Shadowboxing: Winning the Battle Within Sample

BE PLANTED (IN A HEALTHY CHURCH COMMUNITY)

In addition to building a close and personal relationship with God, a vital way in which we feed our spirits is by planting ourselves in a healthy church community. Psalms 92:13–14 (NKJV) says: Those who are planted in the house of the LORD Shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing.’

To be ‘planted’ is a position of strength. It suggests standing firm, being nourished by good soil, and remaining upright when temptations come, or storms hit. Proverbs 10:25 (TPT) says:‘The wicked are blown away by every stormy wind. But when a catastrophe comes, the lovers of God have a secure anchor.’

So, what is it about being planted in church that is so fortifying for us as believers? The Apostle Paul touches on the benefits of gathering together when he writes to the believers in Rome, saying: ‘Now, this means that when we come together and are side by side, something wonderful will be released. We can expect to be co-encouraged and co-comforted by each other’s faith!’ (Romans 1:11–12 TPT).

We were never meant to do life on our own. God designed us to be in close relationship with Him and in community with each other. In church community, our faith deepens and matures, our characters are shaped, and our lives are enriched. Proverbs 27:17 (GNT) says: ‘People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron.’ It’s life-giving to gather and grow together; to connect with others in fun and meaningful ways; and to support, serve, and encourage each other through all the seasons of life. Together, our joys are multiplied, and our struggles are shared.

In my own life, church has always featured. My parents loved their local church and laid the foundations for being planted in church for our family. Yet truth be told, I was bored with church by my mid-teens and more interested in riding my BMX bike on Sunday mornings. Around this time, my parents moved to a new church and the youth pastor took a genuine interest in me as a young man. The church was experiencing a fresh move of God’s Spirit, and I experienced God in a personal way as I never had before. This was a gamechanger for me. In our new church, I also saw God move in ways I’d never known before. Sick people were prayed for and got healed, and people gave their lives to Jesus every Sunday. Not only did I make great friends in the youth ministry, but I had a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit in youth group. As a result, I became passionate about living for Jesus and believed that God could use me.

This led me to start praying for my high school when I was in Grade 10, because I wanted all my school friends to experience the wonder of a personal relationship with Jesus, fueled by being planted in an awesome church. (I still want that for everyone today.)

In my local church, I found a place to belong in a faith community that welcomed me, loved me, pointed me to Jesus, equipped me to serve Him, encouraged me to discover my God-given purpose, empowered me to make good life choices, and generally helped me keep my life on track. And that’s my prayer for you too.

I love what it says in Psalm 23:6 (AMPC): ‘Surely [or only] goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.’