Your Daily Survival Guide

I imagine that you’re a lot like me. I have problems every day. Some days my problems are big and other days they’re small, but they’re always there. If you are a human from planet earth you probably relate to my dilemma.

So how are we supposed to survive these daily struggles? How can we wage daily war against these struggles and, not only survive, but be stronger as a result of them? And how do we make the most of each day in order to make the biggest impact possible on a lost world for the kingdom of Jesus Christ?

I have found three simple habits give me the strength I need to fight to win against the “stuff” of this life:

1. Pray

Before you say “No duh!” stop and evaluate your prayer life. Over the last few years I have taken a long, hard look at mine and had to make some serious adjustments.

Are you spending enough time in prayer asking God to give you the strength you need to make it through the day? Jesus wrestled in bloody, sweaty prayer for three hours in the Garden of Gethsemane to make it through the toughest day of his life. Are we wrestling even three minutes to make it through a typical day with typical problems?

Prayer is the portal through which the life of Christ pours through us. It is the electrical outlet in which we plug into so that we can “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might” according to Ephesians 6:10.

Prayer is essential in the Christian's life. Without it your witness will be far less effective and you will be far more vulnerable to the enemy. When you witness, you need the blessing and support of the Lord. You need to be in fellowship with Him. Prayer makes this all possible.

2. Read God’s Word

Don’t just read Christian books; read the one written by Christ himself! I don’t care if it’s NIV, KVJ, NAS, NLT or ESV. Just make sure you READ it. When we pour over the inspired words of Scripture conviction and transformation pour over us. It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and helps us to be the same.

Don’t just get into God’s Word let it get into you.

3. Embrace community

The Christian life is not a solo act. We are part of an ensemble, a choir, an assembly of believers who are called to do life together.

As King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-11:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?”

So who is there to help you when you fall? Do you have a community of believers, who encourage you, love you and rebuke you when necessary? Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. We need others too.

Join us this week as we discuss the steps that help us deal with the problems and pressures that can cripple our ability to do our best for our King.

See you at The Refuge!

Special thanks to Greg Stier and his awesome blog site (www.gregstier.org) for material used in this week's lesson.