4 Ways to Grow Closer to Christ

by Charles G. Moore

Through our online ministry, Daily-Bible-Verse.net, we receive many prayer requests. Most of them start with “How can I…”

·         How can I grow closer to God?

·         How can I hear the Holy Spirit?

·         How can I pray to God?

·         How can I stop sinning?

·         How can I find love, get a job, and so on…?

The answer is: You cannot…not by yourself! The good news is, we are not alone. As Christians, we have a treasure living inside us.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 – “Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.”

We have the Power of God living inside us, thus we have answers to our questions within us. So, the question we really need to ask is “How Can I Allow Jesus Christ to Live Through Me?”

In order for Jesus to live through us, we must first get to know him on an intimate level. To do this, we must spend time with Him and build a relationship with Him. Today I want to focus on 4 Ways to Grow Closer to Christ:

1. Read the Bible.

Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path

We need the Bible like we need food. Without food our bodies will eventually die. Without reading God’s Word, we are starving our spiritual body. To grow spiritually, we must soak our mind in the inspired Words of God.

In Matthew 4:4, Jesus said to Satan, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God”

Jesus was combatting Satan through scripture, by quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus is giving us an example of how to fight the enemy through the Word of God. If Jesus found answers to challenges in life through the Scriptures, then so should we.

When reading the Bible, it is crucial that we ask the Holy Spirit to lead us in our reading. Asking Him to show us scriptures He wants us to read and to give us wisdom to understand them and put into action what we are reading.

2. Prayer

Jeremiah 33:3 – ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Prayer is simply a conversation with God. Pour out your heart to Him, give Him praise, tell Him your needs, your hurts, your goals. Then….and this is important… allow God to speak to you. Get quiet before God and listen for His voice. 1 Kings 19:12 says God speaks in a still small voice.

This means in order to hear Him we need to get quiet and listen.

3.  Be aware of Jesus.

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Throughout the day, continually be aware of Jesus in your life. Talk to Him and enjoy being in His presence as you go through your day. You may not be able to take designated times to pray to Jesus at work, or school, but you can be aware of Him. Just to think the name of Jesus can make any circumstance better. There is great power in His Name.

4.  Break sin habits.

Hebrews 4:15 – “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Like the children of Israel wandering around in the wilderness, some Christians walk around in circles never getting anywhere. That’s because they are not willing to break free from the sin habit that is preventing them from growing and thus they remain stagnant in their walk with Christ.

If we have a sin habit, we cannot access the full power of God. We must break free from our bondage by humbling ourselves before Jesus, confessing our sins and asking Him to free us from the stronghold of our sin habit.

Following Jesus does not mean we will have an easy life. But He tells us it will be worth it.

Mark 10:29–31 – Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last, first.”

So, the answer to all of our “How can I” questions can be found in Jesus Christ. When we follow Him using these four ways, the answers become clearer to us. Thank You, Lord Jesus! Amen and amen.

Featured Sermons