Will knowing Jesus make you happier?
You should not be looking for some magic formula in the Bible to make you "happy"...the goal is not happiness it is righteousness. When you are in right standing with God you will be happy. But it will be more like joy than happiness. Joy is somewhat different from happiness. Happiness usually comes from external (outside of us) circumstances. Joy comes from within. Therefore it is not dependant on what is going on around you. So even if your life circumstances are not great, you can still have joy.
(Definition for joy: a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated). That is better than happiness. No one or no circumstance can take it from you. The scriptures are your instructions on how to be in right standing with God. Jesus said, "If you keep My commandments (Bible laws), you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:10-11
It doesn’t matter how happy you are (for a season)” Heb. 11:25. Without the righteousness of Christ, you’ll perish on the day of wrath. “Riches profit not on the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death” (Prov. 11:4). When is the day of wrath? The day you die...and you don't know when that will be. It could be today. The Bible says, "Moreover, no man knows when his hour (of death) will come: as fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare, so men are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them." Ecclesiastes 9:12
God's commands (Bible) also bring you to completeness and equip you for good works. Paul describes scripture as "given by inspiration of God, and... profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God (those who received the salvation of Jesus) may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2Timothy 3:16,17).
The definition of complete is:
1. having all parts or elements; lacking nothing; whole; entire; full.
2. having all the required or customary characteristics, skills, or the like; consummate; perfect in kind or quality.
3. thorough; entire; total; undivided, uncompromised, or unmodified.
I was neglected and sexually abused as a child. As an adult I was insecure, afraid, angry and bitter. My whole life was affected by it; I struggled greatly to be a wife, a mother and a friend. I used street drugs to help me cope, but drugs only prolonged my healing because when I used them it made me feel good; but that was only temporary. So drugs made things more difficult for me in the long run. I didn't know what to do; I had tried the worldly solution of "counseling" but still I cried out for wholeness. I wanted more than anything to be healed of my emotional wounds; I knew the degree of my healing would depict the quality of my life, and the lives of my daughters. I tried to do it on my own, but it didn't work. Phychology didn't work for me. 10 years of self-help didn't work either. It was like putting a tiny band-aid on my huge wounds. It only taught me how to live with the wounds and manage them. I didn't want to manage my anger and bitterness; I didn't want to live with them; I wanted to be healed of them. I wanted to be delivered from the pit I was in. What I eventually learned is true healing only comes from Jesus; only He could deliver me from the pit I was in. "He redeemed my soul from going down to the pit, and I will live to enjoy the light". (Job 33:28)
When I 36 years old I began reading the Bible. The Holy Spirit began showing me the truth through rhema words (the word rhema means "an utterance." Therefore, the rhema word in Biblical terms refers to a portion of scripture that "speaks" to a believer. In most cases, a rhema word received while reading the Bible applies to a current situation or need). about myself and my situation. As I examined that word I knew it was truth about me; but I didn't know how to change myself. He began drawing me closer to Himself; the closer I came the more I healed. I listened to Him as He taught me the truth. I felt a renewed sense of hope in my life. "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"(John 8:32). He showed me how to change and gently led me through it- step by step. My life began to greatly improve. There was a direct correlation between me recieving God's truth and the quality of my life. That made me very happy and I had overwhelming joy. But I wasn't looking for happiness. Happiness is a byproduct of healing. The opposite of depressed is happy. I had to go through many trials and tribulation to come to that place. The Gospel wasn't some magic fairy dust sprinkled on me and suddenly my life was great.
No...it was God Almighty leading me out of my pain step by step to a place of wholeness and healing. I praise Him for it - only He could have done it.
So I guess what I'm telling you is healing is a process. I am still learning and healing. I am sure I will until the day I die.
When you accept Jesus as your Savior (and eventually Lord) you will experience trials and tribulation and even persecution just like other people; except you will have Divine help - the Bible says: "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it". 1 Corinthians 10:13
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you wisdom and direction each day. And if you hang in there and allow God to bring you through it all you will come out the other side a different person. Everyone's experience is different and only God knows exactly what you need to be made whole, and I guarentee you He will bring that to you. But it may not look like what you need at the time. That is why His Truth only works by faith. If you don't trust God then the whole thing is pointless. If you don't trust Him your whole experience will be nothing but frustrating, dissappointing, confusing and eventually end up with you falling away from it. The sad thing is many people could have received real healing if they hung in there with God and trusted Him.
But there is hope for everyone because the Bible says, "It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God's way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: "The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives." Romans 1:16-17 (The Message)
The bible says we can only come to God through His Son Jesus.
The Bible says, "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6
Good deeds and being a good person will not earn you a place in heaven when you die. Think about it; if someone you didn't know knocked on your front door then asked you if they could come in you might say, "Do I know you?" Then if they said' "well, no, but I'm a good person and let me show this list of good things I've done throughout my life". Your resonse may still be, "Excuse me, but do I know you?" It's the sme with Jesus; the Bible says,
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: 27 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.”
28 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, 29 for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes".
Matthew 7:21-28
You see even those who profess with their mouths that they have made Jesus Lord but do not obey Him will also be included in this group. Matthew Henry,
minister and noted scholar, puts it this way:
"Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin. There are others, whose religion rests in bare hearing, and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions". These two sorts of hearers are represented as two builders. This parable teaches us to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus: some may seem hard to flesh and blood, but they must be done. Christ is laid for a foundation, and every thing besides Christ is sand. Some build their hopes upon worldly prosperity; others upon an outward profession of religion. Upon these they venture; but they are all sand, too weak to bear such a fabric as our hopes of heaven. There is a storm coming that will try every man's work. When God takes away the soul, where is the hope of the hypocrite? The house fell in the storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expected it would be a shelter to him. It fell when it was too late to build another. May the Lord make us wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. The multitudes were astonished at the wisdom and power of Christ's doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over, is always new. Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Let us be more and more decided and earnest, making some one or other of these blessednesses and Christian graces the main subject of our thoughts, even for weeks together. Let us not rest in general and confused desires after them, whereby we grasp at all, but catch nothing.
The Bible says we must admit our sin to God and turn away from sinful behavior and do whatever is neccessary to avoid it (repent). But we can't do it in our own strength. We need Jesus to help us overcome sinful strongholds(habbits)."Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. "Acts 3:19 God loves you and wants to help you have victory over the things that are causing pain in your life. But first you must give Jesus permission to come into your life. He will not force Himself, He must be invited. If you want to invite Jesus into your heart you could use the model prayer below. Speak it out loud to Jesus...He will hear you. "...that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9
Here is a simple prayer you could say to invite Jesus into your life. Lord God Almighty. I come to you in the name of Jesus Christ. I come to you with all the sins I've committed. I admit I am a sinner. I ask for your forgiveness. Please cleanse my body, soul and spirit from all this sin with the precious blood of your Son Jesus Christ. I believe your Son Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins. I also believe that He rose from the dead so that I, too, may have victory over the works of the devil. I confess and accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior and ask Him to come into my heart and give me a new life that’s after Your will and purposes. Please lead and guide me by Your Holy Spirit into righteousness.
Thank you Lord, for the work of Your Son Jesus shedding His blood for me and for hearing and answering my prayer. I’m now considered your child through the work of Your Son Jesus. I have a new life. I have been born anew and by faith I believe it.
Don’t worry about whether or not you felt something after the prayer. Faith is not a feeling. What’s important is how your life will change as you submit to God and His directions written in the Bible.
When you read the Bible measure your life against it. Do your best to bring your actions and thoughts in alignment with what you read. Think of it as an instruction book for life. Also pay close attention to what is now happening around you - you will see God at work in and through you. If you don't understand what's happening ask God to give you wisdom about it. Also ask someone who has known and obeyed God much longer than you to give you counsel and wisdom in the things you don't understand.
what’s next?
1. Get baptised. Most churches/fellowships baptize new believers. If you need help with that contact us below. Water baptism is important because Jesus said our new life in salvation needs to start with water and spiritual baptism. The prayer above ushers you into the spiritual baptism if you prayed it. The model for salvation in the Bible was that people repented from their sins then were baptised immediately. It is vital that you become baptised as soon as possible.
2. Pray as often as possible – at least twice a day.
It’s how you speak to God. It doesn't need to be formal. Just talk with Him like you talk with your friends, but be respectful - He is God. You can read the Bible and pray it by personalizing it, especially the Psalms.
3. Read the Bible-it’s God speaking to you.
The New King Kames Bible (NKJV) is great; it's accurate and easy to read. Listen to Him and obey His Word. As you align your thoughts and behavior with the truth of God's Word you will increasingly experience freedom from sin and its grip.
4. Seek divine guidance and wisdom in all you do (ask God to help you make decisions).
There will be times when you'll want to respond to situations based on your own experience, or own wisdom. This will get you into trouble. The Bible should be your guidance. Always go to the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of your situation to you. Look to see how God consistantly related to people throughout history, you can expect Him to work in a similar way with you.
5. Attend a bible based Fellowship/Church where you are receiving Biblical instruction and love.
Seek a church/ ministry that will encourage your walk with Jesus. Join a bible study if you can and fellowship with other believers in the study. Spend time with others who want to spiritually grow - avoid old friends who try to pull you down and discourage you from your new faith. You need to gain spiritual strength and maturity before you can hang out with old friends.
If you have any questions fill out the form below and click send and I'll do my best to answer your questions. May God richly bless you!