Every Monday, I pray and ask the Lord What He would have me do this week’s Bible study on. The Lord usually inspires me, place within my spirit or sometimes directly tells me early part of the week, what to do the Bible study on. Well, when I got up Thursday morning, I still had not received anything from the Lord what to do this week’s study on. So, I thought to myself, I’ll just do a study on Christmas, is it really a Christian Holiday? And, as I began searching scripture and researching this topic, I got an alert from Facebook Messenger. Now, I usually don’t read any of messenger post for at least a couple day or so, because most of the time I don’t have messenger turned on. Truth is, I rarely pay attention to them anyway. But, this morning, I felt almost compelled to open up messenger, and read I saw a post from a brother named Gary Oliver, and he posted the following message:
FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND HIS MIGHTY POWER. EMPHESIANS 6:10 Something is going on. Something is amiss. Although we are breathing the air, the air is not quite right. Everything seems off-balance. Everywhere there is fear, worry and concern. The Covid-19 Pandemic is changing lives as we know it. Our politics are in an uproar. People are scared to leave their homes and quarantine is the new social order. Everywhere businesses are shutting down which puts people out of work and causes them to lose their homes and apartments. Families now forced to live in their cars. The nightly news keeps people in fear because people in fear can be controlled. Satan is having a field day, but he cannot defeat believers who truly believe. It's time to put on the full armor of God. Stand firm with the belt of truth buckled around your waist and the breastplate of righteousness in place. Take up the shield of faith as well. Put on the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. Playtime is over. You see the evil in the world all around you. Pray in the Spirit on all occasions because prayer is the exterminating force which destroy the flaming arrows of the evil one. Believe in the greatness of God and have faith and trust for then you cannot be defeated. Be strong in the Lord and His mighty powers for nothing is impossible for those who believe. Nothing is impossible for those who believe in...God. Amen.
His post pierced me. It spoke to me. And, the Lord then reminded me of something. And that is, how each morning, at the conclusion of my prayer, As Gary stated in his post, I would recite putting on the whole armor of God, that I would be able to stand against the wiles of the devil, and withstand in the evil day. (Eph. 6:11-17)
I would always close my prayer with:
• I gird my loins about with truth
• I put on the breastplate of righteousness
• shod my feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace
• above all, I take the shield of faith to quench the fiery darts of the wicked
• I put on my helmet of salvation and pick up my sword of the spirit.
I would recite this mantra of putting on the whole armor of God daily. Yet, many of times, by the end of the day, I would still feel overcome, choked, beat down, weary, and sometimes even defeated.
One morning when closing my prayer, while reciting putting my armor of God, the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, Eph. 6:10
I paused, got up and went to my Bible. Even though I knew the scripture I still read it:
“Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and His mighty power.”
What immediately struck me, was that verse 10 precedes verses 11-17, which tells us what are armor is, its purpose and function. I then noticed that verse 10, was an admonishment, instructions, on what operates the armor, that is, it’s power source. Like purchasing a new gadget that comes with the admonition and instruction on the box, “battery operated – 2 AA batteries required”. Without AA batteries, the gadget won’t turn on. So, I looked at the original Greek transliteration of the Eph. 6:10, which says, be strong, which is ??d??aµ?? endunamoó (en-doo-da-na-ma'-o); meaning, empowered with, or I fill with. in, which is the Greek preposition ?? en, that actually translates inside or within; the Lord, which is the Greek word ??????, ??, ? kurios: (kori'-oss); which means, one who exercises absolute ownership rights over.
I realized Eph. 6:10 was admonishing and instructing us, in what is required to operate the armor of God, and that is, to fill within ourselves, submission to the Lord’s rule, leading and guidance is what gives us spiritual Strength our lives.
SPIRITUAL STRENGTH IS A DIVINE INSPIRATION. We cannot be strong by merely willing to be so. It’s like telling a sick person in need of life saving medicine, just be strong, in place of giving them the medicine necessary to heal their body.
Spiritual strength operates from receiving power poured into us from the Lord through faith. Being strong in the Lord, is to be quite sure that I do believe; being clear on what I believe, and being motivated to entirely trusting in the power of God, without wavering or doubting, regardless of my weaknesses, adversities, challenges or short-comings. I am to live knowing that God is all powerful, all knowledgeable and in control of all my situations and circumstances. This is what was meant when the Lord told one of the most spiritually powerful people who ever lived, the Apostle Paul, (2 Cor. 2:9)“My strength is made perfect in (your) weakness.” "My strength (which is d??aµ??, e??, ? dunamis (doo'-nam-is), meaning, mighty or miraculous power) shall be made perfect (or ?e??? teleó (tel-eh'-o); meaning, accomplished or consummated; in weakness, which is the word ?s???e?a, a?, ? astheneia (as-then'-i-ah); which means, want of strength or power; refering to an ailment or handicap that deprives someone of enjoying or accomplishing what they would like to do because of a weakness.
We must come to understand, that we don’t find spiritual power by trying to make ourselves strong, by trying to operate in our own will power as strength, but by humbling ourselves and confessing and accepting our weakness before God. This is why one of the most spiritually powerful men that ever lived shared the secret of spiritual power when he wrote: “When I am weak then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
In Jesus’ first sermon, the Beattitudes, the first Be-attitude (notice it’s an attitude) taught by Jesus is, Blessed are the poor in spirit: Matt. 5:3. This means among other things that we are to be in touch with our spiritual weakness. We are to realize that we can’t do the work of God in our own power, and own self will, but are to humble ourselves before God, who wants to be and do through us, then God gives spiritual power to us in our weakness. We don’t, and can’t, find spiritual power by trying to make ourselves strong, but by confessing and accepting our weakness.
See, what many of us miss when we are trying to be – “spiritual or religious – in our christianosity” – (I know it’s not a word but I’m going to use it anyway), is we miss the simple practical application of what God wants us to know.
Though, we are told to put on the whole armor of God each day to withstand the attacks of the evil-ones and the evils of the day brought on by man. We miss the armor we are to put on is only effective – “when the armor is pluged in to the power source, His mighty power!” – not our own strength, not our own power.
Many of us believe we are being strong in the Lord when we in our own will-power withstand or stand up against temptations, injustice, wrongs, attacks of the enemy. But truth is, many of us are just fighting battles in own strength and will-power. And, in most cases, what ends up happening 10 times out of 10, is we eventually grow weak, fall, fail, unable to endure, we crumble, we give in. Why, because our strength is in our own strength, not our being strong in the Lord, and the power of His might.
Everyone, Christian and non-Christian all have will power. And, exercising our will power is not the same as operating in the right source of power – His Mighty Power. So, I then came to realize what the Holy Spirit was telling me that morning. Though I was putting on armor each morning, it was not operating with the power source required for the armor to function properly. My power source was in my our own will power and strength of, my faith that I had faith in my faith in God. Take a minute. Y’all get it. I was essentially, operating in my own will power instead of my weaknesses surrendered to God’s Mighty power!
Let’s take the testimony in 2 Chron. Chapter 20, to get an understanding of what I’m talking about. In 2 Chron. chapter 20, we see the nations of the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites, came to wage war against Israel. The Israelites were outnumbered, overmatched, unprepared, inadequate, feeble and weak. The Israelites recognized their weakness, so, instead of trying to figure ways to gain allies, come up with strategies, how to fortify their cities, and it tells us, vs. 4The people of Judah came together to seek help from the Lord; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.5Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord in the front of the new courtyard 6and said:“Lord, the God of our ancestors, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
The people didn’t try to rely upon their own wisdom, cunning, strength or power, Vs. 13 For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” The people realized, “hey, we serve a mighty, powerful God, who is able to overcome anything our enemy can through at us. So, they came together in prayer to seek the Lord for Help. They submitted to their being strong in the Lord and His mighty power.
And, because they did, vs. 15-17: This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 16Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. 17You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.?”
Instead of relying upon their own power, strength, wisdom or might, they humbled themselves to their weakness and trusted in the Lord’s Mighty Power:
18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the Lord. 19Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice. 20Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his c holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
22As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
This is what Eph. 6:10 means when it says Be strong in the Lord and in His Mighty Power.
So, before we dress out for the battle, we need to make sure that are armor is operating with the right power source; prayer, infused with faith and empowered with the praise of His Omnipotence, which is a compound word; “Omni” which means “all.” “Potent” which means “power.” God has All Power. And, when I am strong in the Lord and the power of His might, and, not my own strength and will power, I believe, trust and know, the Lord is the one who fights my battles. Amen!
I know, that whatever I face, He is able to defend me, deliver me, help me, uplift me, protect me, show me, guide me, keep me against whatever the enemy, and this world throws at me, or wants to do to me.
Now, once I came to the understanding of what the Lord was showing me about putting on the whole armor of God, I knew that I needed to allow Him to supply me with His mighty power through the indwelling Holy Spirit. It changed my life and … and if your listening, it will change your life too.I know longer end my days feeling defeated, overcome or beat down. My days have been filled with overcoming and victories, big and small. Amen!
God is not only more powerful than you or anything in the physical world, He is also far more powerful than anything in the spiritual realm as well. God has the power and might to bring anything to pass whatsoever He pleases, and He offers to us, the opportunity to put our trust in His mighty power. Then, the question is, if you believe that with God nothing is impossible, then why do we try to run our life’s alone, under our own very limited power?
Now, there are many times we don’t understand why God allows certain things to happen in our lives … and, what we as people tend to do, when faced with obstacles, struggles and sufferings, that we don’t understand, we tend to allow the “whys” to strip us of our trust in the omnipotence of God. We tend to take God off of His throne, by putting our focus on the circumstances and situations.
But, it’s times when we don’t understand why, is when we need to operate in our faith of His mighty power; knowing He is in control of our circumstances and situations. Though we may not understand what’s going on, we are to know we worship an almighty God, who has all power and all understanding.
That’s why God told the Israelites when the three nations with their mighty armies were marching against them, do not be afraid and do not be discouraged because of their vast army. Basically, God was telling them don’t focus on the circumstance, don’t just trust what your eyes see, don’t trust what you may think or feel, stand firm and trust Me. Be strong in My Mighty Power, then you will see the deliverance of the Lord. It’s a matter of faith … trusting in God’s Mighty Power, and not your own strength of believing, like my husband said earlier, that you have faith in your faith that you have faith. Your faith must be in trusting God. Not just you having faith!
So, the next time you find yourself putting on the whole armor of God, make sure it’s not your putting on faith in your faith that you have faith, but that your faith is in trusting the Lord’s Mighty Power.
Now, that’s why Brother Gary put in all CAPS at the beginning of his post FINALLY, BE STRONG IN THE LORD AND HIS MIGHTY POWER.
Be blessed my friends, and may God keep and bless you in Jesus name Amen! You can watch the Animated, Narrative video of this message at: https://youtu.be/WYkWyCpiatM
You can also visit us @ fellowshipintheword.org
