely pure and holy, and cannot allow
unforgiven sinners to pollute His holy presence (Habakkuk 1:13; Isaiah 59:2).
Paul told the Roman believers what God’s attitude is toward open rebellion
and sin:
“For God’s [holy] wrath and indignation are revealed from heaven against all
Jesus actually ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who in their wickedness repress and
hinder the truth and make it inoperative” (Romans 1:18).
comes into our
lives and takes up Q In Romans 6:23, what is sin’s penalty?
permanent
residence. _______________________________________________________________________
If we were to stop at this point, life would be hopeless and full of despair. But, in
spite of our unworthiness, our loving and merciful God found a way to give us
Jesus Christ hope and favor. And … He paid the ultimate price to do it … His only Son!
fulfilled over two
hundred of those Jesus Christ–God’s Solution
prophecies
written in the Old Here are just a few Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah which were
Testament ... fulfilled by Jesus. Look them up, and write down the specific prophecies that
exactly! were fulfilled.
Being a Christian
means you have a
relationship with
Jesus Christ.
It is not a “religious
system” or a list of The odds against one person fulfilling merely eight conditions in these prophe-
rules. cies would be the same as a blindfolded person picking one special silver dollar
from a two-foot high stack of silver dollars over an area the size of Texas (greater
than the entire nation of France). Yet, Jesus Christ fulfilled over two hundred of
those prophecies written in the Old Testament ... exactly! Jesus’ sinless life quali-
fied Him to be God’s perfect sacrifice for all of our sins (Hebrews 9:14).
Q Who is Jesus Christ to you?
_________________________________________________________________
Read “Was Jesus the Messiah?” on Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies at Y-Jesus.com.
Jesus Claimed To Be God

Jesus claimed that He was the “I AM” that God had called Himself in the Old
Testament (Exodus 3:14-15; John 8:57-59).
Jesus also made other “I AM” statements of Himself:
• “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35).

• “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12).
• “I AM the good shepherd” (John 10:11).
• “I AM the door” (John 10:9).
• “I AM the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
• “I AM the way…truth…and the life” (John 14:6).
• “I AM the vine” (John 15:1).
Who is Jesus according to the following verses?

When we accept John 1:1-14 ______________________________________________________
Christ’s sacrifice
for our sins, we will John 14:9 ________________________________________________________
experience an
abundant life on Colossians 1:15-20 ________________________________________________
earth, and then
eternal life Hebrews 1:1-8____________________________________________________
continuing in
Heaven. John 10:30 _______________________________________________________
Philippians 2:6-11_________________________________________________
Colossians 2:9 ____________________________________________________
Revelation 22:12-16 _______________________________________________
All the evidence points clearly to the fact that Jesus Christ is God!
Sometimes it’s hard for people to accept the fact that Jesus is God because they
Jesus rose from the can’t see Him. One of Jesus’ disciples, “doubting Thomas,” was like that. Read
his story in John 20:24-29.
dead on the third
day…just as He had Q What convinced Thomas?
promised!
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Q What convinced you?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Read “Did Jesus claim to be God?” for evidence about Jesus’ claim to be God at
Y-Jesus.com.
Jesus told His Jesus Died On The Cross
disciples: “I am the
way, the truth, and The religious leaders knew Jesus was making statements that only God could
the life. No one can make, and accused Him of blasphemy against God (John 10:33). In an unlawful
trial they convicted Him, and turned Him over to the Romans to have Him
come to the Father
executed. Jesus then was beaten mercilessly, nailed to a cross between two
except through me”
thieves, and buried in a heavily guarded tomb. All hope seemed lost.
(John 14:6).
Jesus Conquered Death!
But, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day…just as He had promised.
(Matthew 16:21). Historical records from eyewitnesses testify that Jesus Christ
The truth is that was then seen alive by more than 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). He is alive
Jesus Christ paid today!
for all your sins on
the cross … and Read “Did Jesus Rise from the
has given you direct Dead?” for the evidence about
access to God. Jesus’ resurrection at Y-Jesus.com.
• Buddha is dead.
• Muhammad is dead.
• Confucius is dead.
• JESUS CHRIST IS ALIVE!
Jesus’ disciples fled in fear when

He went through the torture of the
cross, but they became men of great
courage when they saw Him alive
after three days! They lost all fear—
even when, later, they too were
tortured to death for their faith.
Wow! Isn’t that incredible? Jesus
Christ is alive today!
The Bible calls Jesus the “King of kings and Lord of lords”
(Revelation 19:11-16).
And, it states that Jesus Christ will return to the earth in power and great glory
(see Zechariah 14:4 and Luke 21:27).
Eternal life is a gift
from God. You “There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name in all of heaven for
cannot do anything people to call on to save them” (Acts 4:12).
to earn it!
Jesus told His disciples: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to
the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
God’s Free Gift

The truth is that Jesus Christ paid for all your sins on the cross … and has given
you direct access to God. God’s perfect justice is totally satisfied by the blood of
Jesus. He “bought” you, and there are no “returns” (Hebrews 7:25; 9:12).
But, you may be wondering, “What about all the good things I’ve done in my
life?”
Becoming a
Christian is putting What do the following verses tell us about who is responsible for your salvation?
your faith in Jesus’
death for you on Romans 5:8_____________________________________________________________
the cross, and in
_______________________________________________________________________
His resurrection for
your eternal life. Ephesians 2:8-9_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Titus 3:5-6____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
1 Peter 3:18_____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Eternal life is a gift from God. You cannot do anything to earn it.
However, like any gift, you can choose to accept or reject it. It’s your free choice.
Jesus wants to How to Join God’s Family

change your life
Q If you had been one of the victims at the World Trade Center on September
from being self- 11th, 2001, what would you have said to God if He had asked you, “Why should
centered into a I let you into heaven?”
purposeful life
that pleases Him. _______________________________________________________________________
Q According to 1 John 5:11-13, and John 3:15-18, what is the one requirement of
having eternal life in heaven?
_______________________________________________________________________
In the original Greek language, the word “believe” means to: trust in, cling to,
rely upon. In other words, “believe” in the original Greek language is an active
faith … much like the faith rock climbers have in the rope to hold them secure.
Becoming a Christian is putting your faith in Jesus’ death for you on the cross,
and in His resurrection for your eternal life.
Faith versus Feelings

Christianity is a relationship with Christ—based on faith alone! Your faith is to
be based on the facts in the Bible … not feelings (See 2 Timothy 3:16). Faith in
Christ may result in feelings … and often does. But, emotions are changeable,
and you can’t depend upon them. You can only depend on what God says in His
Word!
Accepting God’s Forgiveness
The most important decision you will ever make in life is to receive Jesus Christ
as your personal Savior and Lord. Coming to Jesus is about giving your life to
Him and accepting God’s forgiveness by faith.
However, as Robert Munger discovered, Jesus wants to change your life from
being self-centered into a purposeful life that pleases Him.
Personal Invitation
In order to receive God’s forgiveness for your sins,
you must personally invite Jesus Christ into your life
(John 1:12). God knows your thoughts and motives.
He desires you to come to Him in faith and humble-
ness, thanking Him for His death for you on the cross.
You receive Jesus Christ into your life by admitting
your sinfulness and by accepting His forgiveness for
As God’s child He your sins through His death on the cross.
will always love
Q Have you ever personally invited Jesus into your life? If so, when?
you—even when
you fail Him. _______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
If you haven’t ever invited Jesus into your life, simply pray the following words,
trusting Him to answer you.
“Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for all my sins. Thank you for giving me
eternal life, which you made possible by your death and resurrection. I receive
You as my Savior by faith, and desire You to be Lord of my life.”
Date: ______________
Where Are You Going After You Die?

Q Read 1 John 5:11-13. If you have Jesus Christ in your life, what are you sure of?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Your growth in
Christ and your Q Once you have put your faith in Christ, is there anything that can separate you
victory over from God’s love? What does Romans 8:38-39 tell us?
temptation will
depend on you _______________________________________________________________________
following God’s
_______________________________________________________________________
growth plan.
Q Will Christ ever leave you? What does Hebrews 13:5 have to say?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q For how long will God forgive your sins? Read Hebrews 8:12.
As a Christian, _______________________________________________________________________
you are granted
an inheritance. _______________________________________________________________________
As God’s child He will always love you—even when you fail Him. He will never
give up on you—even when you give up on Him. Never quit running the race!
Your Inheritance in Christ

As a Christian, you are granted an inheritance. Take time to read the following
verses that tell you about your inheritance in Christ, and thank God for giving it
to you.
• Your sins are completely forgiven (Colossians 2:13-14).
• You become a child of God—forever (John 1:12).
• Christ actually comes into your life (Revelations 3:20).
• The Holy Spirit is your guarantee (2 Corinthians 1:22).
• Christ gives you His nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).
As you learn to trust God’s Word and grow in Christ, you will experience more
and more victory over the enemy’s attacks. Your growth in Christ and your
victory over temptation will depend on you following God’s growth plan.
Growth is God’s Plan for You

God’s growth plan for you as a Christian is as follows:
1. Walk in the Holy Spirit
2. Trust God with your life
3. Know and trust God’s Word
4. Pray to God
5. Fellowship with other Christians
6. Obey Christ
It is important to grow in your new relationship with Christ. Spend time going
through the remainder of this booklet—looking up the Bible verses—and telling
God you want to live the adventure He has planned for you.

2
The Holy Spirit: God’s Gift to You
When you run a race, such as a marathon, it is your race to win or lose … with-
out any help or encouragement. Living for Christ is different.
Without the Holy
Spirit, living for When Jesus left the earth after His resurrection, He told his disciples to wait for
Christ is impossible. the “promise” He would send them from his Father. “And now I will send the
Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised” (Luke 24:49).
With Him, you can
The Holy Spirit is called many things in the Bible, but His main role in your life
do anything and is to be your “Encourager and Comforter” as you embark on your new journey
everything through with Christ (see John 16:7-15).
Christ!
Without the Holy Spirit, living for Christ is impossible. With Him, you can do
anything and everything through Christ (Philippians 4:13)!
The Indwelling Holy Spirit

When you invited Jesus Christ to be your personal Savior and Lord, He actually
entered your life–and He will be with you forever. You will never be alone!
Ephesians 3:16-17 tells us, “He [will] strengthen you with power through his
Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
As Munger discovered, your invited guest and Lord, Jesus, desires to “settle
down” in each “room” of your “house.” He brings warmth, light and music.
Christ lives in you through the Person of the Holy Spirit.
Who is the Holy Spirit?
Even though the Holy Spirit is invisible, He is a real person—the Spirit of Jesus
(John 14:16-21).
Read the following verses to find out more about the Holy Spirit:
Q Acts 5:3-4 ____________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q John 14:16-17 _________________________________________________________
Q 1 Corinthians 6:19____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Yes, the Bible states clearly that just like the Father and the Son, the Holy Spirit is
God; one God in three persons.
The Holy Spirit will take each area of your life which you commit to Him and
make it meaningful and purposeful. It won’t happen immediately, and there
will undoubtedly be setbacks, but, “He who has begun a good work in you will
You may not perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
always feel…or act
new. But in God’s A New You
eyes you are
totally new! “Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same any-
more, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You are now a totally new creation just like a new butterfly, which was formerly
a caterpillar.
You may not always feel…or act new. But in God’s eyes you are totally new!
The Father sees you as one whom his dear Son has purchased with the price of
his own blood. You are His royal child! (Hebrews 2:9-11).
Your Best Friend

The Bible tells you that Jesus is your best friend.
Ashley’s Story
“I always put my friends above God. In fact, my life revolved around my

friends so much that I began to
get involved in reckless behavior
just to seem ‘cool’ to others.
“Pretty soon I got involved in

drugs, sex and alcohol. My life
got out of control, and I felt
worthless, with no purpose other
than to get ‘high.’ Then I even lost
my friends, who called me ‘trash.’
“One day someone told me that

Jesus Christ not only created me,
but wanted to be my best friend. I couldn’t believe it at first. Later, I decided to
ask Him into my life. Since then, God has given me a new purpose in life and
helped me break my addictions. I now have many new friends, but the great-
est of all is Jesus Christ. He accepts me for who I am, and tells me that ‘He will
never leave or forsake me’” (Hebrews 13:5).
Ashley discovered what millions of others have discovered about Jesus: He is
our best friend. No other friend loves you so much or will stick with you so
closely (Proverbs 18:24). Jesus is totally loyal and faithful (Proverbs 20:6).
More like Christ

God’s plan is to change you into Christ’s image (Romans 8:29). Jesus’ Spirit
living in you has begun this change, and He will continue his work throughout
your life (Philippians 1:6).
Q Whose work is it according to Philippians 2:13? ___________________________

God’s plan is to
change you into _______________________________________________________________________
Christ’s image.
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What qualities do you look for in a friend? _______________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Battle of the Will

We all are assaulted daily by images and desires that are outside the will of
God. This includes temptations such as sex outside of marriage, gossip, anger,
addictions, and other destructive behavior (Galatians 5:17).
Life will be a You will be tempted to put other things ahead of Christ. Although there is
continual battle nothing wrong with money or material success, it is very easy to get so focused
between the desire on possessions and success, that God becomes secondary to personal ambition.
to do things your God wants to be your first and highest focus in life … and you will only be truly
way…or Christ’s satisfied when you give Him his rightful place. (Matthew 6:33).
way.
The apostle Paul writes about the struggle to live for Christ. In Romans 7, Paul
writes about how he had the desire to live for Christ, but how he kept failing his
Lord. He learned that this battle of his flesh versus the Spirit can only be won
when we surrender our wills to the Holy Spirit. Paul explains in Romans 8 how
he was able to achieve victory through the Holy Spirit.
As long as you live, you will also have your own flesh with you, and its desire
for self-gratification. Life will be a continual battle between the desire to do
things your way…or Christ’s way.
Q What does Galatians 5:16-18 say about this warfare? _______________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Choosing to listen to the Holy Spirit and follow His leading will always be the
right choice!
Q According to Galatians 5:16-23, contrast the two different lives:
The Self-Controlled Life The Spirit-Controlled Life

_____________________ _______________________
_____________________ _______________________
_____________________ _______________________
God’s plan for
you is to mold The “Filling” of the Holy Spirit
you into the image
The Bible says: “So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy
of Christ. This
Spirit. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16).
life-long process
is the work of the The word “filled” means to be directed and controlled. A basketball player
Holy Spirit. voluntarily puts himself under the control of his coach. He does this so he can
play his best … and win the game.
The player is not a robot. But he freely chooses to let his coach direct him, be-
cause he wants to play well … and win!
Q What does Ephesians 5:18 tell us? _______________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
A New Way to Think

God’s plan for you is to mold you into the image of Christ. This life-long process
is the work of the Holy Spirit…as you give Him control of your life (Romans
8:29). There is tremendous freedom in giving control over to Him. You will no
longer be imprisoned to self-centered cravings and passions. If they reappear
in your life, remember that the Holy Spirit is always there to help restore you to
fellowship with Christ.
The Holy Spirit will gradually conform us into the image of Christ as we submit
ourselves to Him. Of course, we will never be totally like Christ until we are with
Him in Heaven.
Two Types of Christians

The circles below represent two types of Christians and the thrones represent
who is in control.
The circle on the left depicts a Christian who has given his/her life to Christ,
but has chosen to rule his/her own life. All activities, interests, desires, and
choices are self-directed, leading to a life of spiritual frustration and defeat
(represented by the arrows). Galatians 5:19-21 describes the Christian who has
self at the center of his life.
The key to
yielding your life The circle on the right depicts a Christian who has put Christ as the focus of his
to the Holy Spirit life. All activities, interests, desires, and choices are directed by Christ resulting
is “think right.” in harmony with God’s plan. This is the abiding life, which results from being
obedient to the Word of God. Galatians 5:19-23 describes the vast difference in
a Christ-directed life and a self-directed life. The key to yielding your life to the
Holy Spirit is “think right.”
“I plead with you to give your bodies to God … When you think of what He has
done for you, is that too much to ask?” (Romans 12:1).
It is God’s great love for you that should be your motivation to trust the Holy
Spirit completely with your life. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).
Todd’s Story
“For three years I had been consumed with the desire to join the elite club for
‘cool’ guys in my high school … the ‘Mavericks.’ Before coming to Christ, I
would have ‘sold my soul’ to have been asked to join. Although I was a
It is God’s great Christian, I thought it would still be okay … even though it was a drinking
love for you that club.
should be your
“I began to seriously think about going all out for Christ, and putting aside
motivation to trust
things that were self-destructive. Finally I
the Holy Spirit
decided to make a decision by the end of the
completely with week.
your life.
(2 Corinthians 5:14- “It was during that week that I got asked to
15). join the Mavericks! I immediately knew that
the stakes were high, and that Satan was try-
ing to derail my decision. I didn’t give him
the pleasure: and turned my life completely
over to God. God gave me true freedom …
and a purposeful life!”
A New Way to Live

As Romans 12:1 says, giving your life to the Holy Spirit is a decision … a free
choice for you to make. It is done by simply putting your life into the hands of a
trustworthy God.
Just as you came to Christ by faith for the forgiveness of your sins, you must by
faith ask the Holy Spirit to control your life.
When you think of what He has done for you … and how much He loves you …
is there any other choice?
In response to Christ’s love for you, simply pray the following:
“Dear Lord, I want You to change my life from being self-centered into one that is
Christ-centered. I confess my sinful thoughts and actions, and give You, Holy Spirit,
control of my life right now.”
Q What does this commitment mean to you? _________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Jesus will take you just as you are … and begin re-weaving the strands in your
life … when you come back to Him in confession and repentance. God’s Word
says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

Faith:
The Key to Walking in the Spirit
3
It is by faith that God’s power to live for Christ and walk in the Holy Spirit is
available to you!
Q What does Hebrews 11:6 say about faith? ________________________________

God tells us that
______________________________________________________________________
living for Christ is
not accomplished
Many people think that living for Christ means helping the poor, feeding the
by doing what hungry and living morally. However, as
Jesus did, but C. S. Lewis points out, “Mere morality
rather by letting is not the end of life. You were made for
Him live His life something quite different from that …
through us—by The idea of reaching ‘a good life’ without
faith. Christ is based on a double error. First-
ly, we cannot do it; and secondly … we
have missed the very point of our
existence.”
Lewis explains that the point of our exis-

tence centers on the tremendous inheritance we have in Christ as His children.
Living for Christ is not our duty as His slaves, but our privilege as His sons
and daughters. In other words, God accepts us perfectly regardless of our
performance.
God tells us that living for Christ is not accomplished by doing what Jesus did,
but rather by letting Him live His life through us by faith. Helping the poor,
feeding the hungry and living morally should be done from a heart of gratitude
rather than out of compulsion. We are to live by faith–not works.
As we live by faith, Jesus’ love will shine through us. Faith in Christ, over time,
will result in obedience to God’s Word, even though there will be ups and
downs (James 2:17).
Your faith will continually be tested. The Bible says the Christian life is like a
battlefield with three specific enemies: the world, the flesh and the devil (Satan).
Paul tells the Ephesian believers that the only way to defeat these enemies is to
trust God and depend upon His Word, the Bible.
Q Read Ephesians 6:10-18. What are the keys to winning the battle over these
enemies?
Many believers ______________________________________________________________________
have mistaken the
Holy Spirit’s power ______________________________________________________________________
for an emotional
feeling or euphoria. Emotionally Charged … But No Power
Jesus was giving his disciples final instructions before He went back to His
Father. They were all emotionally charged after His resurrection … and ready to
give up everything to follow Him.
But Jesus knew they were not ready. Even after

three years of His training and teaching them, they
didn’t have the strength to live the life He had
Sadly, when the called them to live. They would fail miserably if
emotions and they tried to live for Christ in their own strength!
feelings depart …
they think they Jesus knew they needed His power. He told them,
have lost the Holy “But you are to be given power when the Holy
Spirit’s power. Spirit has come to you” (Acts 1:8).
Feelings Are Fickle

Many believers have mistaken the Holy Spirit’s power for an emotional feeling
or euphoria. Sadly, when the emotions and feelings depart … they think they
have lost the Holy Spirit’s power. They don’t believe God’s promise: “I will
never leave or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Q Why are feelings not enough? __________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
The power the Holy Spirit brings to you is much more than emotions or feelings
… although they may be part of it. Trying to live for Christ without the Holy
Spirit is like driving a Ferrari without gasoline–powerless. On the other hand,
the Holy Spirit gives us:
• Power to abide in Christ and love others.

• Power to overcome trials.
• Power to overcome temptation.
• Power to overcome sin.
• Power to produce fruit.
• Power to obey Christ.
Jesus does not give you a list of rules to follow. Rather, He empowers you by His
Holy Spirit to live a life of obedience.
Belief Causes Behavior
If you accept How we act and behave is motivated by what we think. If we think we have a
God’s Word as better plan for our lives than God does, we will chase after self-centered pursuits.
truth, and follow
Him, He will give Many people fill their lives by chasing after money, sex, or toys, thinking it will
you desires that bring them happiness. They think, “He who dies with the most toys, wins!” As a
are in alignment result, they waste their lives.
with His will.
Other people leave God out of their lives because they believe life will be boring.
They believe God is against fun … and doesn’t care about their dreams. They
don’t want to trust Him with their future.
The Bible says that God loves you so much that He desires and plans the very
best for your future. The psalmist tells us: “Take delight in the Lord, and He will
give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4).
If you accept God’s Word as truth, and follow Him, He will give you desires that
are in alignment with His will.
Q What does Romans 8:32 say about God’s trustworthiness? _________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q Are you ready to make the truth of God’s Word the foundation of your beliefs?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Overcoming Doubt
Joni’s Story
Joni Eareckson was an attractive, athletic teenager who had everything going
her way in life–until she dove head first into a shallow lake … breaking her
neck.
Joni had trusted Christ for salvation in her youth

group, but most of her hopes and dreams were for
self-fulfillment. Suddenly Joni’s world totally fell
apart. She would never walk, or be able to use her
hands again!
Joni’s faith was shaken. Joni says:
“In those first few months after my injury, the

promises of God seemed anything but true … How
could I be expected to believe when everything in-
side and outside of me screamed just the opposite?”
Joni struggled greatly until a friend from Young Life named Steve Estes
encouraged her to trust God. Through time, and hearing God’s Word, Joni
began to believe God’s promises. Joni did overcome her despair by faith–and
today runs an international ministry, Joni and Friends, which shares Christ’s
love with disabled people all over the world.
“Today as I look back, I am convinced that the whole ordeal of my paralysis

was inspired by God’s love. I wasn’t the brunt of some cruel divine joke. God
had reasons behind my suffering, and learning some of them has made all the
difference in the world.” (Joni, A Step Further)
Victorious Faith
The Bible tells us that it is possible to live a life of victorious faith. Hebrews
chapter 11 gives us examples of men and women who trusted God in spite of
great adversity and opposition. Such a life pleases God greatly, and results in a
life of victory over our circumstances.
Read Hebrews chapter 11. Write down your thoughts about those who had
victorious faith: ________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
God has a place of
_______________________________________________________________________
rest for you.
_______________________________________________________________________
When God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt He performed many
miracles, including drying up the Red Sea so they could escape the armies of
Pharaoh. They saw God’s mighty hand at work, but soon forgot and began to
doubt His promise to provide for their basic needs.
God told them through Moses that He had a place of rest for them to dwell in,
called the Promised Land, “a land flowing with milk and honey.” But all they did
was complain and doubt God’s promise. (Read Exodus chapters 3 through 20.)
They sent 12 spies to scout out the land and discovered it to be a paradise
“flowing with milk and honey.” But there were also giants there. When they
came back and reported their findings, only Joshua and Caleb were willing to
trust God and face the giants. The other 10 scouts were afraid and convinced the
doubting Israelites they would be unable to overcome the giants. For the next
40 years they wandered in the wilderness–unwilling to trust God and enter His
place of rest. (Read chapters 13 and 14 in the book of Numbers.)
Q What are the giants in your life? ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q God has a place of rest for you. Read Hebrews 3:7-4:16. According to this
passage, how do we enter God’s rest? _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
If you will simply _______________________________________________________________________

trust the promises
in God’s Word,
Q What are we warned against? __________________________________________
you will discover
wonderful rest.
_______________________________________________________________________
That is victorious
faith! _______________________________________________________________________
If you will simply trust the promises in God’s Word, you will discover wonderful
rest. That is victorious faith!
Is there something in your life keeping you from trusting God? If any of the
following areas are keeping you from trusting God—confess them to God, and
repent (change your thinking), now—before it is too late.
Every moment of
your life, the Holy
Spirit is waiting to
guide you into
purposeful living.
But He always
allows you free
choice.
God can be trusted in all areas of your life.

Spend some time evaluating the list above, and write down any area in which
you need to take prayerful action to change.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you
into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what
God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His
will really is.” (Romans 12:2)
Walking in the Spirit
is a moment-by-moment decision
Broken Fellowship
Every believer sins and breaks fellowship with the Holy Spirit at times
(1 John 1:8). Broken fellowship does not mean your sins aren’t forgiven. Jesus
paid for all your sins on the cross, once and for all.
Broken fellowship means that you are not abiding in Christ, and therefore are
not experiencing God’s purpose and plan for your life.
“God’s way” in life Purposeful Living … Your Choice

results in purpose,
power, peace, and Every moment of your life, the Holy Spirit is waiting to guide you into purpose-
hope. ful living. But He always allows you free choice.
The apostle Paul (formerly named Saul) had been a strong opponent of the
early Christians. As a high-ranking Jewish leader, he was angry at everything
Christians stood for … and wanted to abolish Christianity and the worship of
Christ, even having Christians put to death.
“On his way to Damascus, Jesus miraculously appeared to him in a vision. When
Paul heard and saw Jesus … recognizing Him as Lord … he asked Jesus, ‘What
will You have me to do?’” (Acts 9:6).
Paul’s attitude of willingness to serve Christ is what God wants from you and
me.
“God’s way” in life results in purpose, power, peace, and hope. God wants to
direct your life all the time.
But the sinful part of you will always want your own way … the “self-centered
way.” A self-centered life may get high on short-term pleasures, but usually ends
up in fear, emptiness, loneliness, and finally despair.
However, at any moment of your day, you can get back on “God’s Way” and
restore fellowship with Him. Simply take the following steps:
“Spiritual Breathing”
To better understand how to walk in the Spirit on a moment-by-moment basis,
Bill Bright compares it to breathing. When you breathe, you exhale impurities,
and inhale pure air and oxygen. In “spiritual breathing,” you “exhale” sin–by
confession, and “inhale” the Holy Spirit’s control–by faith. (Read Spirit-filled Life
by Bill Bright.)
Once the Holy Spirit is in control of your life, He gives you power to live for
God.
The test of whether
or not you are living
in the will of God
is not that your life
is trouble-free, but
that you are trusting
God in spite of your
circumstances.
Power to Overcome Trials

“Whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when
your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when
your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for
anything” (James 1:2-4).
Lars’ Story
As an unknown golfer, Lars Hansen had stunned

the Canadian golf community by winning the
Ontario Bantam Golf Championship at the young
age of 13. With his flashy smile, charming good
looks, and winsome personality, it seemed like
Lars had what it took to bring happiness.
But an inner void and lack of purpose led him

to accept Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and
Lord. Soon Lars began reading the Bible, and
sharing Christ with his friends. After playing
collegiate golf in California and graduating in
mathematics, Lars began working for a major
corporation.
At age 28, Lars began feeling weak, and was diagnosed with severe kidney
failure. He eventually lost his kidneys, his eyesight, and finally his life, at age
35.
During the seven years that Lars’ athletic body, sight, and mobility
deteriorated, his faith in Christ actually deepened. He listened to Christian
radio broadcasts, and never asked, “Why?” Even in his deepest pain, he
believed that God loved him, and had some unknown purpose for his trial.
On his last night, Lars weakly prayed to his heavenly Father, trusting Him
with his future.
...the Holy Spirit
has promised to Q Read Romans 8:28. What is God telling you in this verse that you can trust
give you the Him for? _______________________________________________________________
power to ________________________________________________________________________
withstand
temptation. Just because you are living in to obedience of God’s Word, does not mean you life
will be trouble free. The real test is weither you are trusting God in spite of your
circumstances.
Power over Temptation

We all face numerous temptations daily. Being
tempted is not a sin; it is normal.
When tempted, your choice is either to give in or

to trust God. Giving in to temptation is sin, and
breaks fellowship with God.
Read the following verse carefully, and apply

what it says to any temptations you are currently
facing.
“The temptations that come into your life are

no different from what others experience. And
God is faithful. He will keep the temptation
from becoming so strong that you can’t stand
up against it. When you are tempted, He will
show you a way out so that you will not give in to it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
In this verse, God tells you how to overcome temptation:
• Trust God … that your temptation is normal.

• Trust God … for the ability to withstand it.
• Trust God … to give you a “way out.”
Q In what ways are you trusting God to help you overcome temptation?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Don’t ever say, “The temptation is too strong,” and give in to it. If you are
abiding in God, the Holy Spirit has promised to give you the power to withstand
temptation.
Darrel’s Story
“I was involved in a sexual relationship with Tori whom I had been dating
for two years. When I got back from Young Life Camp, I wanted to please my
Savior. But I tried to rationalize my behavior–
thinking that God might approve. I thought God
would understand my needs.
“But, because I wanted to please Christ, I read

If you are involved
the Bible to see what it said about sexual purity.
in a battle over I realized the importance of obedience to Christ,
temptation, sin, and that sex outside of marriage was wrong. I
or addiction to a knew though, that I didn’t have the strength to
substance or life- break off the relationship with Tori.
style, the power of
the Holy Spirit is “So, by faith, I asked for the Holy Spirit to em-
able to lift you out power me to obey Him. The temptation to have
and give you total sex with Tori was so strong, that I realized we
victory. Choose to needed to quit seeing each other.
trust Him!
“When I chose to obey Him and quit having sex
with Tori, the Holy Spirit gave me a tremendous peace and joy. Since that
decision, life has been truly awesome!”
Darrel took God seriously, and “ran” from the temptation that could have
entrapped him and hindered his walk with Christ. By faith Darrel chose to
obey God … and he won a great victory! (See John 14:21.)
Q What are some steps you can take the next time you are tempted?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Power over Sin

Sin can become addictive, but if you yield to the Holy Spirit, He will give you
His power to overcome that bondage.
Matt’s Story
“Although I was a worship leader in my church, I led a double life. I became

addicted to pornography at eleven years of age. As my addiction grew, my
cravings became more vile and ugly. Soon I was having all-night sessions on
the Internet, and even fantasizing about rape. I was out of control.
“When a godly man told me about the Holy Spirit’s power to break my
addiction, I began looking into God’s Word and memorized its promises. I
discovered God’s awesome power to overcome my addiction.
“My breakthrough came when I began believing and claiming God’s

promises. Whenever I am tempted, I think about a promise in God’s Word
that applies to that particular temptation.
“I then simply focus on His Word, and pray for the Holy Spirit to give me
strength to overcome.
“There are really four keys to my victory over the bondage of sin:
”First, I needed to take the time to memorize and meditate on God’s promises.
When you get up I discovered a treasure of God’s many promises throughout Scripture that are
in the morning, vital to victorious living.
do you call on
God’s power “Second, I confess my sins whenever my thoughts are wrong. According to
to help you 1 John 1:9, I take Him at his Word that I am forgiven. (Exhale … See “Spiritual
through the Breathing.”)
day’s challenges?
“Third, I surrender my thoughts and actions to the Holy Spirit by telling Him
I want to please Him. (Inhale … See “Spiritual Breathing.”)
“Finally, I spend time with my mentor and other Christians who hold me
accountable and encourage me in my walk with Christ.
“As I’ve applied God’s Word to all areas of my life, I have been free from
bondage to sin and addiction. God has blessed me with a wonderful
Christian wife and family. My wife and I are now teaching others how
memorizing God’s promises can help overcome sin and addiction. I feel so
free and joyful now that I have turned my life completely over to the Holy
Spirit’s control.”
In the New Testament we read, “In every battle you will need faith as your
shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan” (Ephesians 6:16).
If you are involved in a battle over temptation, sin, or addiction to a substance

or lifestyle, the power of the Holy Spirit is able to lift you out and give you total
victory. Choose to trust Him!
Power to Bear Fruit

The Holy Spirit will empower you to bear fruit when you are trusting Him, and
abiding in Christ. Abiding in Christ means walking in the Spirit.
In John, Jesus told his disciples: “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who
abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do
nothing” (John 15:5).
Fruit of the Spirit
Jesus compared your life to a branch that is totally dependent on the

grapevine. The purpose of the vine is to produce big juicy grapes. The more fruit
… the more the farmer is pleased.
The Holy Spirit wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life, which is
identified as:
You can ask the

Holy Spirit to give
you His power for
all the details of
your life.
The Fruit of the Spirit results in a heart that God uses to reach others for Christ.
(Read John chapter 15.)
Your Daily Power

When you get up in the morning, do you call on God’s power to help you
through the day’s challenges?
Q Who are you depending on in each area below:
You can ask the Holy Spirit to give you His power for all the details of your
life. God gives you this great promise that you can make yours every single day:
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear … but of power, love, and self-
discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Q In this verse, what does God tell you is not from Him, and what does He
promise to give you?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own under-
standing; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths
straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Q What are you trusting God for right now?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

The Bible:
God’s Love Letter to You!
4
If you received a special letter or email from Jesus … telling you how much He
loves you … and giving you the guidance and direction you need for your daily
issues … would you read it? Would you keep it, cherish it, memorize it, and
continually think about it?
That’s exactly what the Bible is … it’s God’s love letter to you! God’s Word is as
important to your Christian growth as milk is to a new baby.
The Bible
provides the
“road map” Before You Start
for your journey
with God. Begin by obtaining a Bible with good references and helps. You may find a modern
translation easier to understand. Several websites, such as Biblegateway.com, offers
online Bibles for free in different languages.
The Bible is God’s “Road Map” for Your Life

If you were trying to drive to a distant small town you had never been to before …
would you drive by your emotions and instincts … or would you look at a GPS or
road map?
While the road map won’t

tell you what’s just around
the curve, or how bumpy the
road is … it will keep you from
heading in the wrong direction,
giving you guidance for your
trip.
The Bible provides the “road

map” for your journey with
God. It gives you God’s
wonderful promises for each
step of the way. As you read
through the next few pages, you will learn how to use this map to help you grow
and become more mature in Christ.
Changing Habits
Every day you do things out of habit. You get up, eat breakfast, shower, get
dressed, go to school, go to work, etc.
In order to make God’s Word part of your life–you need to make it one of your
daily habits. Pick a time, (mornings work best for many people), then pick a
quiet spot and spend time reading the Bible and thinking about how it applies to
your life. Once you have done it for thirty days, you will have established a habit
that will change your life!
God’s Viewpoint
The Bible gives you God’s answers to all of life’s most important questions:
• God’s Nature
• Your Purpose
• How To Grow In Christ
Every moment of • Moral Decisions
every day, your • Relationships / Sex
mind is flooded • Emotions / Comfort
with information • Trials / Death
… most of it the
world’s viewpoint. “For the Word of God is full of living power…It exposes us for what we
really are” (Hebrews 4:12).
Your Mind…A “Vat”
Every moment of every day, your mind is flooded with information … most of it
the world’s viewpoint.
Your life, and the decisions you make are greatly influenced by what goes into
your “Vat”!
In order for God’s viewpoint to prevail in your life, you must get a good “dose”
of God’s Word … not just a few minutes each day.
Matthew Henry once said: “If you want to get close to God, you must study His
Word.”
Q How does Colossians 3:16 apply to you personally?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
When reading the

Bible, it’s best to
read it slowly and
thoughtfully.
Getting Fed
All of these ways to make God’s Word a bigger part of your life are important.
Let’s look at each of them.
1. How to Hear God’s Word
There are several ways to hear God’s Word taught:

• At Church
• Bible Teachers/Schools
• Christian Seminars
• Bible Web Pages
• Bible Studies
• Bible Tapes CDs/DVDs
• Christian Radio
• Christian Books/Audio Books

Q How are you hearing God’s Word taught, and

what can you do to hear it more often?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q Hearing God’s Word should make you want to read and study it for yourself.
What does Acts 17:11 say?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Whenever you hear God’s Word taught, attempt to learn what the Holy Spirit
is trying to teach you personally, taking good notes, and writing down your
thoughts.
2. How to Read God’s Word
When reading the Bible, it’s best to read it slowly and thoughtfully. Have a good
pen or marking pencil handy to write down your thoughts and underline key
verses.
Make it fun. Go on a “hunt” to find insights God has for you. Then write down
the references so you can locate them later.
If this is your first adventure in reading the

Bible, it’s best to start in the New Testament,
reading at least one of the four Gospels. Many
teachers recommend starting with John.
The book of Acts tells about the actions of the

early Christians. Acts is a “must read” for all
The reason you Christians.
need to study
After Acts, you’ll find the letters to the first
God’s Word is to Christian churches, which give
gain insight into instructions and guidance for daily living.
who God is, and
what He wants to And finally, in the book of Revelation, you will see how Christ is going to end all
do in your life. things in this world, and begin ruling as “King of kings and Lord of lords.” It’s
amazing!
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to
make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches
us to do what is right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully
equipping for every good thing God wants us to do” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Q What book in the Bible are you currently reading? What are you learning?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. How to Study God’s Word
There are several ways you can study the Bible:

• Study an Individual Book (e.g. Acts)
• Study a Passage or Chapter (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5)
• Study a Biblical Theme (e.g. Love)
• Study a Verse (e.g. 2 Corinthians 5:17)
• Study a Biblical Doctrine (e.g. Redemption)
The reason you need to study God’s Word is to gain insight into who God is, and
what He wants to do in your life.
Here is one example of how you can read and think about God’s Word (from
Bert Harned):
A Study of “Discouragement”
“Do you get ‘discouraged, depressed’? I have
found an instant cure for it! YES! It is in Psalm
118:6-8. The NLT says, ‘The Lord is for me so I
will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to
me? Yes, the Lord is for me. He will help me.’”
It was a beautiful cloudless morning when I

noticed these verses, and took the time to think on them. I wrote one word at a
time down on the left margin, and took time to think as deeply as I could about
It is awesome each word, making notes as I went. Start like this:
and exciting to
contemplate “me” The Lord: the mighty, almighty, creator, sovereign, loving, glorious
having such God. That’s who is for me!
intimacy … with
Is: means right now…presently, an absolute certainty!
God Himself!!
For: means He knows me, has my best interests at heart, is not
against me, He is on my side, and knows what is best for me.

Me: means personally, not in general, but specifically, by name.
It is awesome and exciting to contemplate me having such intimacy … with God

Himself!!
“Now it’s your turn; find a quiet place and mentally chew your way through
these verses for yourself.”
Here is another way you can study God’s Word on a daily basis (with a scripture
passage included for you to use as well).
Read 2 Corinthians chapter five, in at least two versions of the Bible if

possible, and write what 2 Corinthians 5:14-17 means to you personally:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
4. How to Memorize God’s Word
The “Topical Memory System” is a proven way to memorize God’s promises.
“How can a You can start with the “Beginning with Christ” packet of five key verses
young person produced by The Navigators (www.navigators.org). We also recommend you
stay pure? select some key verses in this Bible study to memorize. You might want to write
By obeying Your them down on small cards that you can take with you and review daily.
Word and
following its One reason to memorize Scripture is because our memories are short.
rules … I have
After 24 hours, you may accurately remember:
hidden Your • 5% of what you hear
Word in my heart • 15% of what you read
that I might not • 35% of what you study
sin against You.” • 57% of what you see and hear
(Psalm 119:9, 11) • 100% of what you memorize
Noted author and counselor, Henry Brandt, in his book, The Heart of the Problem,
says: “I still consider Bible memorization the single most important aid in my
Christian life and in my counseling.”
It’s actually easy to memorize verses:

• Start with one verse.
• Repeat it several times.
• Explain it in your own words.
• Say it to a friend.
• Test and challenge each other to apply it.
Once memorized, review it without looking for 30 days. It will be yours to take
with you wherever you go!
“How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your Word and following
its rules … I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I might not sin against
You.” (Psalm 119:9, 11)
5. How to Meditate on God’s Word
Meditating on God’s promises throughout the day will help you walk in the
Spirit. Whenever something stressful happens (and it will), think about a verse
that applies to your situation.
Q What does Philippians 4:6-7 say?
_______________________________________________________________________
Power over Bondage

In 1977, New York City was in turmoil because a troubled twenty-four-year-old
man, David Berkowitz, whom the media labeled, “Son of Sam,” went on a killing
spree. His target was young women, and before he was finally caught, five young
women and one man were dead.
During his time in prison, he was approached by a young prisoner named Ricky
Lopez, who told David that regardless of what he had done, Jesus loved him and
died for him.
Ricky gave David a Bible. As David Berkowitz read the Bible, God’s power
began breaking him of his addiction and bondage. In time, the Word of God
brought him to a point of complete repentance—and the “Son of Sam” surren-
dered his life completely to Christ.
Today, David Berkowitz is the Chaplain’s

Assistant at Sullivan Correctional
Facility. (Read this, and other stories of
God’s transforming power in Fresh Power by
Jim Cymbala.)
David Berkowitz was transformed because

he replaced man’s viewpoint with God’s
viewpoint. And, He believed God’s view-
point! He put the right “stuff ” in his VAT.
Getting rid of the “junk” in your VAT, and replacing it with God’s Word takes
time. The amount of time you commit to the Bible is probably the single best
indicator of your walk with Christ, and the best predictor of your future growth
in Christ.
“Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts, and make you
wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other” (Colossians 3:16).
Q Read Psalm 1:1-3, and write your thoughts:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
As you run the race God has set ahead of you, make sure your roots are deeply
planted in God’s Word.
Prayer:
Talking to Your Heavenly Father!
5
Suppose you were having lunch with a friend one day, and your cell phone
rang. You answer, and an unfamiliar, powerful voice calls out your name.
You ask, “Who is this?”
You are totally shocked when the answer comes

back, “I’m your Heavenly Father. I’m calling to
talk with you because you’re my child … and I
haven’t heard from you for a while.”
What do you think your reaction would be?
Would you feel special … scared … excited … nervous … convicted?
God wants you to know Him so well that you will always feel like talking to Him
… even when you sin and have broken fellowship with Him. Read about how
Prayer is vital loving and forgiving your Father’s heart is in the story of the “Prodigal Son” in
to growing in our Luke 15:11-32.
relationship
with God. Prayer is vital to growing in our relationship with God. Prayer is one of the
most incredible privileges you have as a believer … to come directly into God’s
presence and talk with Him about whatever is on your heart. And, He promises
to listen!
Relationship ... Not Rules

When you invited Jesus into your life, you began a relationship with God that
is very personal and intimate. All relationships need good communication to be
healthy.
Jesus’ death for you on the cross made it possible for you to talk directly with
your Father in heaven. Your Father wants you to seek His guidance, comfort,
peace, and intimate companionship at all times…not just when you want things.
He actually desires your companionship! (See Galatians 4:6.)
• THE HOLY SPIRIT helps you pray.

• FAITH makes your prayers effective.
• GOD’S WORD teaches you who God is and how to pray.
Ask Christ to make Himself more real to you.
“You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will
receive, and you will have abundant joy” (John 16:24).
Think about each
one of God’s Knowing Your Father
characteristics.
The first part of this study focuses on God’s character. Once you know who your
Father is, it’s much easier to talk with Him.
Before you begin trying to grasp how totally

amazing your Heavenly Father is … you need
to know that his greatness is far beyond human
understanding. However, His Word does give us
part of the picture!
Attributes of God
• God is Sovereign (In Charge)
• God is Eternal (Always Existed)
• God is Omniscient (All Knowing)
• God is Omnipresent (Everywhere)
• God is Omnipotent (All Powerful)
• God is Immutable (Unchanging)
• God is Holy (Righteous and Set Apart)
• God is Just (Absolutely Fair)
• God is Love (Unconditional Acceptance)
When you talk to • God is Truth (Totally Trustworthy)
your Father,
approach Him Think about each one of God’s characteristics listed below, and how each
with humility and attribute affects your view of God … and your relationship with Him.
respect for His
absolute authority. God is Sovereign (In Charge)
God alone is Ruler of the universe. He has complete authority to do whatever
pleases Him.
When you talk to your Father, approach Him with humility and respect for His
absolute authority.
Q Read Job 1:6-12. Throughout this conversation, who was in control at all times?
_______________________________________________________________________
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Q Whom can you trust at all times?
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Q What does Romans 8:28 mean to you personally?
_______________________________________________________________________
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God is Eternal (Always Exists)
When you talk to You live in a time dimension. God doesn’t. God has always existed, and He
your Father, think always will exist. When you join God in heaven, you will live forever with Him.
about the fact that He gives you eternal life!
wherever you go…
When you talk to your Father, think about the time ahead when you will be with
He is already there.
Him forever and ever!
Q What else has God told us is eternal? (Isaiah 40:8)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q How long will God rule? (Psalm 45:6)
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
God is Omniscient (All Knowing)

And, He knows
what is best for God knows everything in the past. He knows everything that is going on in the
you! universe now. And He knows everything that is going to happen in the future.
Read Psalm 139, and write down your thoughts:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
When you talk to your Father, think about the fact that He knows what you are
going to say … before you say it. He even knows what is going on deep in your
heart. And, He knows what is best for you!
God is Omnipresent (Everywhere)

This universe is about thirty billion light years across … and contains at least ten
trillion stars (more than all the grains of sand on earth). Yet God is present on
every star, and in every inch of space.
Write down your thoughts on Psalm 139:7-8:
_________________________________________________________________
When you talk to your Father, think about the fact that wherever you go … He
is already there. Even during your darkest time … you can count on his being
there.
When you talk God is Omnipotent (All Powerful)

to your Father,
Since God is all-powerful, nothing is difficult for Him. Even the enormous
think about the
power to create the universe was just “finger-work” for Him (Psalm 8:3).
fact that because
He never changes The prophet Jeremiah said: “O Sovereign Lord! You have made the heavens
… His love for and earth by Your great power. Nothing is too hard for You!” (Jeremiah 32:17).
you also never
changes. When you talk to your Father, humbly realize He can do anything. And,
although He cares about every detail in your life, think about how small your
problems are when compared with how awesome He is!
God is Immutable (Unchanging)

Since we are always changing our minds or moods…it is hard to imagine a
God that is always the same, “yesterday, today … and forever!” (Hebrews 13:8).
When you talk to your Father, think about the fact that because He never
changes … His love for you also never changes. It doesn’t fluctuate with your
emotions or deeds. It is also important to understand that because God never
changes … His Word will never change!
God is Holy (Righteous

and Set Apart)
When you talk
to your Father, God has never thought an unrighteous
think about His thought … and never will! He is absolutely
holiness and pure and perfect in every way! (See Psalm
righteousness... 145:17.)
Sin is the exact opposite of God’s nature …

and without Christ’s death for you on the
cross, you would be totally rejected from His
presence. God’s holiness is beyond explanation.
Read Revelation 20:12-15, and write down your thoughts:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
When you talk to your Father, think about His holiness and righteousness … and
how Jesus has made it possible for you to come directly into His awesome
presence.
God is Just (Perfectly Fair)
God is the Supreme Judge of the universe. He cannot make a mistake … and is
always totally fair. There is no “Court of Appeals” (See Jeremiah 9:24.) God
cannot “look the other way” regarding your sin.
When you talk to your Father, think about the fact that He will always be fair by
His perfect standard. You need to trust Him even when you think He has been
When you talk to unfair. (See Genesis 18:25.)
your Father, thank
Him for the promises God is Love (Unconditional Acceptance)
in the Bible.
God will never love you less … and He cannot love you more! The Bible tells us
that God doesn’t just have love … “He is love” (1 John 4:16).
The fact that your Father sent Jesus to suffer and die for you on the cross
illustrates the depth of His love for you (1 John 3:1).
When you talk to your Father, think about the high price He paid for your
salvation, even though you will never fully understand it or appreciate it.
Then thank Him!
God is Truth (Totally Trustworthy)

God cannot lie. Everything He says is true (Titus 1:2).
Q Who claimed to be the “truth” in John 14:6?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What does Jesus say is the “truth” in John 17:17?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
When you talk to your Father, thank Him for the promises in the Bible. Review
the promises … one by one … with Him. Tell Him you want to trust Him!
Read and pray David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29:11-13.
Praying Boldly
Now that you begin to see how awe-inspiring your Heavenly Father is, you may
be afraid to approach Him in prayer. God’s Word tells you that as His child, you
are always welcome in His presence. Go to Him … boldly!
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will
receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it”
(Hebrews 4:16).
Praying with Humility

Although God wants you to talk to Him at all times, it is important that you
approach Him with a humble heart (1 Peter 5:5-6). God opposes human pride,
and wants you to be totally dependent upon His resources.
Praying with Confidence
• Pray According to God’s Word

Learn the following prayer principles and look up the Scripture reference that
Now that you know goes with each one and then … pray expectantly!
Him, you can be
confident … if you
• Family Only
are abiding in Him
… that He will an- God answers the prayers of His children. He also hears and answers prayers of
swer any prayer that non-Christians when they come to Christ in faith for the forgiveness of their sins
is according to His (John 16.24).
perfect will.
• Abiding Answers
Jesus said that an abiding Christian can be confident in his prayers being heard
… and answered according to God’s will.
Q What does John 15:7 say?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Q What does Psalm 66:18-20 say?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
• “Thy Will Be Done”

Jesus modeled the attitude you should have when you come to your Father. You
should desire His will above yours, even though it may be difficult to accept.
(Read Mark 14:32-40)
“And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask anything accord-
ing to His will, He hears us: And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we
ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (1 John 5:14).
Now that you know Him, you can be confident … if you are abiding in Him …
that He will answer any prayer that is according to His perfect will.
• God’s Perfect Timing
If you want your Don’t give up on prayers that don’t get answered right away. One of the signs of
relationship with a Spirit-controlled Christian is “patience” (Galatians 5:22).
Christ to grow,
Countless Christians will tell you stories of God’s faithfulness in answering
plan to meet Him
prayers after many years of continual prayer.
every morning.
• Your Prayer Life
You began your prayer life as a member of God’s family when you invited Jesus
into your life.
Q How has it been going since?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What is different about your prayers since you asked Jesus into your life?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
• Beginning Your Day

If you want your relationship with Christ to grow, plan to meet Him every
morning. Many Christians who are abiding in Christ begin their day with a
“quiet time.” You can start talking to God “before your feet hit the ground,”
as you get out of bed. Say something like this:
“Good morning Lord! Today, before I get going, I just want You to know I love
You … and want to live for You today!”
• Claiming His Promises

Take some of God’s promises with you, and claim them for your day. Here’s a
great verse to get you started:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understand-
ing. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Pray: “Lord, today, I am going to trust You to direct my paths, and I am going to
seek Your will for my life in each situation.”
• Restoring Fellowship by Confession

When you slip and fall, and feel like no one cares, run to your Lord’s waiting
arms. He will comfort you and dry your tears. (Read Romans 8:26-27.)
To restore fellowship with the Holy Spirit, simply tell Him that you have sinned,
(name it), and choose to let Him control your life. He will then restore you to
fellowship with Him (see 1 John 1:9).
• Thank, Praise, and Adore Him

God has done so much for you that it is important to take some time to thank
Him, and think about His love and grace. Read the Psalms, and as you read the
many praises…stop and make them your own. Think about God’s greatness and
His great love for you … and adore Him. (Begin with Psalms 95, 107, 145-150.)
• Requests
God wants you to bring Him your requests. In fact, He delights in your requests
since it is an act of faith and obedience. Never quit asking Him for things that are
biblical and within His will. He promises to answer those prayers … in His time!
Suggestion: For the next 30 days, start a prayer list. Add to it each day.
Write down the following:
• Your personal growth in Christ

• Specific issues you are dealing with
• Needs of friends and family
• Non-Christians you desire to know Christ
• Other Christians you can help grow
If you are reading God’s Word, and allowing the Holy Spirit to control your
life…you will naturally talk with Him more.
Citizens of Heaven:
God’s Family … and You!
6
The apostle Peter told the early believers to think of themselves as part of a
building … with Jesus being the “chief cornerstone.”
It doesn’t matter
“And now God is building you, as living stones into His spiritual temple … You
what color your
are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, His very
skin is, how smart
own possession” (1 Peter 2:5, 9).
you are, how
pretty you are, God is saying wonderful things about you as one of His children. He is saying
what gender that you and all other believers are:
you are, or how
wealthy or • Living Stones in His Spiritual Temple
important you • A Chosen People
are…you are part • A Kingdom of Priests
of Christ’s body • His Very Own Possession
with believers • Citizens of God’s Holy Nation
from all time. You
It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, how smart you are, how pretty you
are a full citizen in
are, what gender you are, or how wealthy or important you are…you are part of
God’s Country … Christ’s body with believers from all time. You are a full citizen in God’s Country
heaven! … heaven! (See Ephesians 2:19.)
Your thoughts:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Christ’s Local Body

You, along with all other Christians of all time make up the body of Christ, the
Church. The Bible also calls a local gathering of believers a “church.”
Jesus made a promise to you and me. When we come together, with Him as our
focus … He is there: “For where two or three gather together because they are
mine, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20).
The Early Church
The book of Acts describes the establishing of the early churches, which met
primarily in homes. The Letters of the New Testament are the instructions
written to those churches by the apostles. Everything the Holy Spirit
commanded and instructed the early believers also applies to the church today.
Everything the
Holy Spirit The commitment of the early church was so strong, and their love for one
commanded and another so great, that within 300 years, Christianity had spread throughout the
instructed the entire Roman Empire. Jesus used them to change the world!
early believers
also applies to The Example of the Early Church
the church today.
To get an understanding of how committed the early Christians were to one
another, read the Book of Acts in the New Testament.
Q What stands out the most to you in your reading of the book of Acts?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q How important were the other believers to Paul, Peter, and the other Apostles?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q How important are other believers to you?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What are you doing to develop relationships with other believers?
_______________________________________________________________________
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Getting Connected
One of the main reasons so many Christians live defeated lives is that they have
isolated themselves from other believers. Paul told the early Christians that they
were each vital “parts” of the “body of Christ.”
Every part of your body is important. If your little toe hurts, it can make your
day miserable. The invisible parts, such as the heart, liver, and kidneys are vital
for the life of the entire body. It is similar in the body of Christ.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:14-27 and write what Paul said about each part of the
“body”:
Q Who is the “HEAD”?
_______________________________________________________________________
You are a unique
creation of God. Q Who are the “MEMBERS”?
_______________________________________________________________________
Q Are any “MEMBERS” insignificant?
_________________________________________________________________
Q What are some of the most important “PARTS”? (v.22)
_________________________________________________________________
When you are joined together with other believers who are growing in Christ,
you encourage one another, and keep each other “fired up” in your mutual faith.
You enjoy one another’s company and build meaningful relationships together.
Coming together with other believers

in Christ’s name is similar to hot coals,
which keep each other hot when lumped
together. However, a coal that is separated
from the others will soon grow cold. If you
aren’t already attending a Christ-centered,
Bible-teaching church, ask God to lead
you to one. He will help you find the right
one.
Unique Gifts
You are a unique creation of God. He has given you unique gifts that are needed
in the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Paul tells you some vital things
about your gifts:
Q Who gave you your gifts? (v. 11)
_______________________________________________________________________
Q Which gift is most important? (vv. 21-23)
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What are you warned against? (v. 25)
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What are you to do for others? (v. 26)
_______________________________________________________________________
Sadly, many leave the job of doing God’s work to those with gifts that are more
obvious … such as the speaking gifts. However, God’s Word is clear that each
gift is vital to His Kingdom.
Love is the key
to all of our The entire body of Christ is commissioned and gifted to accomplish Jesus’ Great
relationships … Commission … to “go into all the world and tell the Good News to everyone.”
In one way, your role in the church is similar to a player on a basketball, foot-
ball, or soccer team. Unless each player uses his skill and talent to play, the game
could be lost. To win, each player must do his job well. He has gifted you to play
your part in building God’s Kingdom.
The Key to Loving Relationships

Jesus knows your heart. He knows the difficulty we all have at times with one
another. As humans, we all are tempted to gossip, judge, get angry, and accuse
one another.
And yet, Jesus truly desires for us to love one another … and model His love to
the world. Listen to what He told his disciples in some of His last comments to
them:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I
have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will
prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35).
How many times have we failed Jesus by disobeying this command?

Unfortunately, far too often.
Love is the key to all of our relationships … but how do we get it? God gives us
the answer in Paul’s letter to Timothy: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear
and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Q According to this verse, where does love come from?
_______________________________________________________________________
God’s Word tells us what love really means, and the fruit it produces in your
daily interaction with others. (Read Galatians 5:22.)
The Corinthian Church was full of “baby” Christians whom Paul called “carnal,”
or “fleshly.” They had accepted Christ’s love for them, but treated each other
largely from a selfish point of view. They were jealous, and continually griping
and arguing (1 Corinthians 3:1-4).
Q What do you think is the solution to that kind of behavior?
_______________________________________________________________________
Paul told the Corinthians what Christ’s love is like when we’re controlled by the
Holy Spirit:
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no
record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith,
is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (1 Corinthians
13:4-7).
“Love is patient
and kind...” Read the entire 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians, and write down your thoughts:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Remember when we were studying the Holy Spirit? It is the Holy Spirit that
gives you power to love with Christ’s love by faith. You can’t generate it on your
own. Love is the result of abiding in Christ.
Loving by Faith
Corrie ten Boom was one of the few women who survived the torture and
humiliation of Ravensbruck … a Nazi prison camp during World War II.
Corrie’s faith in Christ had remained strong, even

during times of degradation when she and all
the other women were paraded naked in front of
heckling male prison guards.
The war was now over, and Corrie had devoted

herself to speaking in churches of Christ’s love
and forgiveness.
One day, at a church service in Munich, Corrie was startled to see the SS man
who was her former prison guard when she and the other women were herded
into the showers like cattle.
Corrie recalls the incident in her book, The Hiding Place:
“He came up to me. ‘How grateful I am for your message … to think that, as
you say, He has washed all my sins away!’
“His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often
… the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side. Even as the angry, vengeful
thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for
this man; was I going to ask for more?
“‘Lord Jesus,’ I prayed, ‘forgive me and help me to forgive him.’
“I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not
the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so, I breathed a silent prayer.
‘Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me your forgiveness.’
“As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder
along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to
him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost over-
whelmed me.
“And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than our
goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His.
Take some time “When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command,
alone with God to the love itself.” (The Hiding Place, Fleming H. Revell Co.)
confess your in-
No matter how hard Corrie tried she didn’t have the power in herself to love this
ability to forgive,
former enemy who had humiliated her.
and ask the Holy
Spirit to forgive Yet she knew that Christ had commanded her to love everyone, even her
others through enemies.
you.
By faith, Corrie confessed her sin, and turned the matter over to God. Her faith
resulted in the power to obey. And, her obedience resulted in the great joy and
peace that only comes when we abide in Christ.
Q Can you think of people in your life you can’t forgive?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Q What does God tell us to do in Ephesians 4:32?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Take some time alone with God to confess your inability to forgive, and ask the
Holy Spirit to forgive others through you. As you abide in Him, He will give you
the power!
Q Jesus was our greatest example of forgiving others. Who did He forgive in
Luke 23:34?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Joining Others
If you aren’t already connected with others who love Jesus Christ, you are miss-
ing out on God’s best for your life. He wants us to be part of a body where we
use our gifts to build His Kingdom.
How to get started:
• Ask God to direct you to other believers.
• Attend a Bible-teaching and outreaching church.
• Join a small Bible study and prayer group.
• Use your gifts to reach others for Christ.
• Find a mature believer who will “disciple” you.
• Ask God for someone you can disciple.
“If we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ is, then we have
fellowship with each other” (1 John 1:7).
Q Read Hebrews 10:24-25. How can you apply these verses to your life?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Obedience: Running to Win
7
In John 15, Jesus tells us that an abiding life is essential if we are to produce fruit
for Him. Jesus also tells us that the only way to abide in Him is to be obedient to
His commands.
“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have
kept my Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:10).
If you are truly running to win the prize God has for you, then aim to please
Christian growth is
Christ by obeying His commands. Jesus said, “If you love me, obey my
a lifelong process.
commandments” (John 14:15).
Jesus is not saying that we are saved by obedience. Neither is He saying that we
will lose our salvation when we disobey Him.
Many people think that God loves us more
when we obey Him than when we disobey
Him.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
However, just as a loving parent disciplines

a disobedient child, God will discipline us
when we disobey. His love is expressed by
discipline, not rejection. He wants the best for us, and that means He wants us to
trust and obey Him.
The entire Christian life is to be lived by faith, not works. Other religions give
lists of rules to follow. But when we see how much God loves us, and that Jesus
paid the ultimate price for our sins, we will want to obey Him. Trusting the Holy
Spirit with your life will result in a life of obedience to his Word.
Don’t be disappointed when progress in your Christian walk doesn’t happen as

quickly as you want. Christian growth is a lifelong process. God is patient with
you, and will never take His love away from you. Remember, the Holy Spirit
will give you victory any moment you choose to obey Him.
Many Christians say they trust God with their lives, but refuse to obey His
Word. James calls their faith “dead.” The abiding life however, is to be lived by
faith, trusting in God’s promises even when we are going through trials and
don’t understand how God is answering our prayers. Remember the two circles
we looked at earlier?
Q Which circle represents your life?
_______________________________________________________________________
If Christ is directing your life, it will result in a transformation of both your walk
and your talk. In other words, your character will become more like Christ’s
character, and your words and actions will sound and look like Him.
The Walk
We have already seen that a life of obedience to Christ is based upon faith in His
Word. You and I are totally unable to live the Christian life in our own strength.
However, by faith in His promises, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to over-
come trials and temptations. As we surrender our lives to Him, He conforms us
into His likeness.
Jesus is totally unlike us. Let’s take a look at just a few of the differences:
JESUS IS: MAN IS:

• Holy • Sinful
• Loving • Unloving
• Humble • Proud
• Forgiving • Unforgiving
• Obedient • Disobedient
In spite of the differences, the Holy Spirit is continually conforming us into

Christ’s image. What does Paul tell us in Galatians 4:19?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Personal Holiness
One of God’s attributes is holiness, which means He is morally pure and
righteous, set apart from any unclean thought or deed.
The Holy Spirit is working in our lives to remove all filthiness and lustful
thinking.
Nancy DeMoss writes, “True holiness starts on the inside–with our thoughts,
attitudes, values, and motives–those innermost parts of our hearts that only
God can see. It also affects our outward and visible behavior: ‘Be holy in all your
conduct.’”
Q What does Peter say in 1 Peter 1:15-16?
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 6:18-20?
_______________________________________________________________________
Love for Others

The Holy Spirit is actively at work in giving us His supernatural love for others.
... the Holy Spirit
His love is forgiving rather than judgmental, patient rather than irritable, and
gives us the power compassionate rather than easily angered and embittered towards others. Corrie
to overcome trials ten Boom was only able to love the prison guard who demeaned and abused her
and temptations. when she made the choice to love him by faith.
Many Christians are able to put on a good front, which appears loving, while
holding deep grudges and resentments inside. Christ’s love is totally different;
it begins on the inside.
Since it is impossible for us to simply improve our sinful natures, our act of
obedience is to surrender our lives to the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to make us
like Christ.
Q What does Paul say in Galatians 3:3?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What is Paul’s solution in Galatians 2:20?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What does a Christ-centered life look like in Galatians 5:22?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What areas of your walk with Christ have changed to become more like Him?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Q What areas have not changed that still need to be surrendered to Him?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Your Greatest Investment
Have you ever thought of your life as an investment? Jesus did. He continually
compared your life with an investment of money. Jesus wants you to invest your
life for the greatest possible return. He wants you to help build His Kingdom.
Q How are you currently investing your life?
The Holy Spirit is ________________________________________________________________________

actively at work
________________________________________________________________________
in giving us His
supernatural love
for others. The Three Servants
Jesus told the story (in Luke 19) of a prince who had left his three servants a
huge amount of money to invest for him. He would settle with them when he
returned years later. When the time came to settle, and reward them for their
faithfulness, the prince asked them for an accounting. The first servant said,
“Master, I doubled your money.”
The prince was elated, and said, “Great job! Because you’ve earned me so
much on that small investment, I’m going to put you in charge of ten cities!”
The second servant said, “Master, I made a fifty percent return on your
investment.” The prince said to him, “I’ll put you in charge of five cities.”
The third servant said, “Master, here’s

your money, safe and sound. I kept it
hidden in the basement since I was afraid
to lose it. I know you … don’t put up with
fools.”
The prince was extremely disappointed…

and told him, “You’re right that I don’t put
up with fools…and you have been a fool!
Why didn’t you at least invest the money in a savings so that I would have
gotten a little interest on it?”
Then turning to the others standing nearby, the prince ordered, ‘Take the
money from this servant, and give it to the one who earned the most.’ They
objected, and said, ‘But master, he already has double…”
The prince then said, “That’s what I mean: Risk your life and get more than
you ever dreamed of. Play it safe and end up holding the bag” (Luke 19:12-
27, The Message).
Jesus told His disciples this story to give them the picture that God expects a
return on our lives. In other words, He wants our lives to “count” for Him.
Life on earth is short. Soon it will be over—then it will be too late to invest your
life for Christ.
The Judgment Seat of Christ
The Bible makes it abundantly clear that when your life is over, you will have the
great honor to stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and receive rewards for
your faithful service to Christ. (See 2 Corinthians 5:10.)
All believers will give an account of their walk with Christ, but unfortunately not
all will receive rewards.
Q What does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 3:11-15?
Have you ever _______________________________________________________________________

thought of your life
_______________________________________________________________________
as an investment?
Jesus did. Jesus wants you to invest your life for the greatest possible impact for His
Kingdom. Like the prince who rewarded the first servant who doubled his
investment, Jesus greatly desires to reward you.
Expand Your Territory

In The Prayer of Jabez, author Bruce Wilkinson relates how a relatively unknown
man from the Old Testament, Jabez, asked God for
“expanded territory” (1 Chronicles 4:9-10). Jabez
wanted to be special for God. He wanted to invest
his life for the greatest return. (This book will greatly
challenge you.)
D.L. Moody was a man who asked God to expand

his territory. He made this statement: “The world has
yet to see what one man who is totally sold out to
Jesus Christ can accomplish. By God’s grace, I want
to be that man!”
Q What “expanded territory” are you asking God to give you?
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Ambassadors for Christ

In the same passage of Scripture that Paul tells the Corinthian believers about the
Judgment Seat of Christ, Paul tells them another important fact:
“We are Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
A country selects an ambassador to represent them in the highest manner to

another land. Great care is made by the King or President to select the finest
representative.
Your King has selected you to represent Him. You are God’s choice to reach
others for Him. You are Christ’s “witness.”
Your witness for Christ takes two basic forms:
• Witness by your “walk”
• Witness by your “talk”
Walk Before You Talk

One reason to grow in your relationship with Christ is so others can see Christ
in the way you live. This can have a huge impact on others. Jesus said: “Let your
good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly
Father” (Matthew 5:16).
Write down your thoughts on being Christ’s Ambassador:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Jesus wants you to Work in Progress

invest your life for
Don’t let the fact that you are a “work in progress” stop you from sharing Christ
the greatest possible with others. Satan would love for you to keep silent about your new relationship
impact for His with Christ.
Kingdom.
However, if you are not living for Christ, that behavior will be obvious, and
sharing Christ will appear hypocritical to others.
Q Is there anything holding you back from sharing Christ with your friends and
others?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Telling Others the Good News

Have you ever thought about how many people you know, or rub shoulders
with, who are hurting … and are disillusioned with life? In fact, some get so
despondent that they consider ending it all.
Q Can you think of some people you have the opportunity to share Christ with?
________________________________________________________________________
How to Share Christ with Others

You don’t need to be an expert in the Bible, or have years of experience with
Christ to witness for Him. There are several ways you can verbally share Christ
on a daily basis.
Informal Sharing
You don’t have to make a complete presentation of the Gospel to make an impact
Don’t let the fact for Christ. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead you to someone who is open to hearing
that you are a “work more about Christ:
in progress” stop
you from sharing • Invite a friend to church or a study group which you attend.
Christ with others. • Give your personal testimony.
• Ask someone to join you at a Christian event.
• Introduce a friend to other Christians.
• Give out a Christian book or tract.
• Refer someone to Y-Jesus.com or another Christian website.
The key to informal witnessing is to be available … and to ask God to lead you.
He will! He has been waiting for you to ask Him!
Presenting Christ’s Claims Directly

Everyone needs an opportunity to hear the complete story of how much God
loves him/her personally. Once you have established a relationship with a
person, and “earned the right to be heard,” pray for an opportunity to share
Christ with them.
We recommend you read, “Is Jesus Relevant Today?” at Y-Jesus.com and take
time to print it out. You might want to give an extra copy to the person with
whom you are sharing Christ. This article emphasizes the fact that Christianity
is a relationship with Jesus Christ rather than a set of rules to follow.
Most people reject Christianity because they really don’t understand what it is
all about, or they misunderstand and think it is just “religion.” They don’t realize
that it a relationship with their Creator … Jesus Christ! The best way to witness
… so that people really understand what the Bible says … is to make a concise
presentation of the Gospel with your testimony and biblical references.
In the following area briefly write out your testimony about how you received
Christ, and how He has changed you (use another sheet of paper if necessary).
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Here are some additional ideas on preparing and sharing your faith with another
person:
Pray
Go to God about your friends … before you go to your friends about God. Ask
God to prepare the person’s heart and to control you by the Holy Spirit.
Use a Gospel Tract

In order to be concise and not get side-tracked, use a good Gospel tract, such as
The Four Spiritual Laws by Bill Bright (New Life Publications), or The Bridge
(Navpress).
Use a Bible
Carry a small Bible with you that has key verses underlined. It’s best to use a
modern translation, such as the New Living Translation. Try to memorize the key
verses for each point of the Gospel.
Most people reject Share Your Personal Testimony

Christianity because Write out your personal testimony, and review it with a friend until you can
they really don’t present it naturally in 3 to 5 minutes. Keep focused on how Christ has changed
understand what it your life … and how much He means to you. Be enthusiastic … but not phony.
is all about, or they Be transparent … and let them know this is real for you.
misunderstand and
think it is just Stay Focused
“religion.” You fight a spiritual battle when you share Christ with an unbeliever. There may
be unusual interruptions … or the person might try to evade the real issues and
get you off track. Pray, and keep focused on Christ’s love … and His death for
them on the cross. Emphasize how important they are to God.
Ask For A Decision

When you have shared Christ with someone, and he or she is open to the mes-
sage, don’t be afraid to ask for a decision. As the Holy Spirit leads, expect God to
be working in their heart. Ask one of the following questions:
• “Does this make sense to you?”

• “Would you like to accept God’s Gift?”
• “Would you like to make sure?”
• “Would you like to ask Jesus into your life?”

If the person you are sharing with is ready to receive Christ, pray with him or
her, using the prayer in your tract, or the one that was included earlier in this
booklet.
The Next Step

Once a person has come to Christ, it is vital that you share with them how they
can grow in their relationship with God. Schedule a time to go through this
booklet with them.
It is also vital that they immediately get connected with other Christians …
preferably people with whom they can relate.
Passing the Baton
When you lead a person to Christ, you are “passing the baton” to them. Teach
them from God’s Word the discipleship principle Paul taught Timothy, so they
will pass it on to others: “Teach these great truths to trustworthy people who are
able to pass them on to others” (2 Timothy 2:2).
When you lead a For those who take God’s Word seriously
person to Christ, and want to be discipled, it is strongly
you are “passing recommended that you schedule regular
the baton” to them. meetings (at least every other week), to
get deeper into the Bible. Both a small
group Bible study and one-on-one
discipleship are recommended for a new
believer.
Run to Win!
Your race goes on … and there are many miles to go!
Marathon runners often get weary during the long race. Some quit. Those who
finish strong are focused on the finish line, the satisfaction of doing well, and the
prize ahead.
God’s Word tells you how to finish strong:
“Let us strip off every weight that slows us down … And let us run with
endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes
on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish” (Hebrews 12:12).
Q What weight is slowing you down?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Q What changes have you made to assure a well-run race?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Q What’s the most important thing you have learned in this study?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
When Christ is the center of your life, everything will be different. Your life will
be full of joy and peace. You will want to please Him. God will give you love
for other people, even your enemies. He can take ordinary people and make our
lives purposeful and fruitful.
“By His mighty power at work within us, He is able to accomplish infinitely
more than we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20).
Are you ready to risk it all for Christ? He is completely trustworthy … and will
be with you in every mile of your race … even when you are weary and feel like
quitting. Memorize these verses and hold on to God’s purpose for your life!
“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will run and
not grow weary. They will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).
“It is the will of God that you keep on running. Run well, and receive the
prize!” (1 Corinthians 9:24-26).
“I know what I am planning for you,” says the LORD. “I have good plans
for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future”
(Jeremiah 29:11).
Additional Resources
New Life in Christ

As a new believer, you need a basic understanding about your new life in Christ. These
Bible study lessons will help you grow in your relationship with God. You will discover
how faith, prayer, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will help you live an adventurous and
purposeful Christian life.
[Go to JesusOnline.com/eds/new-life]
Download Bible
Want to study the Bible, but don’t have one of your own? You can now get free Bible
downloads of the New King James Bible, the New International Version Bible, and many
other Bible versions in more than 100 languages.
[Go to JesusOnline.com/follow-Jesus/Gods-word/download-bible]
Devotionals
These insightful online devotionals will help make your daily Bible study more effective
and meaningful.
[Go to JesusOnline.com/follow-Jesus/Gods-word/devotionals]
Bible Study Tools

Could you benefit from the ability to search in the Bible for specific passages or phrases
as you study the Bible?
[Go to JesusOnline.com/follow-Jesus/Gods-word/bible-study-tools]
Frequently Asked Questions

• God
• Jesus and the Evidence
• Jesus and His Claims
• Reliability of the Bible
• Next Steps in Your New Relationship with Jesus
• Help with Personal Circumstances
[Go to JesusOnline.com/email]
Websites
• Y-Jesus.com
• JesusOnline.com
• ExtremeLivingGuide.com
• BiblicalCounselingInsights.com
About Us
Find out more about JesusOnline Ministries at JesusOnlineMinistries.org.

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Beginning with Christ

© 2016 by JesusOnline Ministries. All rights reserved.

1. Becoming a New Person in Christ............................................................................. 6

2. The Holy Spirit–God’s Gift to You………………………............................................ 14

3. Faith–The Key to Walking in the Spirit.................................................................... 20

4. The Bible–God’s Love Letter to You! ...................................................................... 32

5. Prayer–Talking to Your Heavenly Father................................................................. 39

6. Citizens of Heaven–God’s Family … and You! ....................................................... 47

He built a fire on the hearth and banished

In the joy of this new relationship I said

In order for you to run your best race for

You and I will also face our

In order to understand why God

How You Got Here

The problem is that we all have made

Q In Romans 3:23, how many have sinned?

Q Who is Jesus Christ to you?

Read “Was Jesus the Messiah?” on Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecies at Y-Jesus.com.

Jesus Claimed To Be God

• “I AM the bread of life” (John 6:35).

Who is Jesus according to the following verses?

Colossians 2:9 ____________________________________________________

Revelation 22:12-16 _______________________________________________

Q What convinced you?

Jesus’ disciples fled in fear when

God’s Free Gift

Jesus wants to How to Join God’s Family

Faith versus Feelings

Where Are You Going After You Die?

Your Inheritance in Christ

Growth is God’s Plan for You

The Indwelling Holy Spirit

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Q Acts 5:3-4 ____________________________________________________________

Q John 14:16-17 _________________________________________________________

Your Best Friend

“I always put my friends above God. In fact, my life revolved around my

“Pretty soon I got involved in

“One day someone told me that

More like Christ

Q Whose work is it according to Philippians 2:13? ___________________________

Q What qualities do you look for in a friend? _______________________________

Battle of the Will

Q What does Galatians 5:16-18 say about this warfare? _______________________

Q According to Galatians 5:16-23, contrast the two different lives:

The Self-Controlled Life The Spirit-Controlled Life

Q What does Ephesians 5:18 tell us? _______________________________________

A New Way to Think

Two Types of Christians

A New Way to Live

Q What does this commitment mean to you? _________________________

Q What does Hebrews 11:6 say about faith? ________________________________

Lewis explains that the point of our exis-

But Jesus knew they were not ready. Even after

Feelings Are Fickle

Q Why are feelings not enough? __________________________________________

• Power to abide in Christ and love others.

Q What does Romans 8:32 say about God’s trustworthiness? _________________

Joni had trusted Christ for salvation in her youth