New to the Faith?
Welcome to the family and to your new journey as a follower of Christ! The angels in heaven are celebrating right along with you and I! Jesus said in Luke 15:10 English Standard Version (ESV) “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Firstly, I want you to know you are not alone in your journey, Jesus said in John 15:15-17 ESV, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” Do know the Holy Spirit, your Helper lives in you and will guide you. Of course, if you have questions please email us at contactus@holytoyhwhmovement.com.
Sincerely,
Holy to YHWH Movement
A Guide for New Christians: Steps to Grow in Your Faith
This guide is designed to help you get started on your new life in Jesus. This is not all encompassing but please use it as a tool to provide practical steps to grow spiritually. As a new believer it’s important to understand what it means to be a Christian. It’s not a label, but it’s a lifestyle and a calling that we live out daily. There will be times we miss the mark, but God’s grace and mercy is there to help us when we stumble. Paul say’s it best in 1 Corinthians 12:9 ESV “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” So, we aren’t meant to be superhumans, we are meant to rely on the Holy Spirit to help us. This is great news! You are saved, now what?
Understand What It Means to Be a Christian
- Salvation: You've accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. This means you believe that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, offering you eternal life.
- New Life: As a Christian, you are a new creation 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Your old life is behind you, and now you live for Christ.
- Follow Jesus: Jesus said in Luke 9:23 ESV “And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Following Jesus means to live as He did. To understand how Jesus lived you start first by reading the Bible. A great place to start are the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which record the life of Jesus. If you don’t have a Bible see the Resources section for a few recommendations.
- Live Holy because God is Holy: 1 Peter 1:16 ESV say, “since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” What does this look like? Great question, read 1 Peter 1:13-25 and chapter 2:1-12. John say’s in 1 John 3:10 ESV “By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” We are to practice righteousness and love one another.
Get to Know God Through the Bible
- Read the Bible Daily: Challenge yourself to read the Bible daily, it’s God’s Word and your guide for life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you develop an appetite for reading the word and to help you with understanding it. God wants us to know Him and we know Him and His character by His word. We also can discern the voice of God by knowing Scripture. So it’s crucial to develop a reading habit.
- Pray this simple prayer before you read: Heavenly Father, I desire to read Your word, so help me with Your Spirit to read it daily and to understand it. May Your word guide me to know You better and to hear Your voice clearly. May Your word be planted deep into my heart so that I live my life according to it. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
- Meditate on Scripture: Take time to reflect on what you read. Memorize key verses that speak to your heart. Memorization is easy for some but if you find it challenging, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help you.
Pray Regularly
- Communicate with God: Prayer is as simple as talking with God as you would your closest friend. Share your thoughts, fears, and joys with Him. Remember you don’t have to have all the “right” words, speak to God from your heart, and take time to sit and hear what He is saying to you. As with any relationship, it’s so much better when there’s a two-way conversation.
- Develop a Habit: Set aside specific times each day to pray, this will help you build a consistent prayer life. I pray in the morning and throughout the day as I am working, running errands, meeting with friends and so forth.
- Pray the Scriptures: When we pray God’s word we are praying God’s will and not our own. You can turn most scriptures into prayers. Here’s an example of Proverbs 3:5-6:
- Heavenly Father, Your word says in Proverbs 3:5-6, that if I trust in you with all my heart and do not lean on my own understanding, and in all my ways acknowledge You, You will make my paths straight. So I trust You and I know that You know what’s best for my life, so lead me and help me to follow Your path for my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Join a Church Community
- Find a Local Church: Being part of a church is vital for your spiritual growth. Look for a Bible-believing church where you can worship, learn, and fellowship with other Christians.
- Get Baptized: If you haven’t been baptized yet, then get baptized. Baptism is an outward sign of your faith and your commitment to Christ.
- Get Involved: Serve in the church and participate in small groups or Bible studies. This will help you build relationships and grow in your faith. I love my church and having a community of believers has helped me grow in my faith. We laugh together, cry together, encourage one another and pray for each other.
Grow in Your Faith
- Seek Discipleship: Discipleship is about learning how to live out your faith in daily life. See if your church has a discipleship program so you can learn more on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.
- Practice Forgiveness: Matthew 6:5-13, Jesus shares with the disciples the Lord’s prayer, and in verse 6 ESV it reads, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus is saying He will forgive us in the same way we forgive others! Ouch. This may be the hardest part for many believers but I believe it’s a non-negotiable, we must forgive, and we should seek forgiveness from those we have wronged. Forgiving them releases you from the bondage of unforgiveness.
- Study Christian Resources: Read books, listen to sermons, and engage with Christian podcasts to deepen your understanding of the faith. Note: These come second to reading your Bible. The word of God should always come first as it’s the most important “meal” of the day! Knowing the word of God will protect you from becoming prey to false teachers/doctrine.
- Repentance: Should you stumble in any area of your life repent and turn back to God. God already knew what we are going to do in our future and yet He still sent His son to die for our sins. Don’t allow the enemy to make you feel guilty for falling, just turn back to God. In 1 John 1:19 ESV says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Share Your Faith
- Be a Witness: Tell others about the transformation in your life. Sharing your testimony is a powerful way to introduce others to Christ.
- Live Out Your Faith: Let your actions reflect your beliefs. Show love, kindness, and integrity in all you do. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you bear the fruit of the Spirit as written in Galatians 5:16-26 ESV “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.”
Live a Life of Worship
- Worship God Daily: Worship isn’t just about singing in church; it’s about honoring God in everything you do. Whether at work, home, or with friends, let your life reflect your devotion to God.
- Be Thankful: Cultivate a heart of gratitude. Regularly thank God for His blessings, both big and small.
Final Encouragement
You’ve made the most important decision of your life by following Jesus. This journey will have its ups and downs but remember that God is with you every step of the way. Keep seeking Him, stay connected with other believers, and trust in His love and guidance. Welcome to the family of God!
Resources
Study Bibles: A study Bible is a version of the Bible that includes tools to help readers better understand and apply the text to their lives. They include commentary, historical context, maps and charts and so much more. Here are some recommendations for study bibles and is ordered alphabetically.
- ESV Study Bible
- Life Application Study Bible
- NIV Study Bible
- NKJV Study Bible
Apps: There are some great digital Bible apps that come with study guides, concordance, Hebrew, and Greek text analysis. Having both a physical Bible and a digital Bible app is recommended. Below are a few apps that are available on IOS and Android.
- Bible Hub
- Blue Letter Bible
- Logos Bible
- YouVersion
Read the Bible in a Year: If you have never read the Bible cover to cover, I highly recommend The Bible Recap. I have done this plan multiple times and Tara-Leigh Cobble does an excellent job of creating a daily bitesize plan with an 8 minute podcast recap to summarize that day’s reading. Learn more by clicking here: https://www.thebiblerecap.com/start