How To Strengthen Your Walk With God
Every summer when I was a child, my family would take a trip to Memphis and spend the entire day at a place called Liberty Land. Liberty Land, which is no longer in operation, was an amusement park that brought much joy and excitement to my life. I remember walking around the park smelling the carnival food. I remember the sweat dripping from my clothes because of the hot summer sun. I remember a lot of things about Liberty Land, but I remember the roller coasters the most. My favorite roller coaster was called the Revolution and no matter how many times I rode it I was never prepared for the dread that would soon take over. The twists and turns, the ups and downs, and the creaking tracks scared me every time. The wild thing about it is that I would get so scared, but I would willingly get back in line to ride the roller coaster again. Was I crazy? Why would I willingly put myself through the torture of riding the roller coaster?
Our Walk With God is Like a Roller Coaster
Although I haven’t been on a roller coaster in years, the memories of riding the roller coaster at times seem pretty similar our walk with God. Let’s be honest, there are many ups and downs as a Christian. There are many twists and turns on the road of faith. There are some days that we are on fire for God and then there are other days that we’re so cold it’s embarrassing. The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.” If we are new creatures and the old things are gone then why does our spiritual life seem so similar to riding a roller coaster?
The Apostle Paul also tells us in 1 Timothy 4:8 that “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” The Apostle Paul makes it clear, through scripture, that we must train for godliness and with the training comes promised benefits. Consistent training is the only way that we will overcome a roller coaster like walk with God. The Apostle Paul goes on to list specific things we can do to strengthen our walk with Christ:
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Know Who You Are
The Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT) “Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.” When we know who we are the more successful we will be when we come against the adversary.
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Know What You Believe
In 1 Timothy 4:13 (NLT) the Apostle Paul writes “…focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.” When we know what we believe, we’re less likely to be swayed in any direction.
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Use Your Spiritual Gifts
The Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the spiritual gifts you received through the prophecy spoken over you…” We have been given spiritual gifts from God and we can strengthen our walk with Christ when we use the gifts he has given us.
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Give It All You’ve Got
The Apostle Paul further instructs us in 1 Timothy 4:15 “Give your complete attention to these matters. Throw yourself into your tasks so that everyone will see your progress.” When we consistently focus on Christ, we won’t have time to focus on other things.
Regardless of what we do, there will always be ups and downs in our Christian walk with God. However, practicing these practical tips from the Apostle Paul will help us to have a more consistent walk with God.