Teens Meet Outreach

Who is a Strong Christian?

It was in Antioch that believers were first addressed as Christians (Acts 11:26) because they were followers of Christ as their behaviour & heart reflected Christ.

A Christian is equally a given name at birth. Sadly, most people just bear the name but don’t reflect the character of the name.

A Christian who possesses the fruit of the Spirit is said to be strong, and this fruit include: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 6:22).

A believer who consistently cultivates these virtues and they are evident in his daily life, is described as a strong Christian.
A strong Christian is equally one who is helped by God; a believer who knows that they can only live out these qualities by the power of the Holy Spirit and is smart enough to yield to the Holy Spirit.

What are Habits?

A habit is what you do effortlessly. Thesaurus dictionary defines a habit as an action performed on a regular basis, usually without awareness. There is no way you can brush your teeth every evening before bedtime for 21 days so that it doesn’t become an effortless activity.

Habits are very easy to build if you follow the popular 21/90 rule which explains that if you do something consistently for 21 days and follow through with that action for another 90 days, it becomes a lifestyle.

Strong Christians have cultivated the following habits: quiet time, word study, prayers and fellowship with other believers.
Let’s take a look at each of them.

Habit 1: Quiet time

Different people have different names for this habit. Some call it devotion, heart-to-heart time, one-on-one time with God, etc. Whatever term you call yours, I believe it is that special time you set aside to be with God.

You don’t have to make a ritual out of your quiet time, rather it should be your most desirable moment of the day.

The purpose of your quiet time is to spend quality time with your Creator through the reading of the scriptures, worship and prayers. And to achieve this, you must have a working system that allows you time & space for this uninterruptible moment.

• Look out for a quiet place to use.
• For starters, have a fixed time for your devotion.
• Go to that place daily with an expectation and excitement to meet with God.
• Go there with the intention to know God more through His Word and Prayers.

Like I said, don’t make a ritual out of it. Peradventure you can’t have your quiet time at the same place and time, then it’s still fine as long as you find creative ways to be with your Creator. Some people prefer to have their devotion during their morning exercise, others on their way to work, and some even have theirs in unlikely places like the bathroom.

As long as God is with you and where you are is safe, then go ahead and enjoy God’s presence there.

Habit 2: Bible Study

I had to establish having a quiet time as the first habit because you need that space for this second habit of Word Study. There’s always this question of what should I do during my devotion time? And the answer is quite simple: Study God’s Word. In simpler terms – read and meditate (think about) the scriptures.

{Read: How to Build a Personal Relationship with God}

To make Bible study easy, you can create a study plan that works for you to enable you to read through your Bible. It could be a plan to read through the Bible in one year, to study specific Bible characters like Esther, David, etc or you could pick a topic e.g Faith, and study it from the scriptures.

A much easier way is to download already made study plans from online Bible apps like YouVersion and use them consistently. You can download it from your PlayStore or Apple Store.

To enjoy your Word Study; you will equally need a journal or notepad to write out the things you’ll learn from God.
A Bible commentary, and other Christian literature to aid in the understanding of God’s Word.

Habit 3: Prayers

A wise man once said that studying the scriptures and praying is like breathing in and breathing out and you can’t do one without the other.

Prayer is simply communicating with God. Communication is a two-way traffic: God speaks & you listen, you speak & God listens.

You can pray effectively when you pray according to His will and God’s will is explained in His Word. So, taking out time to study the scriptures, and praying will be easy. Also, prayers can be as simple as; Father, I love you. Father, please help me.

Habit 4: Fellowship with Other Believers

A lion is said to be the king of the jungle and is feared by other animals, but the pride of lions is stronger than a cub walking alone.

Similarly, a strong Christian is not a lone ranger but one who recognises the system of the church and the benefits of fellowshipping with other stronger Christians.

“Not forsaking our meeting together [as believers for worship and instruction], as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more [faithfully] as you see the day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”

Hebrews 10:25 AMP

Meeting with other believers for worship and instructions should be a habit of every strong Christian. It is in such gatherings that you are inspired, enlightened, educated, and encouraged to be a powerful Christian.

By design, Man wasn’t made to do life alone. Humans are created for community.

We need each other to survive, so don’t be a lone Christian. Rather, be a believer who is willing to accommodate other believers. One who finds joy in worshipping God with other Christians.

Decide and Act Now!

You are a product of your habit.

What you do regularly becomes a way of life (remember the 21/90 rule). And habits are easy to form, so decide today to cultivate good habits that will make you a strong Christian.

You can start with one habit like reading your Bible for 10 mins until it becomes easier to study for hours. Then pray as you study.

What other habits do strong Christians have in common? Feel free to include them in the comment section.

{Related: 10 Simple Habits That Set Successful People Apart}