What is Salvation and Do l Need it?
By Madeline Kalu
15 min read
Did you know that Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the world? Across the globe, there are over 2 billion people who identify themselves as Christians.
So, what is the definition of a Christian?
There are some who only go to Church at Easter and Christmas, and yet if you ask them, they claim to be Christians. Then there are those who do go to church religiously (pun intended) every Sunday. However, their concept of Christianity is based on performing weekly lip service and long-standing and dare l say, archaic rituals established by their particular ecclesiastical institution. Can these people be defined as Christians?
And what about those, who, when filling out forms, tick the “Christian” box under the category “Religion”, because they think that maybe God exists and are therefore unwilling to tick the “Atheist” box?
Are these people and others making up the aforementioned 2 billion+ defenders of the Christian faith?
Let me clear something up from the offset:
A Christian is not religious.
What, you’re thinking? Of course, they’re religious! After all, Christianity is a religion, just like Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, and other religions!
And it is – from a worldly point of view. Christianity is categorized under “religion” because it shares a commonality with other world religions in that one or several divine deities are worshiped.
However, as Christians, we differ greatly from believers of other faiths.
How?
We have a Savior called Jesus Christ who took on human form and died on a Cross on a hill in Jerusalem called Calvary. He did this to save us from eternal death as a result of our sins. In acknowledgment of His sacrifice and the admittance that we cannot save ourselves from our own sinful nature, we accept Jesus’ gift of Salvation. Consequently, we are born again as new creations, freed from the bondage of sin to live in eternal righteousness with God, Jesus’ Father, who is our Lord of Lords, our King of Kings, and our Creator.
Therefore, to define what a Christian is – we have a relationship with Jesus Christ.
So, what is Salvation? Do l need to get saved? And if so, how do l go about it?
Let’s delve deeper.
The Definition of Salvation
Many of us know that the word “salvation” means to be saved or “salvaged”. This implies that in order to be saved, a danger must be evident from which we need to be rescued. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines “salvation” as “preservation from destruction or failure, deliverance from danger or difficulty.”
In Christianity, this definition of salvation is solidified through the Hebrew word yasa, which means “to be liberated, saved, delivered, be victorious”. It entails both a physical and a spiritual deliverance.
However, what are Christians being liberated from and how does it make us victorious?
Well, we’re being saved from ourselves.
You see, we as humans are sinful. We were born in sin and we continue to commit sinful acts throughout our whole lives. It all started in the Book of Genesis when Satan approached Eve in serpent form. He tricked Eve into taking the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Life, which she then gave to Adam to share. From that moment on, Adam and Eve had obtained knowledge they weren’t ready to receive and they had broken God’s one rule – to not touch the forbidden fruit. Thus, they had exposed themselves to God’s wrath.
This Fall resulted in creating a cleft between God and humans, a spiritual divide if you will, for God cannot bear to be in the presence of sin. Consequently, we were destined to spend eternity in hell after death as a consequence of our sinful trespasses.
However, God loved us too much to let us fall prey to Satan and his schemes (John 3:16 NIV). He had made us in His image when He created the earth and wanted us to abide with and in Him.
A blood sacrifice was the ransom price required to pay for our eternal freedom and to bring us back into a relationship with our Creator. Therefore God sent His son Jesus Christ as His sacrificial lamb to pay that price with His blood, which He shed on the Cross.
“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’”
This doesn’t mean that we stop committing sins once we are saved. After all, we remain human after receiving Salvation, and we humans are prone to making mistakes again and again, right? The difference is that through Salvation, God forgives us for the sins that we committed in the past, that we commit today, and that we will unknowingly commit in the future. Our Salvation is always ongoing. What an awesome God we have!
What’s important to consider with Salvation is not only what we are being saved from, but also what we are being saved to. Let’s look into this.
The Gifts of Salvation
We are saved to many things when we give our lives to Christ. I wish l could mention more in this article, but here are a few of them:
1. We become new creations in Christ
Accepting God’s gift of Salvation means we get a second start in life. We are forgiven and cleansed of our sins, which belong to the “old” us: In fact, God doesn’t remember them anymore. We become a new creation spiritually, which also manifests itself physically. People will immediately notice the difference!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Hello to the 2.0 version of you!
2. We become God’s Children
You may have heard Christians refer to the Lord as “Father God”. In fact, “Father” or “abba” in Hebrew is one of the many names that God is known by.
When you get saved, the Lord becomes your spiritual father (1 Corinthians 4:15). And just like a father cares for his child, God loves you unconditionally, provides for you, protects you, and fights for you.
“‘Abba, Father,’ Jesus said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.’”
And as a bonus, your fellow Christians become your spiritual brothers and sisters.
Welcome to the family!
3. We are transferred from the realm of Darkness into the realm of God’s Light
The realm of spiritual darkness is Satan’s domain, which is hell. Jesus came as the Light of the World to rescue us from eternal life in hell and bring us to His Father’s Kingdom of Light (Colossians 1:13).
John 8:12 confirms this:
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
4. We are declared as justified by God
Through the transference from the kingdom of Darkness to God’s kingdom of Light, the stain of sin is removed from us and we are made righteous in the sight of God.
God pronounces us as such, which is called “justification”. It is His declaration to all, including Satan, that we are redeemed, forgiven, and cleansed of our sins. We are no longer to be defined by what we did in the past, but we are to be recognized by our new selves.
“Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!”
5. We become co-heirs with Jesus Christ
Just as a father passes on his legacy to his children, so too, do we inherit all that God owns – which is the universe and everything in it – with Jesus, who is our co-heir. In fact, God promises us that we will one day rule the earth alongside Jesus.
Did you know that the streets in Heaven are paved in gold (Revelation 21:21)? If the streets in the heavenly realm are that valuable, how much more impactful is your inheritance on earth?
“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory.”
6. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell inside us
The moment we get saved, the Holy Spirit indwells us. He is our divine seal, which claims us as being God’s people (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Our bodies become the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20); therefore, we need to look after our physical and mental well-being and not commit acts that will offend Him, for we have been bought with a price. These include not taking harmful substances (Ephesians 5:18), not committing acts of sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18-20), and not using our words to deceive people or bring them down (Ephesians 4:29).
Having the Holy Spirit dwell in us is a truly life-changing experience, for He takes on multiple roles to guide and strengthen us in our walk. His many names reflect these roles: Comforter (John 14:16 AMPC), Counsellor (Isaiah 11:2), Teacher (1 Corinthians 2:12-16), Empowerer (Acts 1:8), Convictor of Sin (John 16:8-9), Guider of Truth (John 16:13, Intercessor (Romans 8:26)), Author of Scripture (2 Peter 1:21), Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2), and more. Additionally, the Holy Spirit gives us the Fruits of the Spirit in seed form, which include love, peace, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).
7. We become ambassadors of Christ in the world
God loves to partner with us. The Bible is full of accounts of men and women, who represented God and shared the Good News of the Gospel with others.
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.”
8. Our Salvation is Permanent
Once we are saved, we are saved for eternity. There is nothing so bad that we can do that can reverse it.
“That everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him.”
Now, this doesn’t mean that we can run around and cause havoc for laughs and giggles: Even believers in Christ have to face the consequences of their behavior if they act against the will of God. But it does mean that when we do muck up (which we inevitably do, remember we’re human), we can go to our Father and repent in the knowledge that He will always forgive us.
I’m a Good Person, l Don’t Need Salvation
Let me start by saying that l respectfully don’t know what standard you’re measuring your propensity for goodness by, but I’m happy for you!
The thing is, even good people make mistakes and do the wrong things.
Salvation is not about whether you’re a good person or not. A convicted murderer doing life in prison is just in need of our Savior as a cloistered nun who has merely been going through the religious motions.
We all fail and fall short of the glory of God. We all need Salvation.
And the good thing is, Salvation is available to each and every one of us.
How Do l Receive Salvation?
The most important thing to remember is that Salvation is a gift from God. It is given by His grace – it cannot be earned.
The Bible states clearly how we are saved in Ephesians 2:8-9:
“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.”
Receiving Salvation is a simple process, but it requires changing the position of your heart.
What do l mean by that?
- Firstly, you need to admit to yourself that you are a sinner and that you are incapable of saving yourself from your sinful existence: You need the love and forgiveness of Jesus, our Savior. This requires humility and taking a look at the man/woman in the mirror.
“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one.’”
- Believe that hell exists and that Satan is real and rules over it. Without God’s mercy and grace, you only have one life: And when that life is over, there is only one place for you, and that is the eternal kingdom of Darkness (Sorry, to be direct, but it’s true.) (Luke 16:19-31).
- Acknowledge that Jesus is real, and believe by faith, that He died on the Cross of Calvary for your sins, that He rose on the third day, and that He is now seated at the right hand of God, a place of honor.
- Repent for your sins by opening your mouth and audibly confessing them. In other words, tell Jesus that you’re sorry for the mistakes and the bad decisions you have made.
- Declare audibly that Jesus is your Lord and Savior. Ask him to be the Lord of your life and profess by faith that you are saved and that from now on, you will walk with Him and abide by His ways.
“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.”
If you would like to gain detailed insight into God’s plan of Salvation for us, l suggest you read the Book of Romans, which is also called the “Romans Road to Salvation”.
Where and When Can l Receive Salvation?
A lot of people give their lives to Christ at church. Most churches have an altar call, where those who wish to be saved can come to the front. Alternatively, they can raise their hands and the congregation prays for them.
You can also receive salvation with the help of a born-again Christian leading you in prayer. That’s how l was saved. I even know others, who were alone in their room, when they gave their lives to Christ.
As to when you can receive Salvation, well it can happen at any time!
Storytime: Years ago, a young lady attended a coffee morning that was held at my Christian mentor’s house. She had been invited by a member of the group.
To say that this lady was skeptical was an understatement. Actually, she laughed outright at me at one point, because l had given a testimony about something miraculous that God had done in my life that week. She whispered to her friend, “That woman is crazy!” She thought that l had not heard her – but l have ears like a lynx, and l heard every word. But l wasn’t offended, just surprised. (I mean, I’ve been called worse.)
Well, by the time this young lady left, she was crying with joy and dancing out the door, because someone in the group had brought up the discussion topic of Salvation, and the young lady gave her life then and there. I laughed and danced with her, it was such a happy occasion!
It doesn’t matter where you are, when it is, or who you are with when you receive Salvation. God knows where to find you and He can take you out of the spiritual darkness and into His divine light from one second to the next!
Do You Wish to Receive God’s Gift of Salvation, today?
If you want to give your life to Jesus today, that is wonderful news!
It’s easier to cover the points l made in the section above by speaking a Salvation Prayer aloud.
Here on our blog, we have a Salvation prayer that you can use:
Lord,
I recognize that l am a sinner. I have broken Your laws and through my thoughts and actions have separated myself from You. For this l am truly sorry and l humbly ask You for Your forgiveness.
I believe and confess that Your son, Jesus Christ, died on the cross to pay for my sins and rose from the dead after the third day. I believe that because of His sacrifice, Jesus has cleansed me of my sins and l can be born again, as a brand new creation.
Lord, I want to turn away from my sinful life. I am unable to help myself – l need You. By Your grace, I wish to live a new life full of Your unfailing love and great compassion. By faith, l gratefully receive Your offer of Salvation. I ask You to enter my heart and be my Lord and Saviour.
My life is Yours to do as You will. I will trust You and follow You in all Your ways from now on and into eternity.
Thank you, Lord.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Congratulations! You have given your life to God and are now born again! I embrace you, my new brothers and sisters! A god-filled, rich, and abundant life awaits you!
What Happens Next?
In my experience, many churches focus on bringing people to Christ, but only a few consider the after-care that New Believers require. Most times, you get given a Bible and a congratulatory pat on the back, and then you’re sent back out into the big bad world that instigated you to sin and seek God in the first place.
This just never made sense to me.
Therefore, it was on my heart to add this section to help New Christians navigate their next steps after receiving Salvation.
Getting saved is the beginning of a lifelong walk with the Lord, where He will teach you and shape you into the person He purposed you to be before you were even in your mother’s womb (Jeremiah 1:5).
Many Christians don’t understand that the process of Salvation is not a one-time “stick-a-fork-in-me-l’m-done” kind of thing. It’s a continual, life process (1 Corinthians 1:18, Philippians 1:6).
Consider the analogy depicted in Isaiah 64:8: Think of yourself as a lump of clay and God is the Divine Potter, the Master Creator. He places you on His potter’s wheel, and molds and shapes you into a wondrous piece of art, in Christ’s image. Sometimes, He’ll take out bits of clay, other times He will add bits. Sometimes, He will start again and re-mold you according to the different seasons of your life.
“Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.”
That’s beautiful imagery, isn’t it?
Let’s look at what you need to do after receiving Salvation.
1. Tell Someone You’ve Been Saved
Accepting God as your Lord and Savior will be single-handedly the greatest decision you will ever make in your life. All other life paths stem from the choice that you made to be in a relationship with God. This needs to be celebrated with those you know!
When l got saved, my colleague Alison, who led me in the Salvation prayer said two things to me,
“Madeline, you’re going to have to start going to church, and you’re going to have to tell someone today, that you have accepted Jesus Christ.”
I did both and the person l shared the news about my Salvation became my first Christian friend, who helped and guided me in my first steps as a New Christian. Thank you, Heather. Additionally, Alison and her friend Lee became my mentors. I wouldn’t be the Christian l am today without these three ladies.
So, now that you have been saved, go and tell someone! It can be your mum, your bestie, or even a colleague. Heck, buy a bunch of flowers and go and knock on the door of the nosy neighbor down the road who’s been telling all and sundry for years that nothing will amount to you, and let her know!
2. Find a Church
If you don’t already visit a church, now is the time to start going! Receiving teachings on the Word of God is essential for your Christian walk.
There’s no set rule for what constitutes a “good” church. No church is perfect, because the people who attend aren’t perfect either. And that’s ok. We all need the love of our Savior, and we all need guidance and encouragement in this broken world.
I suggest you find a church nearby, as not only will it make it easier for you to attend services and events, but you can get to know people who live in your area, whom you can eventually make friends with and meet up with outside of the church. God wants us to be in fellowship with Him and other believers. Together, we can encourage one another, pray, and support each other. The devil wants to isolate us and pick us off – much like a predatory animal targets the weak and slow animals who can’t keep up with the herd. However, together, as one Body of Christ, we are strong in the Lord!
Not all churches are the same: That being said, pray and ask God for discernment to lead you to a church. The Bible warns us in Matthew 7:15 to be aware of false prophets and those who are sheep in wolve’s clothing. Unfortunately, not every church is dedicated to following the teachings of the Bible, nor are its pastors saved or have vocational callings to lead God’s people. Therefore, do your research – look up the church in question online, and if you see any headlines that involve the church in scandals, show signs of being a cult, or members have made public allegations of inappropriate and even dangerous behavior, then l suggest you keep looking further.
Of course, we are in no position to judge individuals when they make mistakes, for we make them too. But we do have the right to find a church where we feel comfortable and safe, and can be assured that we will receive instruction and guidance in the Word without a hidden agenda.
Join a small group: As an extension of church fellowship, join a small group, either in-person or online, which is a Bible study group that many churches offer.
Try and attend your small group diligently, for regular attendance will increase your faith, fortify your growth, and give you a sense of family. Also ghosting in and out is not only unproductive, it’s disrespectful to those who take the time to organize and lead, as well as the other members of the group who make the effort to commit. If you can’t attend regularly or are having difficulties, let the leaders know and they’ll help you. Fellowship is about communication, so try and stay in contact.
3. Read the Bible
This goes without saying: As Christians, we need to read the Bible, which is the divine Word of God.
The Bible is like a believer’s handbook: It is a God-breathed instrumental tool, a book of hope and encouragement, and it is a love letter to us from our Creator. It is infallible, meaning it is without error, and is just as relevant today for believers as it was almost 3500 years ago.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”
The mistake that many Christians make – both mature and those who are new in the Lord – is that they don’t read their Bible regularly. Some don’t read their Bible at all. They will read Christian articles, look at Christian movies, and marathon-watch sermons on YouTube – and that’s all great, the Word is preached through these mediums. I do this too.
But nothing – and l mean nothing – can replace the private time that you spend with God by opening His Book and listening for His voice as He guides you through the pages of His Word.
I’ll say it like it is – if you don’t learn the lessons that the Bible teaches you, if you don’t fortify yourself with the encouragement that God gives you in His Word, if you are unaware of the promises that He has made you which can be found within the pages of His Holy Book, then you will struggle to live in a world, which worships itself, applauds self-entitlement, and perverts the name of the Lord.
When troubles hit you, and they inevitably will, you need a firm foundation, a rock on which you can stand, so that you won’t be rattled and tempted to go back to performing the sins you used to make before you knew the Lord.
Finally, knowledge of the Word of God will preserve you and give you peace when the world will try and rob you of it.
Hosea 4:6 says the following: “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.”
Bible recommendations: Admittedly, the Bible is not an easy read. But it is an exciting and eye-opening one! Traditionally, people get given or are recommended to read a biblical translation called the King James Version. It’s a great version, but it is full of “thous” and “thees”, as it was written in 1611 when such speech forms were the norm, therefore making it a challenging read. Besides, there’s a whole controversial history behind the translation of that Bible, which involved the murder of its translator William Tyndale, who just wanted to make the Bible accessible to the masses –#sosososcandalous.
I personally find that the New International Version or NIV contains simple yet insightful texts, which are great for those just learning to read the Bible.
A lot of people don’t know where to start with reading, that’s why following a Bible plan is a great and organized way to navigate your Bible reading.
There are many Bible plans online that you follow. Here are a few l recommend:
- “Journey Through the Word” by Joyce Meyers
- “Bible Reading Plan – Read the Bible in a Year”, Bible Study Tools
- “YouVersion Bible Reading Plans and Daily Devotionals”, YouVersion.
l also suggest that you get the YouVersion Bible App on your mobile device. It is a free app from Life Church, which offers the Bible in many translations and different languages. It also has reading plans, devotionals, videos, a kid’s section, as well as the opportunity to connect with other believers through its online community.
Last but not least, the YouVersion Bible App (not sponsored, but, hey Life Church, give me a call) has an audible function, so you can even have the Bible read out loud to you. This way, you can play the app in your car and turn your trip into a mobile teaching space. Or, you can pop on some earbuds and listen to the Word when you go for a run. The possibilities of hearing the Word any place, any time, are made endless with just one click.
4. Spend time daily with God
Christians do what they call “quiet time”. This means they dedicate time in their day to find a quiet spot to sit, play worship songs, journal, read their Bible and pray.
How long you spend in your quiet time with the Lord is up to you, but do l recommend that you make it a daily practice. Especially in these early days as a New Believer, it is important to lean on God, learn His ways, and gain encouragement in your new life as a Christian.
5. Find a Mentor
To help guide you in your first steps as a New Christian, it’s beneficial to have someone who has been walking longer with the Lord to show you the ropes, encourage you, teach you, and pray with and for you.
The fruit of a Christian who has not had mentorship is glaringly evident: It shows in their lack of spiritual knowledge, their lifestyle, lack of discipline, and their irresponsibility towards other Christians. Don’t waste your Salvation by becoming like them: Learn from mature Christians and experience the full power, mercy, and wonderful plans that the Lord has in store for your life.
In order to find a mentor, you need to spend time in fellowship with other Christians so that you can get to know each other. Going to church and joining a small group as l mentioned earlier, is the best way to become better acquainted with your future mentor. Alternatively, if a family member, a friend, or a colleague is a born-again Christian, you can ask them to mentor you.
Ask the Lord in prayer to direct you to a mentor. Approach them and ask them to prayerfully consider mentoring you.
6. Get Baptized
As an outward declaration of your new-found faith, it is always recommended that you get baptized by water. It is a symbolic demonstration of your transition from your old self, which was dead, to your new being in Christ, who has been washed clean of their sins and is born again.
Most churches have a baptism schedule on their church calendar. They also offer additional classes to prepare you for baptism, which includes helping you choose a Bible verse that resonates with you and which you can refer to and gain encouragement throughout your Christian walk..
7. Abide in God
Now that the Holy Spirit lives in you, you are not the same person you used to be. You are a New Creation, and you have 24/7 access to a God who is reshaping you to be more like Christ.
The longer you walk with God, the more you will find yourself seeing the world around you as He does. Things that society gives value to, such as trends, goals, and expectations that formerly held your interest won’t be important to you anymore. Instead, experiencing the mysteries that God will reveal to you will be your source of revelation and fulfillment.
That doesn’t mean that the world will try and lure you into worshiping it instead of God. Therefore, it is important to abide in Him, which means to listen to Him, spend time daily with Him in prayer and in your Bible, listen to worship music, and ask Him for direction in order to keep your spiritual eyes on Him and not on the distractions of the world.
Lukewarm Christians: The Bible warns us about being “lukewarm” Christians in Revelation 3:15-16. This means we love the things of the world and at the same time claim to love Jesus. However, the two are mutually exclusive, they can’t co-exist.
1 John 2:15-16 confirms this:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
Social media plays a major role in trying to convince us that we can walk with God and at the same time satisfy our fleshly desires.
The sad thing is that even those on social media who claim to be Christians are advertising the priorities of the world over the priorities of God. These “influencers” (I mean, the name says it all, hasn’t anyone clocked onto that yet?) are verbatim influencing others that procuring material possessions, having sex before marriage, spending ostentatiously, and running around half-naked (my eyes!) in the name of fashion is glorifying God. It isn’t. It’s actually offensive to God.
God has a good plan for your life – far better than what the world offers. In order to clearly hear and see the purpose He has for you, you need to abide in Him, lean on and trust in Him at all times.
8. Do Good Works
A natural consequence of abiding in God is walking in obedience according to His will. It means submitting to His ways and behaving and doing acts that seldom have anything to do with us, but everything to do with helping others, just like Jesus did during His ministry on earth.
It is an outward declaration of our love for God and our gratitude for Him saving us. It means loving others like God loves us.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Doing good works comes in many forms: Helping the elderly, giving generously with our finances, being friendly to those who don’t like us, using our talents to help others, just to name a few.
We can also do good things on a daily basis to reflect God’s love towards others e.g giving someone a compliment, letting someone go before us in a queue, paying it forward, raking our neighbor’s leaves, offering to babysit a friend’s kids, the list goes on.
Tom Krause once said the following:
“You should never have to tell someone you are a Christian. They should know by the way you treat them.”
9. Be aware that you have an enemy
Remember that bloke called Satan who rules the Kingdom of Darkness? Well, he hates God and anything that God loves. And as we are God’s dearly beloved, Satan hates us in particular.
Satan declares war on all of those who are in a relationship with Christ.
Why?
Because now we have knowledge of God, we have His spirit indwelling us and our spiritual eyes are opened to the endless possibilities that God offers us to live a victorious life. Satan relied on our ignorance in order to torture us and keep us imprisoned in spiritual strongholds without our knowledge or permission. Our Salvation breaks us free of Satan’s hold over us, and it does not bode well with him.
Additionally, the enemy knows that God will use us as a vessel to bring others into a relationship with Him, and he doesn’t want people to turn away from him and instead, turn to God.
Do you want to know an impactful truth?
Satan is afraid of you.
Yes, you!
Spiritual warfare: Because Satan is in fear of us, He wages war on all believers. The battlefield takes place in our minds and comes in the form of depression, fear, anxiety, a poverty mindset, and more. He places curses on our family lines in the form of addiction, unemployment, and health problems, just to name a few.
Have you noticed re-occurring issues in your family such as diabetes, alcohol abuse, or incarceration? Have all the males in your family died around a certain age? These examples and more are not just coincidental, nor are they the consequences of bad luck – Satan is your enemy and is waging warfare against you.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 explains spiritual warfare:
“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”
Some Christians are afraid of the devil and get all-a-jittery if they hear his name mentioned in their presence. However, there is no reason to fear, for God is our Overcomer. The Book of Revelations prophesizes the defeat of Satan. He only has a limited reign of terror and he knows it!
“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
In the meantime, Jesus is our advocator, who teaches us how to protect and arm ourselves against the plots and ploys of our enemy. One weapon you are already aware of – the Bible. Therefore, having a strong knowledge of the Bible is imperative so that you are not a defenseless pawn in the devil’s schemes.
Additionally, Ephesians 6:13-17 tells us to put on the Armour of God. So, just as you get dressed every morning, speak this Scripture over yourself and put on God’s armor, which consists of:
- the helmet of Salvation
- the sword, which is the Word of God in your right hand
- the shield of saving faith in your left hand
- the breastplate of righteousness
- the belt of Truth
- the Gospel of peace on your feet.
To quote a song title from the band Status Quo, “You’re in the army now”. You are a soldier of Christ and a darn good one at that – you just don’t know it yet.
So, don’t focus too much on Satan – he likes the attention. Instead, focus on God and enjoy your new relationship with him – God has the enemy covered!
We hope that you found this article on Salvation useful. Whether you are curious about God and want to know more about Him, you’re a New Believer, or you’re a mature Christian, we believe that there is something that we can all take away from this article to ruminate on, use in our own lives, and share with others.
Next month, we will be continuing this series “What the Church Doesn’t Teach You”, with the topic “A Father’s Love”. We hope you’ll stop by and read it and are blessed by it.
In Christ,
Madeline Kalu
If you would like access to more teachings like this, as well as receive free printable resources and giveaways to encourage you in your Christian walk, subscribe to our free newsletter in the column to your right.
Madeline Kalu is a Christian writer and the co-founder of Jacob’s Ladder Blog. She was born in England, was raised in Australia, and currently lives in Germany with her husband, Solomon. Madeline is in recovery from burnout, chronic depression, and anxiety.
She believes that God can take life’s adversities and work them out for His good; hence, she uses her writing voice to raise awareness of mental illness, as well as to spread the light of God’s love to those who are mentally trapped in the dark, and provide them with hope and encouragement.
Sources:
crosswalk.com, “What Is Salvation? (Also: Why It’s Needed and How to Get It)”, Mike Leake.
crosswalk.com, “What Is Redemption? The Important Meaning for Christians from the Bible”, Dr. Anthony Chute.
biblestudytools.com, “Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Salvation”, Bible Study Tools.
faithward.org, “What is Salvation?”
lifehopeandtruth.com, “What Is Salvation?”, Florante Siopan and John Foster.
christianity.org.uk, “What is Salvation?”
christianity.org.uk, “How do you Become a Christian?”
christianity.org.uk, “I’ve Become a Christian – What now?”
gotquestions.org, “What is the Christian Doctrine of Salvation?”
wwmf.org, ”The Wonderful Benefits of the Gift of Salvation”, Pastor Dennis Greenidge.
graceevfreechurchva.org, “Ten Benefits of Salvation”, Pastor Raker.
worldwidembc.org, “How to Receive Salvation”, Worldwide Missionary Baptist Church.
gotquestions.org, “What are the names and titles of the Holy Spirit?”
gotquestions.org, ”What is justification?”
christianity.com,”What Does James 2:26 Mean by ‘Faith without Works Is Dead’?”, Joel Ryan.
2 Comments
geri
Amazing ! So clearly explained. Whoever reads, I pray the presence of the Holy Spirit over them in desire 🙏
Madeline
Thank you, Geri! I pray this too, in Jesus’ name!