In Christ, we are indeed delivered from earthly peril as well as eternal punishment. Current sentiment garbed in Christian faith tells us that all we need do is pray a short prayer and believe. If we do this, we are promised everything will be fine.
The prayer is valid if you are truly committed. The words are not magic. They are more like wedding vows. In this simple prayer one acknowledges Christ and their belief in Him. They also may confess sin and ask Jesus to be their Lord. Many have been told that if they say this prayer they are guaranteed a place in heaven. From the wedding analogy, you stand with Christ to marry Him. You say I will and He says I have. After a wedding it is normal for the new couple to live together. Here is where the simple prayer falls apart. We pray to go to heaven and live like hell. Which is true, what we say or what we do? Our actions and words should be in agreement.
Belief is another issue. I know many people who believe in Jesus. They acknowledge Christ as real and many of them have said the simple prayer. But, their belief is only mental consent. They have much in common with the devils in the book of James. The difference is the devils at least knew to be afraid. Mental consent is not the same belief as described in the epistle to the Romans. In that text one must confess with their mouth, perhaps a simple prayer, and believe in their heart. This type of belief is more than mental consent. This kind of belief embraces taking up ones cross to follow Christ.
An evidence of true conversion is a desire to tell your brothers and sisters about what has happened to you because of Christ. When Jesus called his first disciples in Matthew 4 he said “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” A healthy concern for those who do not yet know Christ or think they already do is an evidence for genuine conversion.