How can we know when Christ lives within us?

Hello @Blik, yes, there were MANY things that changed in my life on 11/2/86, the day that I finally become a believer (my newfound love and affection for the One who I KNEW had just forgiven all of my sins and saved me, as well my new desire to please and honor Him in EVERYTHING that I do/say/think, being perhaps first among the many things that changed for me on that day).

God bless you!!

~Deut

on the flip side, when i was sinning and without God, Satan actually left me alone for the most part. but the moment i began walking in God, Satan threw the whole house at me and has never stopped.

When I ran out of rope and was done living in sin. The Holy Spirit Filled me with his unconditional love and I never looked back. Then I found Mary and I'm not even a practicing catholic. Funny how things work out. The greater the sin the greater the mercy.

When God wants your attention, he gets it. Sometimes being broken can be a good thing. So, he can rebuild you to His liking so that you may become a new creation in Christ. Being humble is being wise. He does not reveal himself to the proud. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. (Matthew 5:3).

Lovely and oh so true!


Welcome!

Yes I was walking around talking to Him like He was my invisible friend. Knowing He was real and with me was a really joyful experience.

Ephesians 3:14-19 KJV
14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Yes, I went through a crisis when my long-time girlfriend (whom I loved) left me, and at the same time I had just gotten out of school and didn't know what direction to go in life and with what seemed like very few resources, I was without any inner strength those days to go on. For some reason, even though I didn't even believe in God, I called out to him on one bad night that I thought I might not get through, and when I woke up in the morning I felt like a million bucks, and quite surprisingly so, I felt fortified in my inner being with joy and comfort. It was very unusual for me!, so I started talking about God with my friends, knowing that I had had an answer to my prayer some how, but they didn't understand too much, not being Christians. Then, a former gang member who had been saved some time earlier invited me to Love Gospel church in Bronx, NY. They had a sign out front that said 'Jesus cares'. I lived in Brooklyn, but I visited the church anyway and everyone was praising God and it was so beautiful the singing. I listened as a traveling evangelist from Ireland talked about the passover from the Old Testament and how the blood of the perfect lamb represented Jesus and how those who put the blood on their house had the angel of death pass them by. He said that there were people in the church that night who God was calling and that they should not be afraid and that God saw them, and to come to the front of the church. I could feel God stirring in my inside and so I went forward. They asked me to pray with them and I confessed that I was a sinner and I asked God to come inside me and be my savior. And suddenly, I felt a great weight lift from me and I was soaring inside. Every since then I have known that the Bible is true and have wanted to understand all that God is saying in it, and I have been able to talk with the Lord as my father and friend and I have had so many specific answers to prayer. I feel like every time God answers a prayer, he lets me know this is the answer, just letting me know in my spirit. One of my old friends made a comment after I had been saved, 'that's your answer to everything, isn't it - Jesus'. I had to agree.

You know that you are His (Christ's) if you believe. Those who don't believe know they dont, and those who do know they do. You dont need an outward sign.

When Jesus came into my heart
when Jesus came into my heart
floods of joy o'er my soul like the sea billows roll
when Jesus came into my heart.

Romans 8:16
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
...\0/...

Key thing for me was knowing the assurance of salvation from Christ and the security in Him. He calmed my fears and gave peace. I began to stop biting my nails and became more confident in the faith.

I was probably saved at 13 or 14.. but didn't know much till I learned of the assurance from Christ and security in Him. I understood more fully around 24 years old the unearned, unmerited, unfavoured grace of God.

Yes, but I had to first take the initial step of faith. We come and then we can taste...


Psalms 34:8

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.”

Yes, those sinful habits that I did, I don't have the same desire, instead, I go to Him humbly.

Romans 8:15-16

Yes, I was more aware of when I would sin and not want to do that again. Of course, years later I'm still far from perfect whatever that is.

I felt light and lifted; the weight and burden of carrying my sin was removed.

At first yes and no. Went back to reg life ..well I was like 9 I think lol. yet...things just over time just changed. Things I use to love to do I just didn't want to do anymore. He is ..there is no other perfect gentleman. So every area in our lifes He will say nothing (I believe) until we are ready to give it up (surrender). And we all grow (spiritually) differently.

Over time became aware of the sinful nature that is not me vs the new man which after God is CREATED in righteousness and true holiness..aka the real me. To see me as He sees me. Just as I typed that the song started to play by Patrick Mayberry "How You Love Me". Perfect timing.. again. So see you through His eyes.. He wants us to see how much He loves us

"You ask, How ? . . . because His Words tells us . . . two types of people, those with Christ and those without."

I John 5:11-12, "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (KJV)

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