by Dr. Larry Ollison, Ph.D. 

When I was in school, there were two groups of students that made pretty good grades. But there was a major difference in the way they got them. One group was diligent. These students went to school to learn something. They spent their time studying to learn and to get a good education. Sure they studied for the tests, but that wasn’t the only time they studied. They kept a steady pace all through school. They grew in knowledge and confidence. They were good students.

The other group of students also made good grades; however their lifestyle was different. Most of their time was spent goofing around. They went to class just enough to keep from being dropped. They studied just enough to get by with the daily work. And when a test came, they panicked and crammed for the tests. If they couldn’t learn enough by studying at the last minute, they found someone who had taken the test earlier and cheated. They always seemed to get by.

After graduation, when they showed up on the job, the diligence in study of the past came to light. Even with the diploma, the ones who didn’t have knowledge soon perished.

Many Christians approach their study of the Word of God like the lax students. They attend church, own a Bible and talk the right jargon, but only do enough to get by and stay accepted within the group.

This can be deadly. Satan is ruthless. He doesn’t have any mercy and takes joy in destroying the lives of weak Christians.

We can’t let Satan attack our lives, and then at the last minute try to study spiritually by reading a few verses and praying under pressure. Any time a person reads God's Word and applies it to his life, it is good. But usually when your home is attacked, it's too late to cram. When you know you’re going to war, you don’t wait for the invasion to disassemble your rifle and clean it. You need to be ready for battle before the battle.

If our spiritual muscles aren't built up before the attack, we may find the attack more than we had expected. Be prepared. Build your faith daily. Then, when the attack comes, your shield of faith will protect you.

So here’s the point. We must walk by faith each and every day. We cannot live like the world six days a week and then put in our hour and a half and our dollar and a half on Sunday and expect to be victorious the other six days. We must daily walk in faith. Walking in faith is a lifestyle. Second Corinthians 5:7 says, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Everything we do, everything we seek to accomplish, each day must be connected to our faith in God’s Word. Only through believing God can we be set free of the pressures of daily life.