How do I give my life to Jesus?
"Come to me, all who are weary... and I will give you rest." — Matthew 11:28
Maybe a quiet longing has been growing in you — a sense that God is near, that there is more to life than what you have known, that Jesus is real and is gently calling your name. If your heart is stirring and you want to give your life to Him but aren't sure how, take a breath. This is not a test you could fail. Giving your life to Jesus is not about becoming good enough first; it is about coming to Him just as you are and letting Him do the rest. Let's walk through it together, slowly, with no pressure at all.
Know that He already loves you
Before you take a single step, hear this: you are not earning God's love — you already have it. "God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16), and that world includes you, by name, exactly as you are tonight. Paul writes, "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). He did not wait for you to clean yourself up; He came to you in the mess. So the journey to Jesus does not begin with your effort — it begins with His love, already reaching for you. You are simply turning to face the One who has been facing you all along.
Turn toward Him — and be honest
Giving your life to Jesus begins with a simple, honest turning. The Bible calls it repentance — not a heavy word, but a hopeful one: it means turning away from going your own way and turning toward God, who is glad to receive you. "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out" (Acts 3:19). You don't have to list every wrong or feel a certain way; you simply tell Him the truth — that you have wandered, that you need Him, that you want to come home. Remember the lost son who came back with a stumbling apology: his father "ran and embraced him" before he could even finish (Luke 15:20). That is the God you are turning toward.
Trust Jesus, and tell Him so
Then comes the heart of it: trusting that Jesus has done for you what you could never do for yourself. He lived the life you couldn't, died the death you deserved, and rose again so you could live. "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). You can do this right now, in your own plain words. Something like: "Jesus, I believe You love me and died for me. I'm sorry for going my own way. I give You my life — please forgive me, come in, and be my Lord and my Friend." There are no magic words. He hears the heart. "Whoever comes to me I will never cast out" (John 6:37).
Now walk with Him — you're not alone
If you prayed something like that and meant it, lift your head: heaven is rejoicing over you (Luke 15:10), and a new life has begun. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Giving your life to Jesus is not a one-time goodbye but the start of a friendship — you walk with Him now, day by day. That walk grows through simple things: talking with Him in prayer, listening to Him in His Word, and joining others who love Him. You don't have to figure it all out alone. That is exactly what this study, and the people of CBA Orlando, are here for — to walk the next steps beside you, all the way to the waters of baptism.
Search the Scriptures
Matt. 11:28; John 3:16; 6:37; Luke 15:10, 20; Acts 3:19; Rom. 5:8; 10:9, 13; 2 Cor. 5:17.
Reflect
Pause for a moment. Has reading this stirred something — a wish to say yes to Jesus, even quietly? You don't need the perfect words or a perfect life; you only need to come. Talk to Him honestly right where you are, and if you did, tell someone — let this be the beginning, not a secret. The next gentle step is to keep learning who He is, and then, when your heart is ready, to follow Him into the waters of baptism.
You don't have to walk it alone