ESTABLISHED

Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be ESTABLISHED by GRACE, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them” – Hebrews 13:9

One of the topmost desires of God and a chief function of Grace is to ESTABLISH the hearts of believers in the faith: “For it is good that the heart be ESTABLISHED by GRACE, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them” (Heb. 13:9). Paul again wrote to the Romans: “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established” (Rom.1:11). He reiterates a similar truth in Colossians 2:7, “Rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” He also prayed for the Thessalonians: “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope BY GRACE, comfort your hearts and ESTABLISH you in every good word and work” (2The.2:16-17).

The divine design is that you be established by grace, in the faith, and in every good word and work! To be established is to be stabilized; to be properly founded and grounded; to have a strong footing on which more formidable structures of life can be built. It is not the Will of God that your life be insecure, weak, shaky, unsteady or unstable. That was the nature of Peter’s life until the Lord transformed him from the unstable disciple into a rock-solid apostle. David testified: “He brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my steps” (Psa.40:2). God desires that all His children “continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hop of the gospel” (Col.1:23a). He wants for you to be “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1Cor.15:58). May His Hand of Grace be established on your life, in Jesus name (Psa.89:21)!

God not only establishes us by Grace and in the faith, He anoints us for productivity: “Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God” (2Cor.1:21). Many people are enthusiastic to be anointed, but are really not ready to be established first. Their lives are full of distractions, diversions, insecurity, and uncertainty. But Grace is the guarantee of divine establishment: “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, ESTABLISH, strengthen, and settle you” (1Pet.5:10). This is the divine order: perfecting (maturing); establishment; strengthening; and settling. The alternative would be to roam around the deserts of life and to wander through wilderness experiences like a rolling stone that gathers no moss! Wisdom says, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established” (Pro.4:26). God wants to establish your thoughts, plans, purposes, and ways, by Grace.

Beloved, I pray for you, that by God’s Grace: you shall never be lured or deceived by strange doctrines (Heb.13:9). You will never shift from the hope of the gospel, but shall persist, grounded and settled in the faith (Col.1:23). You shall neither be led away with the error of the wicked, nor fall from your steadfastness (2Pet.3:17). You shall be kept from falling, and be presented faultless before the presence of God’s Glory with exceeding joy (Jude 1:24). Finally: “Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began…to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen” (Rom.16:25-27).