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Strength That God Supplies.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Ephesians 6:10
Paul urged the Church at Ephesus to be strong in the Lord. Just like the Ephesians, we need God's strength to plow through the mundane dailies of life and to excel through the, shall we say, more interesting seasons. The Word says we can do all things through Jesus. We simply don't get very far relying on our own strength (Philippians 4:13; Proverbs 3:5). We've got to have the real, sustaining, reliable, solid strength that God supplies (1 Peter 4:11). Nothing else will cut it.
Take a look at Ephesians 6:10-18 from The Message Bible:
And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the devil and all his angels.
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.
When we prepare and practice—becoming adept with these God-given tools—we get strengthened and ready for action. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God's Word, and prayer . . . that's some arsenal! Our help comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:2). Hallelujah!
Press on!
Pastor Jeff
© 2007 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.
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