Faith may be strengthened–
By praise (2 Chronicles 20:21-22; Psalm 34:1-3). Praise and thanksgiving are critical to increasing faith. They help us to focus on God and his Person and power, rather than on our own weakness and inadequacy.
To dwell on the glory of our eternal God is to lift our faith in great possibilities.
By love (Galatians 5:6). The more we love people the more we can trust God to help them.
Faith works by love. It was love that motivated Jesus to heal the sick (Matthew 14:14). Without love there seems little reason to get involved.
By fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25). Through fellowship we stir each other up. As iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17), we can be sources of “irritation” to one another for the benefit of all–a positive action that sharpens us for service.
We also encourage each other. When we meet together we can do in a small way what the Holy Spirit does by encouraging and strengthening one another.
As we share our prayer, praise, worship, testimony and also our tears and our needs, we stir each other up to love and good deeds–and also to greater faith. Isolation is not a Christian ideal: ours is a faith that flourishes on fellowship.
To read more on this topic see Living in the Image of God, Barry Chant (Miranda: Tabor, 2012 available in eBook and Paperback) from which this edited extract is taken.