We must prepare ourselves for perilous times, both in the present and in the times to come. How are we to do that? Through the spiritual disciplines of Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. These three practices are the foundational practices that enrich us spiritually and prepare us in every way for the Christian life.
The Bible is God’s very Word which He inspired the biblical authors to write. Through it, we learn the character of God, the history of our world, and our role within it as God’s children. Bible reading must become a daily practice within our lives, as through it, God empowers and equips us in every way to live out the plan He has prepared for our lives.
Prayer is another crucial practice that will prepare us for perilous times. It’s a practice that is perfectly coupled with your daily time in God’s Word. Let your time in the Bible become time spent with God. As you read, speak with Him through prayer, bringing Him thoughts, questions, concerns, and anything else that the Scriptures impress upon your mind.
Our faith is all about our relationship with God, after all, and prayer is an unmatched relationship-builder. Just consider any other close relationship you have in your life. If you don’t speak to that person regularly and spend quality time with them, the relationship is not going to bloom into everything it could become. The same is true of our relationship with the grow. It takes time, effort, and consistency for it to grow. But when it does, it will change your life forever, giving you the firm foundation you need to tackle whatever life brings.
We would be remiss if we didn’t discuss fellowship as well. Fellowship is a blessed gift from the Lord. Through it, we receive strength, encouragement, and accountability. Our family of faith gives us a place to belong and grow. God is a relational being Himself, and He created us in His image! So, that means we are to live relational lives as well. We were made to live out our lives in unison with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In these bonds we form with our family of faith, we find added strength and encouragement for our journey. Having others with the same beliefs alongside us will only serve to strengthen our convictions, knowledge of God’s Word, and relationship with Him. When we engage in meaningful relationship with other believers, we experience Christ’s presence in a whole new way! In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says,
“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (NIV).
When the body of Christ comes together, He is right there with us!
Another aspect of fellowship that aids us so much in spiritual warfare is accountability. There is no replacing a sound accountability partner in the life of a Christian. This person has to be someone in the faith, and someone that we know without a doubt that we can trust. Otherwise, it can be anyone!
What makes an accountability partner such a powerful ally in battling against the schemes of Satan? An accountability partner knows where we struggle with sin and joins up with us in our battle against it. They help us to set goals and standards that will define our battle against our sin. Then they regularly check in with us, making sure that we are sticking to the goals and standards we have set forth.