Question: I have received Jesus as my Lord and Savior. What now? What do I do? What can I expect?

Answer: Congratulations on making the most important decision of your life. Do you know that the angels rejoiced when you received Jesus as your Lord and Savior?

You are at the beginning of a wonderful journey of faith, and you are asking exactly the right question: What now?

There are three things we would advise that you do. First, immerse yourself in the Bible. This is God’s personal message to you. The Bible is the primary way God communicates with you. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, the Word of God has everything we need to guide our lives. If you don’t already have one, get a Bible in a translation that is easy to read. We use and recommend the “New Living Translation.”

Second, communicate with God by praying to Him. There is no magic formula you need to memorize. Just spend some time a few times a day to talk with the Lord. Use the “ACTS” formula when you pray:

Adoration — Praise God for who He is. Give Him the glory that He deserves
Confession — the Lord knows when you sin, but He needs to hear it from you. Confess your sins, and God will forgive (1 John 1:9)
Thanksgiving — Thank the Lord for all He has done for you
Supplication — This is a fancy word that means you should pray for others. The fervent prayer of a righteous person brings about great results (James 5:16)

Third, get around other growing Christians. Usually this is best done in a local, Bible-teaching church. No church is perfect, and neither are Christians, but you need the “fellowship” of other believers. If possible, search out someone who can “mentor” you spiritually. What you want to become is a disciple (which is nothing more than a learner) of Jesus. But you need a more mature Christian to help teach you.

It would also help you to read some books on the Christian life. Our entire Christianity 101 series is designed to help new and growing Christians. A book you might start with is Growing As a Christian 101.

And what can you expect? You can expect the Lord to be faithful to you; you can expect Him to love you unconditionally; you can expect Him to give you strength and wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit, who now indwells you; and you can expect the Lord to get you through the trials and temptations that will come your way.

May the Lord bless you as you grow in your new life.