How would you describe your walk with the Lord? Would you say that your walk has been difficult or easy? Has the road been smooth or rocky? Or has it been a series of ups and downs? I believe that if we are all honest, we would have to admit that the Christian life is a combination of all of these and more. Yet through it all, I am sure that we can all say that the Lord has been faithful; even when are were not, He is still there.
The hardships and trials that do come our way, have a greater purpose. Everything that we go through can be said to have already come through the hands of the Lord, and He has determined that we can take it. The apostle Peter tells us:
“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3).
Here we are promised that we have been given all that we need to live a life of godliness unto the Lord. Yet, in spite of this powerful truth, many still become overwhelmed and give up. Though many remain in their respective places in ministry, and continue to attend church, they hit a wall – never fully recovering. What results is a Christian life not lived to its fullest potential, void of assurance, and lacking the full power He promises.
While it is highly probable that none of us actually live our life in Christ to its fullest potential, those who have hit the wall do not live quality lives for Christ. We don’t just want to survive for the Lord, and merely exist for Him. The goal is to live quality lives in the Lord, living out His purpose, assured of His presence and walking in the victory He secured for us at Calvary.
But how do we get here? How do I maintain a quality life in Christ? Allow me to offer these seven keys that I believe will assist you in your journey, and help you to live a quality life for the Lord.
One of the greatest hindrances to living a quality life for the Lord is the inability to come to grips with who we actually are in Him. This inability to grab a hold of our identity carries with it a most serious liability. If someone does not know their identity in Christ, and what it means, then how can they live properly for Him? Paul the apostle speaks to us these powerful and instructional words:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Our identity in Christ is forever entwined in Christ’s victory on the cross. Christ’s death on the cross resulted in (among other things), our victory, our security, and our peace. Knowing that these things have been passed down to us by His grace, we are empowered to live for Him by faith. Notice his words, “…the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God.” This is the key to living the Christian life, but it begins with having a firm grasp on knowing your identity in Christ.
Sounds like a strange question right? What I mean is, do you hold on to your sin, or do you let it go? Simply put, we need to keep short accounts. We should not wait until Sunday morning to ask the Lord to forgive our sins. This is something that should be done daily. When conviction comes, confession should be made immediately.
Don’t fall for the popular, but error-laden voices which say that God’s people don’t need to ask for forgiveness anymore, or that the Holy Ghost never convicts us of sin. These are near blasphemous teachings that will lead the unassuming and non-discerning child of God down a terrible path. Once again, the time to ask for forgiveness, is the moment you realize you have sinned.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:1-2).
The psalmist goes on to speak of the absolute misery he experienced by keeping silent over his sin. The joy of knowing you are forgiven definitely enhances the quality life in Christ.
One of the primary ingredients of a quality life in Christ is developing a healthy relationship with the Word of God. This relationship will help to solidify our knowledge of God, while insuring our spiritual growth.
“…but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
We also read from the book of Matthew:
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29).
While the King James Version renders the phrase here as “and learn of me,” either way, it expresses the truth that we need to learn about Him, and the only way to do this is to learn from Him. Scripture is the key to learning about Him. Developing a relationship with the Word of God will also greatly enhance your ability to discern truth from error. A lack of spiritual discernment in a life not firmly grounded in Scripture, can result in a departure from right doctrine.
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4).
These men were able to creep in because there was a lack of discernment in the body, which then allowed these men to freely peddle their false teaching, turning God’s grace into something other than what it was. The more intake of Scripture we have, the less likely it will be that we will be taken by the lies of false teachers. A proper relationship with the Word is paramount—especially in the age of Word of Faith, and the Grace Revolution. Are you equipped to stand for the truth?
The beloved psalmist David wrote these precious words:
“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God” (Psalm 42:1).
Is that your summation of your relationship with the Lord? Do you want more of Him? Throughout our walk with the Lord, we are to maintain a hunger and thirst after the Lord.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).
Nurturing a constant hunger and thirst after the Lord will assure you of His presence in difficult times, while causing you to stay close by His side. We are told of two men in Scripture who walked with God. Not that many others did not; but for these Old Testament saints, it underscores their close fellowship with the Lord. We read of Enoch and Noah respectively:
“Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away” (Genesis 5:24).
“This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9).
Both of these men lived in unprecedented times; society had become wicked above measure. Yet these men were able to stand out among the rest and maintain an intimate fellowship with the Lord. They serve as examples to us that we too can be blessed and used by God as we stay close to Him. We have this wonderful promise from James:
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8a).
These words should encourage us all to stay hungry after the Lord, trusting that by doing so, it will assist us in living the quality lives we desire.
The praise I speak of here is a special brand of praise that I call “yet praise.” The prophet Habakkuk spoke these precious words in a difficult time:
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
In our lives, many of us will experience times of plenty and times of want. It is in these times of need that we must keep our heads above water by first trusting Him, then thanking Him for who He is, and finally by praising Him.
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
When your back is against the wall, and you find yourself weighed down by circumstances, remember that a “yet praise” will bring you out.
“Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance” (Psalm 42:5).
Do you have a yet praise in you?
Closely related to your praise is your prayer time. Maintaining a quality life in Christ involves praying persistently and passionately, rather than periodically. The reason why many aren’t consistent in prayer is because prayer is a battle.
In prayer, we are making a spiritual connection to God, and because of this, there will be obstacles that the enemy will raise up to prevent you from making that connection. He knows that when you meet with the Lord, you will be empowered against his wiles. We remember the words of our Savior and the apostle Paul:
“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1).
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2).
For a quality life in Christ, let us make prayer a priority, not shrinking back from the enemy’s assault. While he will remain hostile to our efforts, we must remain unflinching in our pursuit of God.
Our final key may be the most important of all—and it is this: never give up. No matter what it looks like, or how you feel, or how things may actually be, giving up is not a choice. Recalling the sufferings of Job, we read his words at the end of it all, when God delivered him:
“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:5).
Job realized that everything that he went through was meant to draw him into a more intimate relationship with God. Through it all, he never gave up. Peter denied the Lord three times, yet his faith remained intact—he never gave up. Noah had no converts after preaching for so many years—but he never gave up.
“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9).
It is my desire that these keys will encourage you and inspire you to stand firm and remain in your place; as I have learned them over the course of my life in the Lord.
Michael Jakes is an Associate Pastor, Bible teacher, and writer. He is co-founder of That’s The Word! Ministries, a distinctly Cross-centered outreach. He has also been active in youth ministry for over 30 years, and hosts two live weekly podcasts, "The Bible Speaks Live," and "The Cutting It Right Bible Study." Michael is the author of, The Lights In The Windows, a book concerned with the need for the Church to evangelize. Michael and his wife Eddye have been married for 40 years, and reside in New York. You can follow him on Youtube and listen to his podcasts on Spreaker.
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