Ever met someone who just seems to be solid? Nothing seems to shake them, worry them, unsettle them. They are so established that they move ahead in life, confidently.
Being established all starts at the bottom! For example in a building: the start it is a good foundation; a successful invention needs a good idea; a strong business rests on service principles; a tree relies on its roots. For us, being established starts deep inside us, our “inner being,” what we refer to as ‘the heart’. In Matt 12:34-35 scripture is clear that what is in our hearts flows out in words and action. From our hearts, flow everything about us. In James 5:8 we are told to:
“Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”
To have an established heart is to put your heart in divine order and maintain that state.
How do we get it established in this way?
Col 2:6-7: “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”
To be well established, we need to work on the root system of our lives, being rooted and built up. Paul prays for in Eph 3:16-19: “that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Paul’s ultimate goal for believers is that they reach the ‘measure of fullness,’ therefore he starts with our “inner being” being “rooted and established in love.”
Paul’s picture is of believers that are “well rooted”—established, like a tree.
- Sending out the roots into the stream (of continual spiritual nourishment), we as believers are to…
- establish our “roots” on a firm foundation of rock (Luke 6:46-48),
- to live (being watered) with the Spirits enabling “water” (Psalm 104:16) and
- become equipped through God-breathed scripture (2 Tim 3:16-17)
- for the work that God has designed for each one of us to do. (Eph 2:10).
- As we become mature believers, resembling Christ more and more, being “like Jesus”. (1 John 4:17)
Why did Paul want believers established – rooted and growing?
Eph 4:11-13 “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
We are to mature in our experience of Jesus, each partaking in our service to the Body of Christ, until we ALL reach the “measure of the fullness of Christ.”
The focus is our roots, not our fruit, (or work for God). Nor does it start with the expanse of our branches of influence, or the strength of our stem (stature). It starts at the ‘inner being’, our heart: Roots built on Christ our rock.
Where have you been focusing in order to establish your life?
Ever considered the strength of your root system?
Father, help me to focus on growing my roots because from this will come spiritual growth and fruit. Help me to grow a firm foundation to my life, relying on the Holy Spirit to grow me and build into my life. Grow me into the person You want me to be.
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