HOW TO LIVE LIKE JESUS
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God desires that His children come to be ever closer to His Son. He longs for us to become Christlike. As we journey through this life, we should be seeing ourselves maturing spiritually along His ordained path for us. Here are seven steps to facilitate your quest for Christlikeness…
“Learn from Me.” – Matthew 11:29
- Study the life of Jesus
Let Jesus be your mentor, your life coach. Enter into His internship. Learn firsthand from Him. Dive into God’s Word to learn all you can about how your Lord lived His life.
Learn Jesus’ key attributes. Learn how He lived a life of vibrancy, winsomeness, positivity. How He manifested wisdom, obedience, humility, faith. How He expressed insight, integrity, self-control in all situations. How He extended grace, forgiveness, compassion, mercy to all in need.
Learn how He spoke and lived the truth with power, resiliency, conviction. How He persevered through struggles and hardships with boldness, courage, resolve. How He steadfastly pursued His purpose and mission, undeterred by any and all adversities.
“You are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” – John 15:19
- Separate yourself from the world
You have been chosen by Jesus. He has drawn you to Himself. He rescued you from darkness and brought you into His light. When you come to believe in Christ, you live in this world but are not of this world. You are a kingdom child, a co-heir with Christ. You are merely a sojourner in this world.
In following hard after Jesus, you learn how to be holy in an unholy world. How to not succumb to societal ways and temptations… to not be led astray by worldly desires and pursuits. You are called to a higher plane… to rise above the pervading darkness and evil.
Yet your mission, your purpose is in this world. You have been anointed to be a light to all who are in darkness… to rescue the lost and lead them to Christ. Learn from Him to resolutely pursue your mission, staying the course despite adversities and the world’s allure.
“You are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.” – Romans 8:9
- Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your life
Jesus lived a life that was Spirit-inspired, Spirit-filled, Spirit-led. You have within you this same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to lead you, teach you, counsel you. To be the power source for your life. To offer comfort in suffering, strength in trials, faith to carry on.
Let Christ’s Spirit illuminate the path before you. Open your heart as He teaches you the ways of kingdom living. Seek His wisdom. Discover His truth. Recognize His leadings and act upon them. Live by His power.
“I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” – Galatians 2:20
- Pray for Christlikeness
Prayer with the Father held supreme importance in the life of Jesus. So it should be in the life of His followers. Seek the Lord in prayer. Call on Him to mature your character to become like His… to live out His key traits in your life… to empower and enable you to live a kingdom life.
Pray for Him to live through you by His Spirit. Ask that you come to so closely abide in Him that His nature becomes your nature. Appeal to Him for your will to align with His. Request of Him that people see Christ in you so that your life brings Him glory.
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2
- Let Jesus renew your thoughts
How we think determines how we talk and act. Yield to the Holy Spirit to refresh your thoughts and attitudes. Pray for His thoughts to be your thoughts. Let Him stir your spirit to strive for holiness.
Change any negative thinking into positivity. Think on “the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse” (Philippians 4:8). Be aware of what you allow into your mind… what you view, read and hear. Purify your thought life.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” – Psalm 19:14
- Let Jesus refashion your words
Our words speak what is in our hearts. Seek the cleansing of your heart by the Spirit of Christ through repentance and forgiveness. Then the words that flow from your heart will bless and encourage those in your world.
Remember how Jesus spoke with people. He had command over what He said in every situation. To the hurting He spoke compassion. To the sick He spoke healing. To the faint of heart He spoke encouragement. To the proud He spoke truth. To the lost He spoke hope.
“Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths.” – Psalm 25:4
- Let Jesus transform your ways
Live out His divine qualities in your life. Pray for His ways to be your ways. Be the expression of your faith. Aspire to spread His love to all in your world. Let Christ’s Spirit guide your actions and reactions. Seek to honor the Lord in all you do.
Remember how Jesus acted. How love guided His every move. How He made time for people who came to Him in need, despite physical or emotional fatigue. How He forgave those who betrayed Him. How He boldly stood up to those who opposed Him. He never failed to glorify God.
Be aware of your ways. Take thought before action. Place a check on your emotions. Ask yourself… How would Jesus act in this situation? How would He react to this person or this happening?
“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion – it is a daily process whereby you grow to become more like Christ.” – Billy Graham
Ultimately, your endeavor is to make the attributes of Jesus become your own, part of your heart and your life. This quest for Christlikeness is never easy. It is wrought with obstacles. Your walk will not be perfect. You will stumble at times. Yet you will see progress on your journey as you come to live ever more closely like your Savior.
