Stirring the Spiritual Life of Others Around You
We will live in a time where the spiritual vigor of many is down as many churches are seeing a major decline in church attendance. Since the Gallup survey was being done from the mid-90’s, church membership has fallen below 50% for the first time in 2020. While some are connecting online, online churches cannot replace gathering together.
New Believers that Needs Encouragement
Brother or Sister that is pulling back or discouraged
Christians disengaging from the church
We have to stir the spiritual life of others when they gather together and when they are away. You can reach out to others by phone, text, social media, and other means. You also stir them in the things you do when they are not around, and what you say and do when there are gathered together with you.
Through the epistles, the Apostle Paul communicated with the churches. We see through his letters how he motivated and stirred the spiritual life of the believers in the churches he wrote to. He was often thankful while remaining in prayer for them. He also spoke of things he would do when he is in their presence. From these, we can glean actions we should take to stir the spiritual life of others around us.
Below, I give a simple outline of the things that can be done based on the examples from the epistles. Read and study them for yourself, and then apply it.
Thank God for them
Their Faith -
Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Colossians 1:3-5 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 5For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; 6Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Thank God for their faith in Christ in your prayers, and let others know that you are thanking God for them.
Their Fellowship -
Phill. 1:3-5 Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers
Thank God for the times of fellowship with them, and let others know how grateful you are for the moments of fellowship.
Their Gifts
1 Cor.1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; 5That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
Their Work
1 Thess. 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; 3Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
Be grateful for the gifts in the life of others around you, and the work they do for Christ.
Intercede for them
Paul made unceasing prayer for those whose faith he heard of
Romans 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Pray that they gain knowledge and spiritual understanding in the will of God
Colossian 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding
Pray for the Spirit of revelation to be with them
Ephesians 1:15 - 18Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers.That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: 18The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
Impart in Them
Romans 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established;
Minister to them
Preach the Word
Prophesy into their lives
Lay Hands Upon Them
Express Confidence in Them
Phili. 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Express confidence in the work of God in them.
Remind Them
Of their faith
Of their work
Of their gifts
Of Prophecies and Promises
Of the Word
2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.
2 Peter 3:1-2 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:
Commend Them
Speak of the good things in them.
2 Thess. 1:3-4 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; 4So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
Speak true things, not flattery.
2 Cor. 7:14 For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
Lovingly Correct
Jesus corrected them to spur the zeal to repent
Revelation 3:18-19 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
To Demonstrate Care
2 Corinthians 7:11-12 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 12Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, I did it not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his cause that suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you.
We should all practice the above activities continually so as to stir others to remain committed in their commitment to God, spiritual disciplines, and ministry.
