Walk with Christ. How often we forget our walk with Christ and start walking in our own counsel. The work of Christ must be done in the counsel of the Lord. One sure sign of this walk with Jesus is the “peace” in your heart. He gives you His peace. His peace is not the absence of trials and tribulations. His peace is His presence in your life. When you lose, or begin to lose, your peace, you should see it as a firm indication that you are no longer in regular communion with God. Immediately take steps to identify any sin in your life, confess it to Christ and others, and enjoy the restoration of your fellowship with Him—then continue your walk with Him with His peace filling your heart and mind.
Have Fellowship with Other Believers. When sin enters your life, one of the first reactions is to “hide” from your brothers and sisters in Christ. You start to feel isolated, no longer comfortable in community. Your fellowship with others, however, is a reflection of your fellowship with Christ. John rebukes Christians with these words: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light” (1John2:9–10).
Be a Credible Believer. You must do your best, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, to be a person who can be trusted. Christian witness suffers because of the misdeeds of some Christians, and the media seems to enjoy the chance to make all Christians look like charlatans. Jesus calls Christians “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matt.5:13–14). You are here, as salt, to flavor the dull and dreary lives of those who have not tasted the power of Christ and, as light, to expose and eliminate the dark recesses of the human heart with the forgiveness and love of Christ.