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FEATURE ARTICLE
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Sunday, February 2, 2025 |
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[email protected] Toronto, Ontario, Canada ![]() |
"But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you." - 1 Peter 5:10 This verse reveals four key things God desires to do in our lives: Make you perfect ? Maturity and completeness in faith. Establish you ? A firm foundation in Christ. Strengthen you ? Inner spiritual fortitude. Settle you ? Security in His promises and purpose.
This month, our focus is on being established in Christ, for as the Word says, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" (Psalm 11:3). A faulty foundation in Christ leads to instability in our Christian walk. Today, many Christians are no longer respected in society. Worse still, a significant number are entangled in sin and unwholesome behaviors, struggling to live in holiness, win souls, or manifest God's power-all because they lack true establishment in Christ. However, history has shown that those who truly encountered Jesus and were established in Him spoke with authority about their faith. Consider these powerful insights: "You cannot be established in Christ without a firm foundation in the Word." - David Wilkerson "To be in Christ is to be a new creature; to be established in Christ is to live as one." - Billy Graham "A prayerless Christian is a powerless Christian. Establishment in Christ comes through a life of prayer." - Leonard Ravenhill "The deeper your roots in Christ, the stronger your stability in life." - Andrew Wommack "If you don't build your life on the Word of God, you will be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine." - Bishop David Oyedepo "God does not only call you; He establishes you in His purpose." - Pastor E. A. Adeboye "A Christian is not truly established until they are rooted in holiness, anchored in integrity, and committed to fulfilling God's purpose. Without these, stability in Christ is impossible." - Pastor Amos Dele Dada It is my prayer that this month, God will establish you in Christ, making you steadfast, fruitful, and immovable in your Christian journey. May you bear good fruits and stand firm in His purpose! What Does It Mean to Be Established in Christ? To be established in Christ means to be firmly rooted, unshakable, and deeply grounded in faith. Many people accept Christ but remain unstable in their walk with Him due to trials, distractions, and lack of spiritual depth. To be established in Christ is being rooted in the Word "Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving."(Colossians 2:7) A tree with deep roots can withstand storms. Likewise, a believer who is deeply rooted in God's Word will not be easily swayed by false doctrines, sin, or challenges. Have you noticed that the deeper the root of a tree the taller the stem? They also produce fruit not only onces but continually. That is the difference between cash crops for example cocoa, kola nut copared to subsistence crop like vegetables no tap root an harvested once. Why Christians Should Be Established in Christ Let's look at three reasons you need to be established in Christ.
To be established in Christ, believers must take deliberate and intentional steps to deepen their relationship with Him, ensuring spiritual stability and maturity. 1. Be Rooted in the Word of God The Word of God is our foundation (Psalm 119:105) and equips us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).Knowing Scripture helps believers resist false teachings (Ephesians 4:14) and stand firm in their faith. Billy Graham, one of the greatest evangelists of the 20th century, was firmly established in Christ because of his commitment to the Bible. He once said:"If you are ignorant of God's Word, you will always be ignorant of God's will."His unwavering faith and impact came from his deep knowledge of Scripture, which kept him from being tossed by trends or false teachings.Develop a habit of daily Bible reading and study.Memorize key verses that reinforce faith and truth. Growing up in Obafemi Awolowo University, I was by the grace of God consistent in Bible study and other weekly activities. I never miss Sunday services even though we have two of them morning and evening. Fully engaged as a worker, church bus driver, member of prayer band , choir and accounts department. No wonder I started church planting in 1985 without any seminary training, Christ Apostolic Church Bethel Effurun Warri, Delta State when I resume work as an engineer in Warri Refining and Petrochemical company (WRPC) forty years ago! 2. Cultivate a Strong Prayer Life Today in Christ Apostolic Church circle and in Nigeria you hear different stories of the prayer life of our founding fathers especially Joseph Ayo Babalola and Orekoya people who God used to raise the dead. What of Daniel of the Bible ? Daniel was firmly established in his faith despite living in a pagan kingdom. Even when a law was passed forbidding prayer, he remained steadfast. He prayed three times daily and refused to compromise, which led to his miraculous deliverance from the lion's den."Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before." (Daniel 6:10)Prayer deepens our relationship with God and keeps us connected to His presence.It builds spiritual strength to withstand trials (Luke 18:1).A strong prayer life gives direction and discernment (James 1:5). For example the prayer life of Mother Theresa. Mother Teresa, known for her work among the poor, remained spiritually grounded despite challenges. She spent hours daily in prayer, relying on God's strength to sustain her mission. Prayer helped her stay focused on Christ amid difficulties.Set a daily time for consistent, dedicated prayer. Develop a habit of praying in all situations (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Use prayer to seek guidance, strength, and spiritual fortification. Deliberately stop seeking for people to pray for you. Become your own prophet. What type of marriage and family do you want to raise when you cannot pray through to know whom God wants you to marry and you have to depend on one prophet on one mountain! For how long will you call on Baal? 3. Stay Connected to the Body of Christ (Fellowship and Discipleship) The early Christians were firmly established because they devoted themselves to fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer. Their unity and commitment to each other strengthened their faith and allowed them to stand firm in persecution."They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42) Fellowship provides spiritual accountability (Hebrews 10:25).Being part of a strong Christian community helps believers stand firm in faith. Iron sharpens iron-we grow by learning from one another (Proverbs 27:17).Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, emphasizes the importance of fellowship through small group discipleship. He believes that Christians grow best when they are connected to a supportive community where they can learn, pray, and encourage one another. Similarly, Paul Yonggi Cho of South Korea built the largest church in the 20th century by establishing cell groups and prayer mountains.Be actively involved in a church or small group.Surround yourself with spiritually mature believers.Engage in mentorship and discipleship, both receiving and giving. 4 Being Led by the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit helps us walk in obedience and discernment.A believer who is not guided or empowered by the Spirit will struggle to stay established. Engage the power of the Holy Spirit today and go and do exploits. What made the apostles to work so hard for the kingdom and died as matyrs? Holy Spirit! Conclusion This is your month of divine establishment! Whatever has made you weak or unstable in the past, God will turn it around. Commit to a Life of Prayer (Luke 18:1)Stay Connected to the Church (Fellowship) (Hebrews 10:25)Obey God's Instructions (Isaiah 1:19)Resist the Devil and Temptations (James 4:7) Stay rooted in Christ, and He will strengthen, settle, and establish you in His purpose. May you never be moved in Jesus' name Prayer Points
Book recommendation: How to discipline your flesh by Kenneth Copeland
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