"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power." - Ephesians 6:10 NLT
Have you ever seen the old cartoon depiction where the main character is fighting between an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other? Why did it always seem like there was a robust and aggressive devil versus a sheepish, weak little angel?
I grew up watching Tom and Jerry and Mighty Mouse cartoons. They did not teach me much, but some of their ideas stuck with me. For example, when I hear “mighty,” I immediately think of a superhero mouse! So, what comes to mind when I hear the word “mighty” associated with God’s power?
Something is not right here! Have we formed our beliefs about a big strong devil and a weaker, lesser God based on our silly cultural depictions of God over the years? Maybe not, but the point is we need to be sure we have correct views of God based on how the scriptures of the Bible reveal him.
Where is the God of Elijah, who publicly flexed his muscles in 1 Kings 18:38, sending fire down to demonstrate the strength of his power? Jeremiah 20:11 compares the Lord’s strength to a “powerful champion” or a “great, dreaded, fearsome warrior”!
Gods’ “Weakness” Versus Ours
According to 1 Corinthians 1:25, “God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” Paul instructs us to be strong in him and his mighty power, but how do we get that? How do we connect his power to real-life situations where we clearly lack strength? How does his strength translate from him to us?
In Ephesians 3:16, we are told that from his “glorious, unlimited resources,” he would empower us with “inner strength through his Spirit!” Following Christ’s resurrection and ascension, we were given a wonderful gift. The Holy Spirit of God provides the believer with true power, which equates to actual inner strength!
So how do we receive God’s strength?
We approach God with a humble recognition of our own weakness, need for, and confident reliance on his strength! God told Paul, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Paul’s response? “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me.” - 2 Corinthians 12:9
Dig Deeper
- What is currently limiting your perception of God’s strength and power?
- Spend some time praying, specifically asking God to show up in your moments of weakness. Admit your flaws to him and ask him to work in your heart to strengthen you in these areas.
Being S.T.R.O.N.G. in God
We can be STRONG if we know how S.T.R.O.NG. is:
S overeign
One of the most comforting truths in the bible is that God is sovereign. He is the “…Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them…” (Acts 4:24) Because He possesses supreme authority He can be trusted to work all things in our lives after the counsel of His will. (E.ph 1:11)
T rustworthy
It is one thing for God to be the supreme authority, but what if we couldn’t trust Him. Thankfully, He is good and trustworthy. Because God cannot lie (Titus 1:3), is faithful, (Lamentations 3:23) and a host of other attributes, we can lay our head on the pillow at night and trust him.
R ighteous
God does not set a standard; He is the standard by definition. some standards to reach. For humans to be righteous, it speaks of, righteous action is action which conforms to the requirements of the relationship
O mnipotent
God is strong because He is the epitome of power. He is the All-mighty one, who is all powerful.
N ever ending
To be never ending is to be eternal. If God were to forgive us, love us, protect us, and be gracious to us for 1,000. Even 1 million years, that would be discouraging. But the never-ending God is eternal. He is infinite, never ending. We can lay down at night knowing that God loves us forever and we will one day be safe in his presence, forever removed from the troubles of earth, because we will be forever in the presence of a holy, happy God. (Psalm 16:11; 1 Tim. 1:11)
G reat
Nehemiah was sad because the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates were destroyed by fire. But Nehemiah prayed and said, “5 And I said, “O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments…” God is an awesome God. “Our God is an awesome God” as the old song says. Because He is awesome, He is the epitome of greatness. God wants you and me to have strong faith, a strong marriage, and strong family, a strong relationship with Him, and strong relationships with others. The great news is what God commands, He provides. Let’s be these types of people.
