Young People's Group

MAKING PROGRESS IN OUR FAITH

by Pastor Mitch
January 04, 2009

A New Year To Grow Further In Our Faith

As we enter into the new year, what are our resolutions? One important resolution that we should make is to grow in our faith. We need to understand further what faith is and how we can increase and apply it. The challenge for us is to have the same spirit of faith. This year, “Faith” is the theme for our YPG. Let’s look forward to developing further our faith in God in 2009.

Praying For Spiritual Growth In Our Faith

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask” 
Colossians 1:9

Paul saw how the Colossian Church had grown in their faith. However, there were
false teachings that were infiltrating and threatening the Church. The Church needed to develop their understanding of their faith further in order to be spiritually strong enough to stand against these false teachings. Paul and his team sought to pray for the Colossian Church. Let me highlight two areas that they focused on.

1. A Faith That Is Based On The Fullness Of Knowledge Of God’s Will

“That you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” 
Colossians 1:9

Paul prayed that the Colossian Church might be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Knowledge and faith goes together very much. Having a deeper knowledge of His will would help the Colossians know how to apply their faith better. One of the reasons why some of the Colossian Christians were deceived by false teachings was because they did not have a deep knowledge of God’s will. They were not able to discern between what was truth and falsehood. With greater wisdom and spiritual understanding, they will be able to do so. Young people, let’s make 2009 a time of growing in the knowledge of God’s will. Let’s seek for wisdom and spiritual understanding in prayer and in learning from the Scriptures at YPG. With deeper knowledge of His will, we will be able to apply and defend our faith well.

2. A Faith That Is Expressed In Living Well For The Lord

“That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” 
Colossians 1:10

Paul also prayed that the Colossian Church would live out their lives well for the Lord. He was teaching them that their faith must be expressed in a lifestyle that is worthy of all that the Lord had blessed them with. Faith in God would cause them to focus not on themselves but on pleasing Him. They will seek to be fruitful in all that they do for Him. There will be the desire to grow even more in the knowledge of God. Paul prayed that they would have a life that would truly walk worthy of Him. Let’s pray that we too will live well for the Lord through a stronger faith.

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