Assurance for Christ-abiding believers can, I believe, be achieved if six (6) habits are practiced regularly. Beyond fully grasping God’s powerful presence, a Christian’s ‘walk’ will affect the level of Christian Assurance he or she are likely to have.
How many of the habits do you practice?
6 Habits of Highly Effectual Christians
1 – The Almighty is a Powerful and Sovereign Waymaker: An awareness of His Power.
Isaiah 55: 8-11 (NKJV)
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
- I feel this scripture expresses God’s power and promise-keeping prowess as good as any in the entire Bible! A weak Assurer isn’t much comfort.
- “I Am God” (Donald Lawrence and the Tri-City Singers) is one of my all-time favorite Gospel songs. It expresses God’s power wonderfully! Link to this anointed You Tube video:
I Am God – Donald Lawrence & The Tri-City Singers
2 – For Thou art with you: His Presence in your life is eagerly embraced.
- The Lord is our Shepherd. He’s present in the lives of his ‘sheep’.
- Scripture: John 10: 1 – 21; Psalm 23
- Gospel: When I first heard The Whispers’ song “For Thou Art With Me” I remember thinking: “Oh My Lord, who is singing this awesome, Psalm 23-influenced song!” It was featured in my last post. Make a joyful noise to the Lord!
- The music of Gospel choirs, gospel artists, & hymns will be a key part of how I approach writing for 66 Assurance Way.
3 – Be a faithful Kingdom seeker: Take the Walk!
- Do you know Him? Your relationship with the Lord is surely vital to making Christian Assurance blossom. Kingdom seekers know Him; God’s power and presence serves as the foundation of Christian living.
- These are, as I set forth in this ‘Road Map’, four levels of walking for Christians seeking to be highly effectual. This habit involves taking the First Steps of your walk with Christ. Left, right, left, right.
- John 14: 6 (KJV):
Jesus saith unto him, “I am the way , the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
- Matthew 6:33 (NKJV):
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
- Those who make Worship, Praise, and Prayer a part of their life are letting their Savior know He’s the way, the only way, for them. Seek His Kingdom. Walk with Him; as you grow spiritually you’ll be walking at progressively higher levels.
4 – Be Empowered: Walk with power, walk in the spirit.
- Are you a Power Walker?
- While seeking the kingdom is Walking 101, this habit is Walking 301 – for those who strive to excel through Spiritual Empowerment every day.
- 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.
- Scripture: Romans 8.
All things DO ‘work together for the good’. God wants us to be ‘more than conquerors’ – not to play small or quickly surrender when faced with a complex task or vexing storm. Read and meditate regularly on this New Testament chapter. I firmly believe you can gain a lot of power from reading Paul’s writings in the Bible.
5 – Trust in the Lord wholeheartedly. Trust that he’ll direct your path, if you ‘Consider your ways’ and ‘Acknowledge Him‘.
- Proverbs 3: 5 – 6 (NIV) is surely one of the most powerful sentences in the Old Testament. It reads:
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.
- Consider this habit Walking 201.
- “I Will Go In Jesus Name” (Hezekiah Walker & the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir) is a gospel gem! Check out the video link at bottom of this post. There have been several days when I’ve meditated on these lines from the song:
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower.
Just call on His name, you’ll have the victory.
Consider your ways, acknowledge Him, and He’ll direct your path!”
6 – Strive to stay Encouraged and Hopeful at all times.
- God’s grace is sufficient; if you trust him, he’ll keep you in ‘perfect peace’.
- Even the most Christ-abiding believers need to remain encouraged – during life’s long walks and faith-testing storms. Feeling wary? Get a spiritual spark from God’s word. Pray.
- This might be, in the life of a Christian, called Walking 250; it’s hard to be empowered if you’re only ready for short, storm-free walks. You aren’t in Heaven yet!
- The Bible tells us:
You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock. But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. ~ Isaiah 26: 3-4; 40:31 (NLT).
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12: 9 (NIV)
What is Assurance?
In conclusion, a Christian who fervently practices all these six habits will have ‘blessed assurance’.
Man merely insures. Only God can assure! If the Lord is for you, who can be against you? So, are you destined for 66 Assurance Way? If you are, let’s walk together. You might enjoy the Twitter arm of this blog too.
Grace, mercy, and peace to you. To God be the glory!
- Gospel Music for the Journey:
I Will Go In Jesus’ Name – Hezekiah Walker & Love Fellowship
Posted by Greg Silverthorne
66 Assurance Way 