This is a really important question that every new Christian should ask. Becoming a Christian is the beginning of a new life, a new friendship and relationship with God the creator of the world, and it is important to know how we can draw closer in our friendship with God, and live a life that pleases him. Here are some ways to help in our pursuit of knowing God and living for him.
1. Spending time with God
The most important one is spending time with God, studying and reading the Bible, and praying to him – telling him of your questions, worries, concerns. Praying for help and guidance to live for him and in understanding what being a Christian means. Studying and praying should be part of your everyday life, this is called a Quiet Time, in Christian jargon. There should also be times, probably not as frequent as everyday, when you can do these two things with other Christians, studying God’s word and praying together. See Matthew 6:6, James 4:8, Psalm 1:1-6, Mark 1:35-37.
2. Asking forgiveness
Every Christian will sin, even though they have started a new life, because we still have an enemy who hates us, and hates God. So when you know that you have displeased God, you need to stop doing that which is wrong, and ask for God’s forgiveness and cleansing. See 1 John 1:8-9, Psalm 32:5, Proverbs 28:13.
3. Meeting with other Christians
Attending church, or meeting with other Christians to share and encourage one another in the Christian life, to receive teaching in a formal way in order to grow. Acts 2:42, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 10:24, 1 Peter 2:5-6, Hebrews 10:25.
4. Reading Christian books
Reading Christian books of various kinds – teaching, the testimonies of other Christians, biographies of Christians, devotional books or books on specific topics with regard to the Christian life or God’s word.
5. Evangelizing or witnessing
Evangelizing or witnessing – sharing your faith and experience of God, with those who don’t know him. This gives you the opportunity to consolidate what you know of God, and helps you to reaffirm why it was that you became a Christian in the first place. Moreover, it gives you opportunity to glorify God, by telling someone else your testimony or how God has helped you. See 2 Peter 3:15, Mark 16:15-16, Romans 1:16, Romans 10:9-10.
6. Having a coach, mentor or spiritual director
Having a coach, mentor or spiritual director. These people do not tell you what to do, or demand that you take certain directions, but they have the responsibility to facilitate you and encourage you in your walk with God. Having someone like this in your life will help you to understand more clearly what God is saying, or what He desires of you. They are likely to keep you accountable to the vows/decisions you have made to follow the Lord. Examples of coaching/mentoring in the Bible: Jethro in Exodus 18:1-24, Paul in 1 Thessalonians 3:10 and Ephesians 4:11-12, Barnabas in Acts 9:23-31, Jesus, with the disciples for three years, teaching, training, leading and then leaving them to carry on his work.
7. Living healthy
Make time to relax, live a healthy lifestyle, take care of your body, as well as your soul, because your body is the temple of God. He dwells within each Christian through his Holy Spirit. See 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19-20.
8. Meditate
Meditate on God’s word – this is not always easy to do because we may think of Transcendental Meditation or other things related to false religions or sects. For the Christian though, meditation means thinking over what you have read in God’s word – maybe in your Quiet time, or from a sermon or talk. Keep thinking over the verse that God has used to challenge you with, and ask God to help you understand it more, and how to put it into practice. See Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2 (and many other verses in Psalms).