“Firm in the Faith”

In West Texas, we know foundations matter. Slabs, pump jacks, drilling rigs—what’s underneath determines if it stands. When ground shifts, cracks show.

Think about it in everyday terms. If you’ve ever walked into a house here in Midland and seen cracks running along the ceiling or doors that don’t quite shut, you know the issue—foundation trouble. Paint and trim won’t fix what’s below. If the foundation isn’t stable, the whole house is vulnerable.

Paul has that same kind of imagery in mind when he writes to the church in Colossae. He knows that if their foundation isn’t deep in Christ, their faith won’t last. And that same truth carries right here into our lives in Midland. What we’re rooted in determines whether we stand firm or crumble. Paul’s point: your root system in Christ is what keeps faith from cracking.

But here’s the challenge: it’s not always easy to stay grounded in Christ. Life has a way of pulling at us, shaking us, and tempting us with substitutes.

Some of us bank on success. When the call doesn’t come or oil drops, cracks appear.

Others root in comfort. But comfort shifts as soon as hardship hits.

Others lean on image—but reputations crack. Image can’t carry a soul.

And then there’s the pull of ideas—Paul calls them philosophies and empty deceits. The Colossians faced false teachings that promised spiritual depth apart from Christ. We face different but similar voices today. “Do what feels right.” “You just need more self-help.” “Truth is whatever you want it to be.” They sound good at first, but they’re empty—and they can take you captive if you’re not careful. It’s like a glossy brochure for a bad well—looks promising, produces nothing.

Here’s the bottom line of the tension: every one of us is rooted in something. The question is, when life shakes, will what you’re rooted in hold?

That’s why Paul doesn’t just remind the Colossians about how they started in faith—he calls them to keep walking in it. To stay rooted, to stay built up, to stay established in Christ. And that’s our first truth from this passage, coming from

Colossians 2:6–7 ESV

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Walk in Christ

Paul begins with a “therefore.” He’s tying everything he’s about to say back to the supremacy of Christ he’s already unpacked. Jesus is over all—creation, the church, salvation itself. And because of who Christ is, here’s the command: walk in him.

That phrase, “walk in him,” is Paul’s way of saying: live your everyday life under the direction and presence of Jesus. It’s not about a one-time decision or a spiritual box you check. Walk means to live daily under Jesus’ lordship—ongoing, not one-and-done.

Paul then piles up three images to show us what that walk looks like.

Rooted in Him

That’s an agricultural picture. Roots are what keep a tree standing when the winds whip across West Texas. Roots are what draw water from deep below the ground to keep the branches alive.

I can guess what happens in Midland when roots don’t go deep. The hot summers and dry soil expose shallow roots fast. A tree might look fine for a while, but when the heat sets in, it withers. Paul says your life in Christ needs deep roots. Not shallow commitments, not surface-level faith, but roots sunk deep into Jesus—his Word, his character, his promises.

If suffering or temptation keeps toppling you, that’s a root issue. Today, decide where your roots go next: deeper into Christ’s Word, people, and promises. Roots in Christ will always hold.

Built Up in Him

Now Paul shifts to a construction image. Rooted like a tree, yes—but also built up like a building. This is a process. A foundation is laid, and then brick by brick, the structure rises.

Midlanders know the importance of structure. You can’t just throw up steel beams or pour a slab and call it finished. A building takes careful, steady construction. And so does a Christian life. Walking in Christ means allowing him to build you up—through the Word preached, through prayer, through community, through obedience.

Let me ask you: are you letting Christ build you? Or are you coasting on the foundation of past faith decisions, hoping that’s enough? Paul says: keep growing. Keep building. Don’t stop at the foundation.

Established in the Faith

This word means confirmed, made stable, secured. The idea is that of being strengthened so you don’t collapse.

Here’s a Midland picture: think about the difference between a temporary rig that gets moved from site to site versus a permanent structure designed to withstand decades of use. One is meant to be temporary, the other to endure. Paul says your faith isn’t meant to be temporary. It’s meant to endure. Established faith is what keeps you steady when the economy dips, when trials hit, when doubts creep in.

And notice the result: abounding in thanksgiving. When you’re walking in Christ, rooted, built up, and established, the natural overflow isn’t pride—it’s gratitude. You’re not patting yourself on the back for holding it together. You’re lifting your hands in thanksgiving because Christ is holding you.

So how do we walk in Christ in Midland, Texas, in 2025?

Sink roots daily—open Scripture, pray it back, obey one thing.

Keep building—join a group; serve once a month.

Stand firm—measure stability by Christ, not markets.

And here’s the encouragement: Paul says this is possible “with Jesus’ energy.” The same Christ who saved you is the Christ who strengthens you to keep walking. You’re not meant to grind this out on your own. Christ in you is your power to walk in him.

But here’s the problem: even if we know we’re supposed to walk in Christ, there are real dangers that try to pull us off course. Paul calls them philosophies, empty deceit, human traditions—things that sound wise but are hollow. And that’s where he takes us next.

Colossians 2:8–10 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.

Watch Out for Counterfeits

Paul shifts from encouragement to warning. He says, “See to it that no one takes you captive.” The word means “kidnap” or “carry off like spoil in battle.” Paul pictures false teaching like an enemy trying to drag believers away from the freedom they have in Christ.

So what’s the danger? He lists a few sources:

Philosophy and empty deceit. This isn’t philosophy in the modern classroom sense but clever-sounding ideas that promise wisdom but are hollow at the core. They’re empty calories for the soul.

Human tradition. These are rules and practices handed down by people, not rooted in God’s Word.

Elemental spirits of the world. This phrase is tricky, but it points to the basic spiritual forces that stand opposed to Christ—anything that pulls our trust away from him.

And Paul says, bottom line: if it’s “not according to Christ,” don’t buy it.

Counterfeits Then and Now

In Colossae, some teachers were blending Jesus with other religious practices—angels, rituals, mystical experiences. It was Jesus plus something else.

In Midland, the counterfeits might look different, but they’re just as dangerous.

Success as a savior. Work hard, earn more, climb higher—and you’ll be secure. But success can’t forgive sin or give eternal hope.

Independence as an idol. That Wildcatter mindset runs deep here: “I don’t need anyone. I can make it on my own.” Spiritually, that can sound like, “I don’t need the church. I don’t need prayer. I’ve got this.” But self-reliance can’t hold when storms hit.

Religion without Christ. Here’s a subtle one. You can show up to church, do all the right things, even serve faithfully—but if Jesus Christ isn’t the center, it’s human tradition dressed up as faith. Religion without Christ is as empty as atheism without God.

Good things become bad lords when they become ultimate.

Why Counterfeits Fail

Counterfeits always over-promise and under-deliver. They look appealing. They sound wise. They might even work for a while. But they can’t hold you together.

Think about counterfeit parts on drilling equipment. They might be cheaper, they might look just like the real thing, but when pressure builds, they crack—and the whole operation suffers. That’s what false teaching and empty promises do. They can’t withstand the pressure of life and eternity.

Why Christ is Enough

Paul counters the counterfeits with two bold declarations:

“In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Jesus is not part God, not a step toward God, not a representative of God—Jesus is God in the flesh. If you have Jesus, you have the fullness of God. Why settle for substitutes?

“You have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.” If Christ fills you, then you lack nothing essential for salvation or growth. You’re not waiting for a second blessing. You’re not missing a secret ingredient. Christ is the head over every power and authority—and he has given himself fully to you.

That’s why Paul says: Don’t be taken captive. If Christ is supreme, anything added to him is subtraction.

So how do we “watch out for counterfeits” in Midland, Texas?

Measure every message by Christ. Whether it’s a podcast, a book, a political movement, or even a sermon—ask: Does this lead me closer to Christ? Or does it push me toward something else as ultimate?

Name the counterfeits honestly. For you, maybe it’s the idol of oil prices, the pursuit of image, or the illusion of independence. Call it what it is—and don’t let it kidnap your heart.

Anchor yourself in truth. The best way to spot a counterfeit dollar is to study the real thing. The best way to spot a spiritual counterfeit is to stay close to Christ and his Word.

Terrible things result when we trust in anything other than Christ. It looks good at first, maybe even easier. But under the weight of sin, suffering, or eternity, counterfeits collapse. Only Christ holds.

Paul has warned us: don’t get kidnapped by counterfeits. But now he takes us to the heart of why you don’t need them: because in Christ, you already have full forgiveness and complete victory.

Colossians 2:11–15 ESV

In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Rest in Christ’s Victory

Paul shifts from warning to assurance. He reminds the Colossians that in Christ they already have everything they need—victory over sin, forgiveness before God, and freedom from spiritual enemies.

Christ Has Given You New Life

Paul begins with a picture of circumcision—not the physical ritual, but a spiritual reality. He says, “In him you were circumcised… by the circumcision of Christ.” In other words, when you trusted Christ, something decisive happened: the old sinful self was cut away. You’re no longer defined by your flesh—you belong to Jesus.

Then Paul connects it to baptism: “having been buried with him… raised with him through faith.” Believer’s baptism is a picture of this reality. Going under the water, buried with Christ; coming up, raised with Christ. It’s not the water that saves, but faith in the God who raised Jesus from the dead.

So what’s Paul’s point? If you are in Christ, your old life is gone. You are alive with him. You don’t need extra rituals, extra experiences, or extra rules to add to that. You already share in Christ’s death and resurrection.

Christ Has Forgiven You Fully

Then Paul gets even more specific. He says, “You were dead in your trespasses… but God made you alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.”

Notice the language: dead in sin, not sick. We weren’t struggling swimmers needing a life raft—we were lifeless on the bottom. Salvation is not self-improvement; it’s resurrection.

And how did God do it? Paul says, “by canceling the record of debt that stood against us.” Imagine a long list of every sin you’ve ever committed—every selfish thought, every harsh word, every hidden shame. That record stood against you like a legal document in court. But Paul says God canceled it. How? “He set it aside, nailing it to the cross.”

Picture this: when Jesus was nailed to the cross, the record of your sins was nailed there too. Paid in full. No one can pull it back down.

Christ Has Defeated Your Enemies

Finally, Paul says Christ didn’t just deal with your sin—he dealt with your enemies. Colossians 2:15: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

This is battle language. In the ancient world, when a general won, he paraded the defeated enemies through the streets as proof of victory. Paul says that’s what Jesus did with Satan, sin, and death. At the cross, they looked like they won. But the resurrection turned the tables—Jesus stripped them of their weapons and marched them in defeat.

That means you don’t fight for victory—you fight from victory. The enemy may still harass, accuse, or tempt, but he’s already been disarmed. His defeat is certain.

Think about liens in the oil industry. If a company can’t pay its debt, a lien gets filed against the property. Work can stop. Ownership gets complicated. No one moves forward until the debt is cleared. That’s what sin does—it hangs over us, stopping us from moving forward with God. But at the cross, Christ canceled the lien against your soul. He didn’t renegotiate it—he paid it in full. Now the property of your life is free and clear, belonging fully to him.

And think about victory parades. I may be new to West Texas, but I’m from Texas and I know that when the high school football team wins district or goes deep in the playoffs, the whole town celebrates. Trucks, floats, sirens—it’s a public show of victory. Paul says that’s what the resurrection was: Christ marching in triumph, showing all powers and principalities that he reigns.

So what does it mean to rest in Christ’s victory?

Stop living like you still owe the debt. If Christ nailed it to the cross, stop carrying the shame of what’s already been forgiven. Some of you replay past sins in your head. But God doesn’t. He nailed them there—don’t pull them back down.

Stop fighting battles already won. Satan may whisper lies, but he’s a defeated enemy. Temptation is real, but you fight in Christ’s strength. Don’t give the devil more credit than he deserves.

Start living alive in Christ. You are raised with him. That means new priorities, new power, new perspective. Don’t settle for the old patterns—live like someone alive from the dead.

Paul’s message is clear: Don’t be taken captive by counterfeits—because in Christ you already have new life, full forgiveness, and lasting victory. So the question becomes: Will you live like it’s true?

So what do we do with this? Paul has walked us through a stunning reality: in Christ, we have new life, forgiveness, and victory. But here’s the danger—we can know all that in our heads and still live like it’s not true.

God’s command in Colossians 2:6–7 is simple but profound: “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

Notice the imagery: rooted, built up, established. These are pictures of stability, of strength, of endurance. Paul is saying: Don’t get blown around by every new idea or every wave of doubt. Stay planted. Stay grounded. Stay firm in Christ.

Here’s the bottom line of this whole message:

Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.

What does that look like in everyday Midland life?

Stay rooted when the oil price drops. Don’t let the market set your peace—let Christ do that.

Stay rooted when success tempts you. Achievements are good, but they can’t bear the weight of being your identity. Christ already calls you his own.

Stay rooted when comfort calls. Don’t shape your life around ease. Shape it around Christ’s call to follow him.

Stay rooted when image whispers. Don’t spend your energy trying to look put together—spend it growing deeper in Christ.

Think about a mesquite tree out here in West Texas. Its roots go down so deep that even in the hottest summer, even in the driest months, it still stands. Why? Because it’s tapped into water underground. That’s Paul’s vision for you in Christ. Not shallow roots that dry up when life gets hard—but deep roots in Jesus, so you can stand no matter what comes.

And notice one more word in Colossians 2:7: thanksgiving. Paul says if you’re rooted in Christ, gratitude will overflow. That’s how you know your roots are deep—not because life is easy, but because even in hardship, you find reasons to thank God.

So let me ask you: What’s keeping you from staying rooted? Is it fear of the future? Is it disappointment with the past? Is it a distraction pulling your heart away? Right now, name it quietly: ‘Lord, I’ve rooted in _____. I turn from that to you.’

And whatever it is, hear this again: Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.

Maybe you’re here today, and if you’re honest, you don’t feel rooted. You feel shaken. Life has knocked you around. Maybe it’s a financial hit, a family struggle, a health scare, or just the quiet ache of loneliness. You feel like the ground under you is shifting.

Friend, you don’t have to hold it all together. Christ already holds you together. That’s the promise of this passage.

Paul said God has “forgiven us all our trespasses, canceling the record of debt… nailing it to the cross.” That means no sin is too deep, no past too dark, no failure too final. At the cross, Christ paid it all. You don’t owe the debt anymore.

And Paul said Christ “disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame.” That means the devil who accuses you has already been stripped of his power. He can bark, but he can’t bite. Christ has already won the victory.

The King of the universe went to a cross for you. The one who holds galaxies in place shed his blood to hold you close. And the one who was raised from the dead is alive today, offering you forgiveness, freedom, and new life.

If you’ve never trusted Christ: turn from sin and self-rule, and turn to Jesus by faith. Pray: ‘Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins and rose again. I turn from my sin and my self-reliance. Forgive me, take my life, make me new. You are my Lord.’ If that’s your prayer, tell someone today and take your next step in baptism.

And if you do belong to Christ but you’ve been shaken, hear this: You are not alone. Christ is in you—the hope of glory. His strength is available when yours runs out. His wisdom is present when yours falls short. His love is poured out when yours dries up.

So lift your eyes today. Christ has already won. You don’t have to fight for victory—you fight from victory. Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.

So how do we respond? Paul gives us the pathway: “walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith.” That means this week, you take intentional steps to sink your roots deeper into Christ.

Here are three clear actions you can take:

Personally: Write the one thing that shakes you. Pray Col 2:14 over it daily: ‘Nailed to the cross.’ Remember: Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.

Relationally: Ask one other Christ-follower this week: ‘Where do you feel pressure?’ Pray on the spot. Text them Col 2:6–7 a few days later.

Missionally: Invite one coworker to lunch; share one minute on what ‘nailed to the cross’ means to you.

And let me give you one simple challenge: Each day this week, read Colossians 2:6–15 out loud. Then pray one line back to God. Let his Word sink deep into your soul, until you’re not just reading it—you’re living it.

Church family, life in Midland will always have ups and downs. Oil prices rise and fall. Companies expand and lay off. Seasons of life bring joy and sorrow. But Christ doesn’t change. He is supreme. He is enough.

So let’s walk out of here with one clear resolve: Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.

Church, say it with me: Stay rooted, not shaken—Christ is enough.