SEVEN PILLARS OF CHRISTIANITY

Pr. James Victor Lubwama

These are the seven things that help a Christian to be established and have a firm-unshakeable relationship with God.

1.             Prayer

Prayer is simply conversation with God. It’s asking Him to meet your need or someone else’s. It’s about committing and consecrating things to Him. We need to pray about everything and anything because it’s the weapon to overcome. Set aside time everyday especially in the morning to dedicate the day in the Lord’s hands. Pray for God’s guidance, wisdom, provision & protection. Give thanks to the Lord for his protection and pray that he blesses the works of your hands.  When we pray, we open the door for God to come into our situations and problems and work on them (Jeremiah 33:3, 1Chronicles 16:1, Psalms 145:18, 1Thessalonians 5:17, James 5:16)

2.            Fasting

Fasting is a spiritual discipline of foregoing a meal or consumption of food for a predetermined period of time. During spiritual fasting, the believer's focus is removed from the physical things of this world and intensely concentrated on God (James 4:8). Great men of faith such as Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Paul and Jesus Himself fasted so that they might draw closer to God. (Daniel 9:3, Mathew 4:2). Set aside a day or particular time to fast and reawaken the connection with the Creator (Joel 2:13). 

3.            Worship

This is to appreciate the goodness of God, exalt his marvelous creatures and works. It comes from a different place within our spirits and is reserved for only God (Luke 4:8). It’s the strategy by which we lose self in the adoration of God. It is a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity (John 4:23). Our worship must be toward the one who is worthy simply because of his identity as the Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent one, and not just because God is wealthy and able to meet our needs and answer our prayers. We must therefore focus our worship on the worthiness of God.  

4.            Praise

Is the joyful focus on God’s splendid works. It is merely the truthful acknowledgment of His righteous acts (Psalms 95:6). Meditate about His mighty works, lift up His name, sing about His greatness and it will lift up your faith. It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God appreciation for His mighty works. God is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3) since He has done many wonderful deeds, (Psalm 89:5, Psalms 150:4, Isaiah 12:5, ).

5.            Reading the word

You need to read the word of God everyday because its life’s manual (Mathew 34:25, Isaiah 40:8). Strengthen your reading muscle by sparing sometime to read the Bible which will ultimately improve your knowledge of the word. Thereafter we should translate God’s word into your life because it was given to us to transform our lives (Mathew 7:24). Read, review, meditate and respond to God’s word (James 1:22-25) because He listens to His word (Psalms 138:2). We have many ways of accessing the word in this era i.e. digitally using tablets, smartphones and computers so spare sometime and enrich your spirit. 

6.            Giving

When the devil robs you of giving, you will run poor. The devil weakens your giving of the tithe and to the poor by making your problems to appear bigger than what God can handle. Stingy people usually have little or no faith but they end up losing. Tithe (Malachi 3:10), donate to the poor (Proverbs 22:9, Proverbs 28:27). When giving, also donate to someone you are not related to because when we do it to our family members, we are fulfilling our obligations. Giving is a condition of the heart (Deut 16:17, 2 Corinthians 9:7). It doesn’t matter how much u have, always give as compelled by your heart. (Acts 20:35, Proverbs 11:25, Proverbs 10:4, Mathew 6:3)

7.            Fellowship

Christian fellowship is the mutually beneficial relationship between Christians. In fellowship we are taught the ways of God and the devil’s evil traps. Don’t let life pressures rob of you fellowshipping (Psalms 61:4) but stick to God untill He delivers you out of your situation. Prophesies are fulfilled in the presence of God. You get God’s direction for your life [prophesy] in a fellowship because God speaks to His servants (Numbers 12:6). God never does anything without telling His prophets. Your pastors have your prophetic word so as Christians we should be devoted to fellowship (Acts 2:42).