I had actually been saved when I was 13, but during that first year of my new Christian life, I had not given God my all. So the very next year when the new church we were attending held a revival, I walked down the aisle again.

I knew I was already saved, but I also knew that I was getting older and had not really given God my whole heart. So I was saved when I was 13, but I really gave God my all when I was 14 years old.

I believe the main reason I didn't give God my all when I was initially saved was because no one ever gave me answers to the questions I would naturally have as a new Christian—and no one gave me the scriptures I would need to stand on when doubts began to enter my mind.

Asking Upfront
But that second year, when I walked down the aisle, the revival preacher's wife was in the back of the church. She was waiting for all of us who had gotten saved that night. As soon as she got us all together, she began to drill us with questions.

She knew that by the next day we would be asking ourselves these same things and that, for sure, the devil would be throwing questions at us—questions like: How do you know you are saved? How do you know God accepts you? How do you know God forgives your sins?

After she had drilled us for a while, I began to cry and think to myself, "I thought this was supposed to be fun, and here she is making me cry my eyes out...making me feel guilty."

After I had cried a little bit, she began to explain. "Now listen, the reason I drill you so carefully is because the devil is going to question you, and he is going to ask you these same things."

As soon as I quit sniffing, she began to answer my questions. I was so thankful to have been given the beginning of a firm foundation on which to start my new life. And that's what I want to give to others.

Believe And Confess
There are answers in the Bible for what you need if you have a desire to be saved, or if you have recently been saved, and need a solid base, as I did, on which to stand.

It's important that you confess (repeat out loud), on a daily basis, specific scriptures from the Bible until you feel you are strong enough in your spirit to stand against the devil no matter what questions or accusations he may throw at you.

You see, Satan will work against you by putting his "doubt words" into your mind, hoping you'll dwell on them and accept them. The way to fight against them is to dwell on and confess God's "faith words."

Just as a baby needs nourishment when it is first born in the flesh, so a new Christian needs nourishment when he or she is born again in the Spirit (John 3:1-8). After repeating your scriptures for a while, strength will begin to come into your spirit just as strength begins to come into a baby's body by feeding on milk.

First Peter 2:2 tells us,

Like newborn babies you should crave—thirst for, earnestly desire—the pure (unadulterated) spiritual milk, that by it you may be nurtured and grow unto [completed] salvation.

You should never totally stop confessing scripture—not even after you have "grown up" in the Lord.

Every believer, no matter how long he or she has been a Christian, is engaged in a continual battle with Satan from the moment of salvation. The good thing is that although we Christians are in a continual battle, we have the promise that greater is He (Jesus) Who is in us than he (the devil) who is in the world...and that the battle is the Lord's (1 John 4:4, Ex. 14:14). He is there to help us.

Well, by the time that preacher's wife had gotten through with me, I knew that when the devil came at me I could say: "This is how I know I am saved. This is how I know God accepts me. This is how I know God the Father forgives me. I am His child, adopted into His family through Romans 8:23. I'm grafted in, and I'm part of the Kingdom. devil, you can't steal my salvation from me!"

You see? This is your self-defense against the negative thoughts and doubts the devil will try to put into your mind and get down into your heart so you'll start believing them.

So take scriptures from the Word of God and use them as a confession against the devil so that no matter what he or anybody else says, you can answer. "Wait a minute. This is how I know I'm saved, accepted, forgiven and a child of God, a part of the Kingdom. It's not based on feelings, but on God's Word."

Put the Word to work for you…because it works!

Source: Simple Facts: Salvation, Healing & the Holy Ghost
by Cheryl Salem
Excerpt permission granted by Praise Books