Hope you get as much out of this as I did.
God Bless.
Now Is the Time to Strengthen Your Faith
by Billy Graham from The Heaven Answer Book
How do we stay on course so we keep spiritually strong and aren’t diverted from the path to Heaven that God has for us?
The time to deal with spiritual danger is before it happens, so be on the alert. You’ve probably heard the old adage “forewarned is forearmed.” This is also true spiritually.
Think about how different King David’s life would have been if he had guarded against the temptations of middle age. Instead his life became a downward spiral of irresponsibility, adultery, murder, and heartache (2 Samuel 11–12). The Bible says, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life(Proverbs 4:23).
Strengthen your commitment to Christ — now. Don’t wait until the storms of temptation, or sickness, or old age threaten to blow you off-course; now is the time to strengthen your faith.
The stronger our relationship is with Christ, the stronger our defense against the devil’s temptations. Jesus said, Pray that you will not fall into temptation(Luke 22:40).
Learn to commit every situation to God, and trust Him for the outcome. God’s love for you never changes, no matter what problems you face or how unsettled life becomes. Nothing takes Him by surprise, and He can be trusted to do what is best. The Bible says, Trust in the Lord forever (Isaiah 26:4).
Finally, strengthen the relationships God has already given you. Strengthen your relationship with your spouse, your children, your friends, and your fellow believers. When we’re isolated or think we don’t need others, we become much more vulnerable to temptation and compromise. Everyone has temptations, but some people entertain them.
Finally, take your eyes off temptation and put them on Christ — and remember how Jesus handled His temptations. With each one, He responded to Satan by quoting the words of Scripture, It is written.
Rely on the Word of God to strengthen you and keep your feet on the straight path.
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Excerpted with permission from The Heaven Answer Book by Billy Graham, copyright Thomas Nelson
