How to Follow Jesus

There’s no one specific formula on how to follow Jesus, yet following Jesus is the key to living a whole Christian life. You can find books on how to follow Jesus, but everyone’s opinion is different.  How do you know the “right” way to follow Jesus? Here’s what the Bible says.

1. Accept Jesus as Your Savior

The first thing that you must do is accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6)

You cannot do anything to receive salvation on your own. It’s a free gift provided by Jesus’ precious blood when He died on the cross for your sins. Jesus loves you and wants to have an eternal and personal relationship with you. By accepting Jesus as your savior, he forgives your sins, delivers you from the fear of death, and loves you unconditionally.

Accept Jesus Christ and experience His comforting presence, power, wisdom, and guidance. All you need to do is open your heart and soul to him and accept His sacrifice for you. It really is that easy. Then continuously seek His will in your life. Ask Him to give you the wisdom, strength, and determination to live a whole Christian life.

2. Love God

In Mark 12:30, Jesus said, “…You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.” God comes first in everything.

Show God how much you love Him through your prayers and actions. Remember, without God, you wouldn’t have anything at all. There would be no eternal life in Heaven, no hope, no joy, no reconciliation, no peace, and no future.

Thank the Lord for all your blessings and turn to Him for everything. When you need comforting, ask Him for guidance and remember to thank Him for His love. Being conscious of God’s love for you will make you a better, more confident, stronger Christian.

3. Love Others

In Mark 12:31 Jesus said, “The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Loving others is essential when it comes to living a Christian life. Jesus said to His followers, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). The single greatest way to represent Christianity is to love each other.

4. Love Yourself

One thing that I think is missed a lot in the two commandments Jesus gives is the “as yourself” part. In Mark 12:31, Jesus says that you must love your neighbor as yourself. I know way too many Christians who don’t love themselves. They often put themselves at the bottom of the list.

I used to do this too. When I burnt breakfast, I’d serve everyone the best breakfast, and I’d eat the burnt egg. I should’ve just thrown it out (I’m worthy of an unburnt egg). I’d budget for my kid’s favorite non-dairy yogurt, but buy the cheapest brand for myself. I rarely got my nails done. When it was time for a haircut, I’d go to the cheapest place I could find to save money. I put everyone else before me, which is fine, but it’s not fine to not take care of myself. 

Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” You can’t love your neighbor, if you don’t love yourself. Let that sink in. I wonder how many people would turn to Christ if they saw Christians treating themselves better AND therefore showing love to others better.

5. Pray

Sometimes we get so busy we simply forget how powerful prayer is. Prayer is one of the most important things you can do as a Christian. Prayer is a chance to spend time with God and truly understand Him. It’s a time to share how much you love Him, confess your sins, ask for forgiveness, thank Him for your blessings, and ask Him for what you need as well as what others need.

6. Know the Bible

There’s a big difference between personally knowing God and knowing about Him. Having a personal relationship with God starts with hearing the Word of God. If you have access to a Bible, read it and learn more about Him.

To get the most out of it, don’t just skim over the content – soak it in. You’ll find that the Bible teaches you about Christ’s purpose, methods, and journey, as it guides, encourages, and comforts you. You’ll see how the Old Testament lines up perfectly with the New Testament and how everything points to Jesus.

Bible journaling offers a unique way to enjoy the Bible. With a Bible journal you can write down notes as you study scripture, jot down prayers, and share your thoughts in the margins. You can pour your heart into it by creating art that expresses what you’re feeling and learning. You can also record everyday things that happen, and how something you read lifted your spirits.

7. Bring God into All Aspects of Your Life

Make the decision to bring God into all aspects of your life. Don’t just reserve him for Sunday service or prayer before a meal. You can be with God when you’re walking, reading, Bible journaling, creating art, playing in the sand, driving, etc. Think of God as the best Father you could ever have. One who cares about you and wants to spend time with you.

8. Trust in God

To follow Jesus, you need to trust God with all your heart. In difficult circumstances, you can ask for alternatives! Jesus did (Luke 22:42)! But, ultimately, it’s your heart that tells the real story. Do you want God’s will, or do you want your own?

As Christians, we need to consciously surrender to his plans and expectations for us, laying aside our own desires for His. This doesn’t mean that you don’t take action on your dreams. Don’t read what I’m not writing. You take the steps that God has put on your heart, but leave the outcome up to Him. Even during hard times, when many often turn on God because we lose hope, we need to trust Him. God always knows best. It’s time to trust.

9. Be Thankful for all things

Learn to live graciously, finding ways to be thankful, regardless of what’s going on in your life. Maybe you recently lost your job and are struggling. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one or have been sick. Even in these incredibly difficult situations we all have a lot to be thankful for. It’s only in living with gratitude that we can truly follow Jesus.

10. Avoid Temptation

While it can be hard to avoid temptation and sin, you need to do your best if you want to live a whole Christian life. We are all sinners, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try to be better. If you do end up committing a sin, pray for the Lord’s forgiveness and strive to do better next time.

11. Rely on the Holy Spirit for Wisdom

Relying on the Holy Spirit means trusting Him. The Holy Spirit is always powerful, present, and advocating for us. He’s there to help draw us in and keep us close to the heart of God. One of the best ways to build a relationship with the Holy Spirit is to become more aware of Him. I used to call the Holy Spirit my intuition before I knew that it wasn’t me, but God through the Holy Spirit.

12. Go to Church

Christians need one another – there’s nothing quite as inspiring as gathering together to worship. But don’t leave it there. Form a community that does life together. The church isn’t a building; it’s a community.

13. Be Obedient When God Calls on You

When you’re obedient to God, it proves your faith and love for Him. A good example of being obedient to His calling is when you feel an inner “push” to do something good for someone else. Another would be that so called “inner voice” that reminds you that what you’re about to do is a sin. As His disciples on earth, we must follow Christ’s example and obey his commands.

Following Jesus may sound simple, but it’s not easy. In a world full of disappointment, hate, and anger, Christians are supposed to be the light (Matthew 5:16). Sometimes we do a really great job at it, but other times we need a gentle reminder.

When you learn how to follow Jesus and act on some of the recommendations here, you’ll find greater satisfaction, feel more content, and at peace, even when you’re struggling. You’ll also be able to handle problems that come your way with God’s strength and courage.