February: Part 1 – My Time with Jesus
(With a Free February Planner Printable)
If you are reading this article, then it tells me that you are ready to start your spiritual journey with Jesus. This path is narrow (Matthew 7:13-14) but burden-free (Matthew 11:28 KJV). Jesus himself could not bear to carry his cross to Calvary, so He does not expect us to walk this journey alone. This is a spiritual walk, not a religious one.
Why a spiritual walk?
Is Christianity not a religion? Christianity is a lifestyle; it’s a daily walk with Jesus. We are spirit beings who communicate with Christ in Spirit and truth (John 4:24).
Live life by the Spirit: Galatians 5:13-26
“13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” 15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whateveryou want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
Now that the holiday fever is over and January has finally flown by, work is rolling in, we have settled the kids into school, or we are back at university. We have pushed the life button on a cycle of work, home, and sleep routine. Life takes over, and the most critical part of our existence, our Spirit-Self, suffers the consequences.
What are the vitals of your Spirit-Self?
Unnourished, starved, and weak? Then we need to get your Spirit Person to the gym. You need to toughen up and arm yourself with the armour of God to be equipped when calamities hit. Can you fight to withstand challenges? (Ephesians 6:10-20)
Perhaps you are feeling deflated and exhausted from 2022. You had to possibly deal with some experiences that you do not want to be repeated in 2023.
Now is the time to start a clean slate. I have been saved for 51 years of my life, and I have had my fair share of challenging times; I have tried to fix it all through my intelligence, but one thing I know for sure is that the Bible’s teachings always provided me with the correct answers at the right time.
Over the next few months, we will embark on a step-by-step journey called My Spiritual Journey with Jesus, where I will provide you with a free printable that you can paste into your journal or stick on your fridge. Journal your thoughts and testimonies on the printable; please feel free to share them with me.
CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR YOUR FREE PRINTABLE
Here’s 5 Simple Ways to Start Your Spiritual Journey With Jesus: February Issue
1. Each morning, wake your Spirit-Self first
As straightforward as this may sound, this first step can be easily missed. When the morning alarm goes off with a scream, we start the day with our cell phones in our hands. We scroll through social media, read emails, update our WhatsApp profiles, and the list goes on, and any morning quiet time has evaporated. We rush out of bed, and off we go, the day begins.
You are Spirit first. When God created man, He blew His breath, His Life, and His Spirit into you. You are a Spirit Being that has a soul and lives in a body. Our Spirit does not sleep, but it does require awakening every now and then. Before you wake up in this noisy world, fuel your Spirit first.
Romans 6 explains that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us. Now that is powerful. Mediate on that for a minute.
Awaken the Spirit that lives in you through morning prayer and conversation with Jesus. Communicating with God is as simple as speaking to Him. We are not religious creatures; we are sons and daughters of Christ, and we can talk freely to Him, as He calls us friends.
What can you say?
Start by saying, ‘Thank you, Jesus, for a new day.’ Tell Him how grateful you are for the beautiful day that lies ahead. No matter what the day brings, you will stand on God’s promises for you, as you are not walking this journey alone.
2. Read your Manual
There is an old saying that we each came with a manual when God created us. The Word of God is your manual, so do not only pick up your manual when you break or when you require servicing. Reading the Bible is your gym session and is your weapon against the enemy; it will provide you with strategy. Its full of wisdom and encouragement to sustain you through your spiritual journey with Jesus.
In your February Free Printable, I noted some scriptures that you can read for this month. Read it a few times and meditate on it till it becomes alive in you. Make time, even if it is for 15 minutes a day.
His Word is a love letter to you, so go ahead and open them as you embark on this journey with Jesus.
3. Enjoy the Lobby Experience
Do you hate waiting? Waiting is part of your spiritual journey. One of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control or longsuffering (Galatians 5:22 KJV).
Waiting for God to answer you in your time of need can be stressful, but God renews your strength when you wait (Psalms 46:10).
So why not sit back and enjoy the lobby experience? Enjoy the snacks because you are about to take on a new journey.
For further reading: How to be still and know that I am.
4. ‘Don’t be a smart Alec’
You will be tempted to fix all your problems using your intellect, there is nothing wrong with that, but part of your spiritual journey is learning to allow God to lead. Pray, wait, seek and then listen.
Matthew 6:33-34
“33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Proverbs 9:10
“10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”
5. Listen
Another discipline that you need to master for your spiritual journey with Jesus is: listening. Our brain is the noisiest organ. Our thoughts can set us in a mode of panic, anxiety and fear; therefore, it is critical to distinguish between what ideas are God-like that will help you progress forward from those thoughts that will lead further into chaos (Philippians 3: 8-9). As you spend more time following steps 1-4, you will find that listening for God’s voice in the middle of the storm will become easier as you grow in this journey.
John 10:27
“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”
God bless you. Please write to me. I would love to hear your testimony, and I can add you to my prayer journal.
Psssst, look out for the March Issue and free printable. 🙂