NEW BELIEVER TIPS (Holiness.com Response)

Following are tips provided in response to a young Christian's request for advice on how to stay strong in Christ. The young Christian is from Virginia (USA).


Hello Dear Sister XXXX,

I was greatly excited by your question!
You have asked an extremely important question especially for a new/baby
Christian such as yourself. So important is your question, that I will
probably share an answer in this email message as well as post a version
of the following answer on the Holiness.com website (without revealing
your name of course). You wrote asking if there were some tips that
could be provided which would assist you in continuing to hold firm to
your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let me start by saying that most (if not all) of what I will share below
may be obvious to you. Despite their simplicity, if you heed these tips,
they will go a long way toward assisting in strengthening your faith in
your daily walk with Christ. In any case, the fact that these tips are
obvious may simply be an evidence that God is only too willing to
provide tools by which all his children can grow and stay strong in the
faith.

Let us begin:

As a Christian, and especially a babe in Christ, always adhere to the
command of Hebrews 10:25, which says: "Not forsaking the assembling of
ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another:
and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Let me share the
paraphrase of this verse in the Living Bible which says: "Let us not
neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn
each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is
drawing near."

In the wilderness, one of the key tactics used by hungry wild animals is
to separate their prey(dinner) from the prey's herd/family. It is
strategically easier for the hungry attacking animal to kill its prey if
it can separate its prey from the protection of the herd. Well, Satan
"…as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (I
Peter 5:8). So, I want to emphasize ever so strongly that you must stay
faithful in attending your local church - I recommend attending on a
weekly basis (attending church only on holidays is not enough). It is
through the worship services and one-on-one relationships with other
encouraging Christians that you will be less likely to become
discouraged to despair when trials come your way. Discouragement is one
of Satan's key devices used against Christians, especially new
Christians. But, a new Christians who commits to faithfully attending
Church even when discouraged or upset will eventually find themselves
lifted out of discouragement, whether it be through God's movement in
the Praise and Worship Service, or through the operation of the
spiritual gifts bestowed on others in attendance at the church service.

Before I leave this point, I must assure you that TV, Radio, and even
Internet ministries are important in the kingdom of God. Nevertheless,
these ministries should not be used as a replacement for attendance of
your local church. Some people today refer to certain television
ministers as their TV Pastor. You cannot truly receive in depth pastoral
nurture and guidance by someone who does not even know your name or what
you look like.

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