Assured

DEVOTION
COLOSSIANS
ASSURED
Col 4:12-13
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
NIV
Well now, I am not sure with whom I identify with. Should I look at Epaphras and how he wrestles in prayer for these people or should I identify with the people? Maybe a bit of both is the right thing to do. Yet I cannot help feeling like Epaphras in the sense I know I have been called to share the Word of God with others. I know I have been called to encourage others in their faith. I know I have been called to teach and admonish others to a mature life in Christ. So there is no question here, in my mind. Yet the question still rattles around in my mind; am I standing as firm as I should in all the will of God? I have to ask myself if I am as mature as I should be and am I fully assured. I think the opposite of all that would reveal an individual who is wavering in their faith. It might be one who is tossed to and fro by ever wind of doctrine. That is to say, being influence by so many voices. I know for sure, that is not me. I stand as firm as firm can be in all the will of God. I know what I know about Christ and salvation and no one is going to ever convince me otherwise. But as far as being mature, I would have to say I am surely no infant, nor child and not even an adolescent when it comes to my journey with Christ. I would have to admit to myself I am mature, but whether I act as mature as I think I am may be another story. I do know that when I see the word assured, and not just assured but fully assured that has to be without any doubt at all. I am not sure is others ever experience doubt about the reality of the Kingdom of God. I am not sure if others ever wonder if God is really real. Is there a difference between knowing in your mind the facts explained in the bible are true and the feeling from deep within? Knowing because even secular history bears record to the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ is a fine thing, but being fully assured deep within is another. Having no doubts ever may not be completely possible. Is that just part of the human condition? Is that the work of the evil one, trying to plant that doubt? I think both at factions at work on the within of me. So I stand firm, I will not be moved. I will continue to grow being mature in my walk with him. I will and am fully assured of my salvation, of the reality of the Kingdom of God. I will overcome both the human condition within and the temptations from without for I have Christ; I have the power of the Holy Spirit working within me. I can say and believe, I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength.