In 1983 the Lord set me in a church that became my home for 21 years. I remember the first sermon. The pastor was speaking about one another. He had given us a list with the verses ~ there were over 30!

I have finished memorizing Colossians 3. I am reluctant to leave it because it is such a rich chapter. Verse 13 says, “Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.”

Do you harbor any grudges? They are strongholds that off-gas the toxic chemicals of bitterness and resentment. They defy God’s command to forgive as we have been forgiven. According to Hebrews 12:15 our bitter root grudge defiles those around us.

Disobedience to God’s word blocks the grace He has for those who walk in humility. Holding a grudge is pride ~ and God resists the proud.

Paul must have felt that duplication was needed for his readers ~ which includes us. In Colossians 3:23 it says, “And whatever you do, do it heartedly, as to the Lord and not to men.” That puts an arrow through our fleshly desire to be a man-pleaser. 

I like David’s prayer for wholeheartedness. Psalm 86:11 says, “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to fear Your name.” The word ‘unite’ means singleness of heart.

Verse 12 says, “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify Your name forevermore.” All means everything without exception. Note that David used ‘I will’ twice. I love ‘I will’ because it states intention.

1 Corinthians 10:31 says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” In whatever we do, may our thoughts and actions honor the Lord.

As I memorize, I repeat a phrase over and over. I want it to groove in before I add another phrase. When I came to Colossians 3:17, here is what I was repeating. “And whatever you do…” Here is the whole verse. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

We ‘do’ all day long. When we walk in the Spirit, we are being sensitive to His direction. Remember from Psalm 139:2 and 4 He knows our thoughts before we think them, and He knows the words on our tongue before we speak them.

Therefore He is able to bring course correction, or an attitude adjustment before we misrepresent Jesus to those around us. All words and all deeds are first thoughts. Therefore it is essential to remember that our strategic warfare is through our minds.

2 Peter 1:4 says, “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

At salvation we are given a measure of faith. Romans 12:3. Peter gave the template that we are to add to our faith. 2 Peter 1:5-7. We are to add virtue which is moral excellence. Knowledge. Self-control. Perseverance. Godliness. Brotherly kindness. Love.

Verse 8 says, “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What area of your life is spiritually barren?

The Christian walk is about increasing our knowledge of the Lord ~ not head knowledge but experiential. If we don’t know what His character qualities are, then how can we exemplify or represent His character? How does your character line up to His?

Let’s examine the character qualities displayed by Jesus. Let them be our template as well. Tender mercies. Psalm 145:8 says, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

Kindness. Luke 6:35 says, “…For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.”

Humility. Philippians 2:8 says, “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Meekness. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The word ‘gentle’ also means meek.

Longsuffering. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord…is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

The children of Israel saw God’s glory. Exodus 24:17 says, “The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire…” Yet in the sight of His glory they turned to a false god of their own making. Exodus 32.

Unaffected. Unless we implant God’s word into the root cellar of our hearts, we will be unaffected by the truths of His word. Reading print on a page is just that. Joshua 1:8 says that we are to observe to do.

God’s word is alive and powerful. As I read through my Bible, the Holy Spirit highlights what He wants me to notice. God’s word holds timeless truths. His word speaks to us differently as we go through the various seasons in our lives. 

Familiar passages may hold a phrase that seems to light up. Revelational insight illuminates and enhances our understanding. Truth is driven in deeply to uproot a hidden lie that we had believed. 

Paul laid out God’s armor as an active part in the lives of believers. Ephesians 6:10-18. Verse 11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Wiles are schemes with evil intent.

In 2 Corinthians 2:1-10 Paul addressed the Corinthians about a sinful matter. Verse 9 he mentioned obedience. In verse 10 he added forgiveness. Verse 11 says, “Lest satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

The devil only speaks lies. John 8:44. Therefore he uses deception to trap those who are not walking in the ways of the Lord. A deceived person does not recognize they are deceived. 

Entrapped? There is one way out ~ implanting God’s word. His word must penetrate our hardened heart in order to uproot the lies, and establish His truth that will set us free and keep us free.

You have strongholds that are keeping you captive. God’s way will set you free. He is All Powerful. Nothing is impossible for Him. His purposes for our lives stand. Job rightly proclaimed this truth. Job 42:2 says, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

Let’s look at His words to Jeremiah and apply them to our lives. Think of areas of defeat in your life. Things you have tried over and over to gain victory from. Jeremiah 1:10 says, “…to root out and to pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and to plant.”

Right after the destruction is the rebuilding. When Jews were rebuilding the wall, Nehemiah 4:18 says, “Everyone of the builders had his sword girded at his side as he built…” Our sword is God’s word. Hebrews 4:12.

David wrote Psalm 27. Verse 1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Verse 5 says, “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

Addictions are lies that have captured us and made us their prisoners. They draw us in when our spirit is weak. We default to them rather than look to the Lord for the strength to resist. 

Hosea 10:13 says, “You have plowed wickedness; you have reaped iniquity. You have eaten the fruit of lies, because you trusted in your own way…”

Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”