The Continuum: Rooted, Built Up & StrengthenedSample

  

DAY 6 –  CONTINUE TO BE STRONG IN THE FAITH

Colossians 2:7, "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

I need to find my strength in faith.

WHAT IS THAT

We find this phrase “strengthened in the faith’ in many other places (Acts 16:5, 1 Cor 16:13, 1 Pet 5:9, Rom 4:20). What does Paul mean by faith? I believe it is a body of beliefs.

I believe he is referring to our faith in the Lord Jesus as our only Savior. Our faith in the complete work of the Cross, being saved and sustained by Grace alone and in Christ alone. Our belief in Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Our belief in the resurrection and the return of Jesus. Our belief in eternal life. Our belief in the Church and the unity of the body of Christ. This has been beautifully encapsulated in the Apostles Creed written in 390 AD.

“As you were taught..”

We are to hold fast to the teaching that is in scripture and not waver from it. What has been taught? It is also important to know who is teaching me. Is the church that I am a part of preaching the full gospel? Is it preaching sin, repentance, forgiveness, grace and all the rich inheritance we come into because of accepting Jesus sacrifice in the cross?

As we meditate on these truths each day, we will be strengthened in the faith.

We will get strong in the faith and what we believe and we will get strong by what we have come to believe. It will put strength into our soul and Spirit.

I pause to reflect on this…

HOW DO I GET STRONG IN THE FAITH?

I look back at my life as see that I started the habit of spending time with God and His Word when I was in school. I started maintaining a journal when I was around 13-14. That daily chewing on scripture morsel by morsel is what has made my faith strong today.

It is not reading a whole chunk of scripture once a month that will do it for you. It’s that little bite-size piece each day – those verses that you meditate upon that start to do their work, for the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12-13). 

You may say that you do not remember what you have read, therefore how is it making you strong? Do you remember what you had for breakfast 26 days ago? Probably not. Did it nourish you? Yes, it did. The Word of God is the same. It works quietly in our subconscious and slowly begins to instruct the way we think and so alter the way we behave. It is a living active and potent seed.

We are transformed by the renewing of our mind and allowing our thinking to be retrained and shaped by scripture. Slowly the word becomes the plumb line that shows us when we are off-balance in thinking or behavior.

It is not the random reading of scripture or only a diet of the Psalms that will make you strong. It is taking in the whole counsel of the Word of God right from Genesis to Revelation and all those difficult books like Leviticus, Deuteronomy and Ezekiel in between.

I have read the Bible from cover to cover more times than I can recount and it has been an enriching experience with new treasures to discover each time. I love the Word of God. It is my treasure, my comfort, my compass, my delight. It is the first place I run to when I need to strength or guidance.

I have used devotionals. books. etc. as supplementary tools but they can never replace the Bible.

When I meditate on the Word of God consistently, my faith becomes strong and I become a strong person too. When this happens, I am “able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom 12:2)

REFLECT AND ASK YOURSELF

How do you get strong in the faith?

REFERENCES

Col 2:6-7, Heb 4:12-13, Mark 4:27 , Gal 6:8