How to Be Saved: A Simple Prayer of Salvation

Adapted from my book, Transformed.

You are saved by turning to Jesus and trusting Him. Salvation is not earned by being good enough or religious enough. It is a gift God gives to everyone who believes that Jesus died for their sins and rose again, confesses Him as Lord, and turns from going their own way to following Him. The moment you do, God forgives you, gives you His Spirit and makes you His child. You can do that today, right where you are.

that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Romans 10:9-10, World English Bible

Why We Need to Be Saved

We were made to know God, but every one of us has gone our own way. The Bible calls that sin, and sin does more than break rules. It breaks relationship. It leaves us separated from God, carrying guilt and shame we cannot wash off by our own effort (Romans 3:23).

That is why Jesus came. He lived the life we could not live, died on the cross in our place, and rose from the dead. The Father did not send His Son as one good option among many. The cross shows how far He was willing to go to bring us home.

The Night My Assumptions Shattered

In college I thought of myself as a seeker of truth. I had grown up around church, but I had also read widely in Eastern philosophy, practiced meditation, and settled into the comfortable idea that every religion was a different path up the same mountain.

Then one night in a small basement apartment, I saw in my mind's eye an image of Jesus crowned with thorns, His face twisted in anguish and His eyes full of love. And I heard the Father whisper a question I have never forgotten: "If there were more than one way to reach Me, why would I have caused My Son to suffer in this manner?"

That question changed everything. If we could be reconciled to God some other way, the cross would have been unnecessary. But the cross was necessary. Jesus is not one teacher among many. He is the way.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.
John 14:6, World English Bible

What It Means to Be Born Again

When a religious leader named Nicodemus came to Jesus at night, Jesus told him something that confused him: "Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew, he can't see God's Kingdom" (John 3:3). Salvation is not self-improvement. It is a new birth, a work of the Holy Spirit that no religious ritual or human effort can produce. God puts His Spirit in you and gives you a new heart. (Read more in Born Again to See the Kingdom.)

Four Steps to Respond

Admit your need. Tell God honestly that you have sinned and cannot fix yourself (1 John 1:9).
Believe. Trust that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Confess Jesus as Lord. Hand Him the leadership of your life. Repentance means turning around: from your way to His.
Receive. Salvation is a gift. You do not earn it. You receive it by faith.

But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:
John 1:12, World English Bible

A Simple Prayer of Salvation

The night my life turned around, I was sitting in the back of a balcony at a Bible study, realizing I could not will my way into a new life. I prayed a simple prayer: "God, if You will be a Father to me, I want to be Your son." God met me there.

There are no magic words. God looks at the heart. But if you want to give your life to Jesus right now, you can pray something like this:

Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God. I believe You died on the cross for my sins and rose again. I have gone my own way, and I am sorry. Please forgive me. I turn from my sin and I give You my life. Be my Lord and my Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Father, I want to be Your child. Thank You for loving me and making me new. In Jesus' name, amen.

If you prayed that and meant it, Scripture says you are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Heaven celebrates over one person who turns to God (Luke 15:10). And so do we.

What Comes Next

Tell someone. Faith grows when it is spoken. We would love to hear from you. Let us know, and we will pray for you.
Talk with God every day. Prayer is simply a conversation with your Father. Start with our free Bible plans.
Read the Bible. Begin with the Gospel of John.
Be baptized. Baptism is how Jesus told us to publicly mark this new life (Matthew 28:19).
Find a church family. You were not meant to follow Jesus alone. If you are in Atlanta, join us Sundays at 11am in Buckhead. If you are not, our online community is open to you.

Go deeper. This post is adapted from Transformed: How the Gospel Changes Everything by Hazen Stevens. Get the book on Amazon, read What Is the Gospel?, or watch the Transformed sermon series free.

Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (public domain).