What is Salvation?

We wanted to provide people with two things in this section. First you may not be a believer in Jesus Christ and understand how Salvation works or know how to be saved. We want to show you how to go about it if you are interested in making your Peace with God. Secondly, you may have doubts about whether you are saved or not. This should settle those doubts. Read on.

If you by faith believe that God exists and He rewards those who earnestly seek Him, you are headed the right way to find Him. 

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 N I V

To understand salvation one needs to understand that all have sinned.

“When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” Romans 5:12 NLT

All have sinned and the result of this is death.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 N I V

We have all sinned; we have fallen short of God’s standard of righteousness.

“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 NLT

Due to the fact that we have fallen short of God’s standard of righteousness, He had to make a way to redeem man to be able to live with Him in harmony, in eternity in a sinless state, so He sent His Son to die for us so that we might live. His Son’s name was Jesus Christ.

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 N I V

Sin separates us from God. It is only through Christ’s willing sacrifice and death on the cross that the penalty for our sin was paid and bridged the gap between God and people. 

“Christ died once for our sins. An innocent person died for those who are guilty. Christ did this to bring you to God.” 1 Peter 3:18. CEV 

If you believe in His Son, you will receive eternal life; if not, you will be under His judgment. His wrath or judgment is discipline unto righteousness.

“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.” John 3:36 N I V 

The first step to stop His judgment on you is to believe what Jesus did for you, turn from your old sinful ways, and begin to walk out your new life in a new way, God’s way. Christ died to bridge the gap so we could have access to a holy God and actually have a real interactive personal relationship with the Creator of the universe, the one and only true God.

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” John 3:17 N I V

Our spirits live forever, so we can be under eternal judgment or we can be walking in God’s blessings of eternal life. 

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 N I V

When you ask Jesus Christ into your heart as Lord and King you become God’s child. 

“Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name [nature-AP], He gave the right to become children of God—“John 1:12 N I V

When you ask Him into your heart, you need to confess with your mouth that “Jesus is Lord” and believe that God raised Him from the dead after being crucified, and you will be saved.

“But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:8-10 N I V

We do not receive this by any works of our own but by His grace through faith, and that faith not being our own but a gift from God. We cannot do enough good deeds or charitable acts to earn salvation.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9 N I V

Some people think that there must be more than one way to Heaven, but Jesus was clear when He said:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 N I V

Once you accept God’s free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, He leaves you with a deposit of Himself—His Spirit, the Holy Spirit. 

“And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:13-14 N I V

He is able to come live on the inside of you to help you live this life in a better more right and Godly way. You will find peace and joy in your new relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; the three are One. It is a supernatural work He does in your heart when you invite Him in.

God loves you so much that He put the choice in your hands.  He gave us free will so we could choose how we would spend this precious life we were given. The Holy Spirit draws, but he does not drag. He is knocking at your heart’s door right now; feel free to invite Him in.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Revelation 3:20 N I V

If you would like to ask Jesus into your heart, here is how you can be saved:

1. Realize your need for God. That you cannot overcome your hurts, hang-ups, or habits without Him.

2. Admit you are a sinner. (I am a sinner. I’ve been running my own life.)

3. Be willing to turn from your sin.

4. Trust that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.

5. Invite Jesus Christ to come into your life and lead you in a new relationship with God. (Receive Him as your Lord and Savior.)

6. Give him permission to have access to the areas of your life where you need help so that He can help you to deal with the sin within. 

How to Pray:

Dear Lord Jesus,

I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from running my own life, and now ask you to run it. I invite you to come into my heart and life. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior.

If you prayed this prayer sincerely from your heart be assured you are now a part of God’s forever family. You may have heard the term “Born Again” Christian. That’s what you are now. Have confidence in this. This is the first step in your new life with Christ. You will need His help to continue “to work out your Salvation” as the Bible says. This is a work that God works out with you now that you have responded to His invitation. 

When God works with you to “work out your Salvation” He is in fact like a gardener tending His garden. That garden is you. It is the soft ground of your heart in which he works. He plants and waters and helps to pull out the weeds that are growing there too. These weeds are the sin within that the Bible says will choke out the good growth in your life if not tended to. Salvation is not just a onetime prayer but a continual process of surrendering more of your garden to His tender, loving care. 

So, if you took your first step of faith and prayed that prayer, you are ready to begin your journey to knowing God through Christ our Savior. 

We have a few suggestions for you.

You need to get a Bible and start reading. Start with the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament (the second half of the Bible where Jesus came on the scene). The first four “books” of the New Testament are the gospels and share Jesus’ ministry to the early Christians. They were written by His disciples and contain a record of Christ’s spoken words (the red letters.) The books after those have a lot of instruction on how to live as our Lord did, how to follow Him in the walk he has designed for you. All of the Bible is God’s inspired Word; it is one of the main ways He speaks to us. One of the Holy Spirit’s jobs is to teach you and He will as you read. 

Spend some time talking to God. We call talking to God prayer, and while some people have heard God in an audible voice, most hear God speaking to them in a quiet inner voice in their spirit or by the Word of God which is the Bible. Talk to Him like a friend, He is one.

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Begin reading this book along with the Bible and it will help you get freer from the bondages of those sins for which you asked forgiveness (the ways of your former life), so you can fight the temptation to do them. By using what we call “the process” in this book, God will deliver you more from the negative things that have plagued you. It is part of “working out your salvation” which will be explained as you read the book. It will help you mature as a Christian. 

As Christ’s representative in a hurting, needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others. Tell others of your new found relationship with Christ.

There are gifts that the Holy Spirit desires to give you such as speaking in tongues and prophesying and boldness to speak His Word which can come to those who are willing to receive, if you ask. So just ask Him not to withhold any good gift He has for you and to fill you with His Spirit and you will find even greater breakthrough in your relationship with God because you don’t limit what He wants to give you. This is known as the baptism of the Holy Spirit which you will learn about when you read in the Book of Acts, the fifth book in the New Testament. There is also a baptism with water that is symbolic of the washing away of the old and being resurrected into new life, a statement of commitment before men that you are a follower of Jesus Christ. 

"I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire [to burn away the sin nature-AP].” Matthew 3:11 N I V

“For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:5 N I V

We are thrilled that you have made this choice to follow the Lord and would love to hear of your decision to begin the greatest journey of your life. You can let us know by clicking on the “contact us” tab and sending us a note. God Bless You!

 Al and Karen Prosser

KingdomKeysToDeliverance.org 2021