Tuesday, February 7, 2023

           Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:10, “finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.”  What a blessing and encouragement to us!  The good news is we can be strong in Him.  We can do things we might never have imagined.  We can forgive someone and move on from bitterness when we call on His help and strength.  Forgiving can be harder than bench pressing a heavy load.  But God makes us able because He is able.  We can be strong in the Lord and the power that He offers us.  We can speak a word of truth in a cloud of deception and error.  We can stand for what is right when surrounded by all that is wrong.  We can choose to love when hate seems to be reigning.  We can walk the narrow road that leads to life rather than the broad road that leads only to death.
            God changes things.  God changes people.  And God changes people in the midst of changing things.  Occasionally, we sing “What A Mighty God We Serve.”  And we do.  Nothing is too hard for Him.  Nothing is beyond His knowledge, wisdom or comprehension.  In Ephesians 6:13-18, Paul named the armor of God that we have available to us as we navigate our way through life.  This armor is both defensive and offensive.  We can defend against the enemy, Satan, and take the battle to Him as we read, know and apply God’s Word to the battles we face.  We cannot defeat the enemy in our own power so we must look to the Lord.  Christ has already crushed the enemy.  Our Lord won the universe’s greatest battle ever on a Friday afternoon in the Middle East almost 2000 years ago when the cross crushed the head of Satan. 
            We have three sources for God’s power available to us that we often fail to use as much as we could or should.  First, we have the Bible.  We have a repository of promises and words from God that can make a difference in any battle.  Many Bibles gather dust and lay neglected for weeks at a time.  Open your Bible and get into what God has promised and pledged to us.  Second, we have prayer.  We can speak to the Lord and go boldly before His throne of grace.  No lasting victory can ever be enjoyed apart from prayer.  Someone once said, “If your faith cannot get you to church on Sunday, then it may not get you into heaven.”  Our third source for power is worship and meeting with God consistently to praise and glorify Him.  We step away from the world to enter into His glorious presence with our undivided attention.  Our faith is renewed and strengthened when we gather with other believers to give God the worship and offering that He deserves.
            If we wake up anticipating a battle, we can always remember to trust the Lord, trust His Word and trust His power.  Those blessings never change or fade away.  They also never fail us.  Perhaps today, God calls you to trust Him for salvation.  Maybe you have never come to trust in Christ and His finished work at the cross alone for your salvation.  Maybe that tomorrow you always said would come when you would make things right with God still has not come.  Tomorrow is not promised but, even better, you have today to give your life to the Lord.  Maybe today God calls you to trust Him with a battle.  If you are not walking with Him and obeying Him, then you will not find victory in battle.  God brings victory when we walk with Him and obey Him and acknowledge Him as Lord.  We cannot live defiantly and disobediently and expect victory.  Be strong in the Lord today.  Come to Him.  Return to Him.  Trust Him.  Have a great Tuesday!  You can always join us for worship at youtube.com/FirstBaptistKannapolis.