What is important in sustaining faith?

How does one keep faith alive? Is it by praying? Reading the Word? Fasting? Going to church? Yes, you heard me right.

Does doing all this really help one keep the faith alive and fire burning? Let’s learn together.

Although, as a churchgoer myself for as long as I can remember, from childhood to this moment, I would say no. 

Don’t get me wrong.All of the mentioned above and more are very important to the service of each one of us in the body of Christ, but they are not the key.  Let’s discuss these first so you, may be like me, who, time to time, think it is not bad if I miss doing one even when the Spirit prompt is likely to miss. 

Why are prayer, fasting, Bible study, church going and many others, like giving, sharing the Word (testifying) important?

Prayer

With prayers taught to us from childhood, we are taught is a way we can communicate with God. To ask, thank him, and maybe talk to Him when we need something or just want to raise our worries, confess and yes, just tell him we love Him.

While all is good, prayer goes much more than this. I loved the way a certain preacher put it. He said, while encounters are God coming to us, prayer is an opportunity for us to get before Him. And the best part, while encounters may be a few, since Jesus, we have an opportunity to go before God whenever we want and choose to, and that is any time.

So, prayer, although communication, is more likely to be dwelling. A state of being in the presence, in connection with the Holy Spirit. And this is why it should not be done just on Sundays. That door is open; come boldly before Him for mercy whenever you want. May we want to come before God always. It is in His presence that we get power, are strengthened, empowered, encouraged and uplifted in everything going on. Anytime, any place, anywhere, you can. Humbly.

Bible Study

One apostle said, It is important, while you have time to listen to the preachers and read this post, better to have a personal time of going through the Word for yourself. This way you will know whether what is written, said and preached is true above all of God. Learning and teaching oneself to spend time reading and studying the Word of God is critical for the health of each believer and the Church in general.

How will we know the promise, the commandment, the laws, the directions and leading of the Spirit, if we do not read His Word? While it is true God can speak to any one of us, but knowing He is the one, we need to know the Word. And as we hear the Spoken Word align with His written Word, we know He is. God, that book, actual or in a device, better if you can touch it, you know, like going through the pages. Open and study it. Let us always have time to study the Word. We do much more for earthly tests. What about the one that determines our eternal? Got to know to Know.

Fasting

Fasting, simply, is going through a hunger strike but with a divine mission. Can be striking basically against food and other distractions such as drinks, leisure, entertainment, fun time and anything that counts as more carnal than spiritual. And yes, for the key purpose of seeking God, spending time with God in His presence through prayers, devotion and Bible study. So, fasting must involve time with the Lord, and prayer is key. It is through this time in prayer that we know and are made aware of the direction of what to do about the fast. While it always begins with limiting food consumption, it never ends with such. There is a mission at hand, and spending time with the Lord ensures power and strength to stand ground and achieve the set goal.

Unless the Spirit prompts the day for a fast, personally through the Pastor where you serve and are shepherd, it is key to have a goal or rather an intended purpose of what this is all about. Reading from Ester, Daniel, and yes, Jesus, the Spirit led, the Spirit aimed at doing something. Finding that in the Spirit is important. While it is key to have a goal, when you journey over time with God, there will be days where, while reasons are humanly unclear, you will find it with peace obeying God when He says, Fast.

There is something about fasting that Jesus mentions in the book of Matthew 17:21, There is a day of this kind when fasting and prayer will be key to live it through. And this is key to generating power to stand the evil and wickedness faced in this life. Power comes with fasting. So, why not obedience when it comes to this?

What can be more important than the presence anyway!?

Church Going (gathering)

The Word writes, remember to keep gathering. It is from the early Church, when Jesus was here. In the upper room, they met, broke bread together. He met His disciples and taught them. They had time to hear from Him and understand the word. And when He ascended, He urged them to keep gathering in wait, thus the Pentecostal day. Then when the Holy Spirit came, they continued to meet, breaking bread, meeting to learn from the leaders and yes, if there was a need, they resolved. If someone was sick, hands were laid, a share of wealth and many more. 

Church is more than what we have really made it to be, a schedule. You want to go about the day of Pentecostal again, and yes, any revival ever happened. When the Holy Spirit was the leader of the service, to Jesus the glory and God the focus of everything. There, there was power, mighty miracles done. And yes in all scenarios, gentiles, unbelievers called them mad out fear, jealousy and just for their own sake and refusal of that what God is doing really. 

Why we Church?

• Because Christ said so. The Word proves so. And the Holy Sprit of God in us desires, leads us and work in us to me.

• Church is gathering of believers for the sake of building up and accountability really. We have different gifts, services, when we get together, we have a platform to serve God and others for the Glory of God.

• It is in Church we are encouraged and empowered, learning of others and Gods work in other believers, we believe. Trusting in His faithfulness, we know, He will deliver us too. And through this testimony, we all, as a Church are strengthened. 

Church, todays, or rather our churches can be a lot. Malice, jealousy, anger, and much more but yet the Word says it is key to meet. Let us meet together held together by the promise of God and His Christ and through the Holy Communion know that He is coming to take us. And where He is, where there is perfection, love and life, we shall also be there if we do not give  up on the testimony of His mighty works.

Testifying (Sharing the Word and His Work)

The most and powerful testimony anyone should have is on salvation and the gift of grace bestowed upon each of us when we believe. And from here with the working of the Spirit, by the gifts of service and the fruits of the Spirit, we, each, have something to testify to those around us. 

When one has walked with God, if there be anything, you want others to know him too. No one ever received a good news, a perfect one, worthy of celebration, an extended invitation and sit on it himself. 

Do you believe there is one God…you are doing well. Even the demons do so and tremble James 2:19. But we are children John 1:12, and just like children, we find peace, and joy and love wanting others to know what our Father is doing, has done or about to do.

You’ll always hear children, my father is going to buy me a car, an airplane, chocolate. He is going to bring me this. He is my father, he is a kind person. Of course, this is mostly when fathers have good relationships with children and children are just children. There is way earthly relationships affect or impact how one perceive the heavenly one. But this is a topic for another day and yes, if one really put the effort of no change even after maturity.

Think a moment about this in faith…

• What has God done to you?
• What has he done to someone you know or a beloved?
• Is there anything you want to share with someone?
• I would say, good or bad, one you think God did or let to happen. It is from this point that we learn and receive clearance through the Spirit in others and the Word.

Raise your concerns
Raise your joys
Raise your testimony
And let that joy increase, glory flow and yeas receive understanding.

Well, this is a lot. We should have time to go about giving, meditating on scripture, silence and solitude, listening to prayer, confession, obedience….,…..

What is important in faith sustaining?

The Word says we have the same Spirit of faith Jesus had (2 Cor 4:13). Because we have the same Holy Spirit Jesus had. When He ascended He made it possible and available for us all. He wanted and made easy and accessible for His Spirit to help us live in this sinful world testifying to all He is (John 15:26–27; Acts 5:32; Hebrews 10:15; Romans 8:16; 1 John 4:13-16). And because of this… here is the one thing important in sustaining the faith we have, the one the  Spirit converted our heart and worked to change our minds to believe. Jesus is the Son of God, Savior and God Himself in flesh.

Read more: John 1:1, 14; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 1:8; John 10:30; John 8:58; Isaiah 9:6; Matthew 1:23; Philippians 2:5–7

Intimacy with God is the only one thing important in keeping the faith.

What does intimacy meaning?

You already know but keep on learning, please.

How does one learn and live with intimacy? Faith.

The Work of the Spirit as wide as it sound is anchored in convicting us to believe, and after believing helping us to change, metamorphosed into perfection, becoming like Jesus. And this is a daily, every moment’s work. That is even unto that day we will be caught up in the sky (resurrection) when the Lord comes back as King and the trumpet is blown.

While salvation is a gift, freely given and freely received. It is the work of the Spirit in us that determine how we serve, impactful we are in the Church and Kingdom of God. It is really not about being there when the Lord comes back, but knowing what is required to do, walk and be unto that day.

Remember the ten virgins, five wise, five foolish. They knew about the wedding; they knew the groom was coming. They knew and yes they had oil. It was their responsibility to stay active and prepared not before only but during, up to that hour. 

It is in intimacy, and through intimacy we receive;

(a) Direction from the Holy Spirit how to conduct ourselves of the day

Galatians 5:25 (NIV)
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV)
“And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”

(b) Leading about ways we should really go

Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

(c) Warning when we are about to enter into enemies traps

John 16:13 (NIV)
“But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”

Acts 16:6-7 (NIV)
“Paul and his companions were kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia…”
(The Spirit redirects from danger or unfruitful paths.)

(d) Advice on what we can say or really not say when encountered with heated arguments

Luke 12:11-12 (NIV)
“Do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

Proverbs 15:1 (ESV)
“A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

(e) Prayers, how to pray and strength to pray even when we are tired

Romans 8:26 (NIV)
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us…”

Luke 18:1 (NIV)
“Then Jesus told his disciples… they should always pray and not give up.”

(f) Strength that is physical, spiritual, mental, there is too much going for each of us. But, with the Spirit we have peace, joy, love, patience and more.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV)
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak…”

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…”

Faith, Obedience and surrender leads to good, fruitfulness, subduing and dominion

Romans 12:1 (NIV)
“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

John 14:15 (NIV)
“If you love me, keep my commands.”

(g) Experience God’s manifestations and move in, on and through us for His glory

1 Corinthians 12:7 (ESV)
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

Acts 1:8 (NIV)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you…”

(h) Ability to bear good fruits of the Spirit and bear multiples, x30, x60 and x100

Faith for this new day going…

So, as we go about today, may we learn to surrender to the Holy Spirit. While intimacy sounds like when God commissioned you to share a Word before a congregation it is more than that.

Intimacy is when God says, there is so much food on your plate, why not share. That person could really use a hand paying bus fair. It’s when He says, of course they hurt you, but it was out of ignorance. Let them go and live in peace.

Of course, vengeance is God’s but why not trust your Father and know He will avenge. Or yet, why not let go, pray that God encounter them too. It is only when we are alive we get to forgive or receive forgiveness.

The Holy Spirit, once believed ~ born again, He is active indwelling in a believer. The depth and length and mightiness of His expression and manifestation depends on the believers cooperation. And this is more to do with trust, surrender and obedience to the leading.

He is the Spirit of God, He knows best. He is the Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotence. And He is the eternal business and since we are since believing, even the instructions we consider irrelevant is crucial.

Remember, we can do anything. We can eat anything. Also we can be anywhere. But, not everything is worthy doing, not everything worthy eating and not every place worth our presence. As the Spirit of the Lord leaded let us live today.