“Do not be like your ancestors and relatives who abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and became an object of derision, as you yourselves can see. Do not be stubborn, as they were, but submit yourselves to the Lord. Come to His Temple, which He has set apart as holy forever. Worship the Lord your God so that His fierce anger will turn away from you.” (2 Chronicles 30:7-8 NLT)
How strong is your faith? Strong enough to wither a fig tree? Strong enough to move a mountain? How about strong enough to lead a family member or friend to Jesus? How about strong enough to walk away from temptation or memorize a verse of Scripture?
What determines the strength of our faith? Is it our attendance at church? Reading the Bible? Serving in some capacity? Giving money? Teaching a class or leading a group? While all those things are commendable, we can do all those things and not have a relationship with Jesus. There are many people who aren’t even committed believers in Jesus who fill our churches and serve in many capacities who do the things they do in the energy of the flesh. They don’t count on the Holy Spirit to equip, guide, and use them.
The strength to walk in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus is derived from our submission to His authority; our willingness to count all things loss for the privilege of knowing, loving, and serving our King. Strength isn’t built when things are easy and convenient, but when it takes sacrifice of time, energy, and money. Our strength to serve grows out of our love and gratitude for all our Savior has done and is doing for us.
If you want to know what strength looks like, kneel at the Cross of Christ and hear His words: “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” It’s hard for me to look in the mirror and understand that I’m capable of the most heinous act any person is capable of committing. The only thing that separates me from hell and the acts of those who are there and who are headed there, is Jesus.
Everything I am or ever hope to be I owe to Him. He deserves so much more than I’m capable of giving Him, but He loves me anyway. I have nothing to offer Him but my heart and as He held me in His strong arms He whispered: “That’s all I want!” In this season of my life, I have very little strength – physically, emotionally, or otherwise, but my heart beats with love for the One who gave everything because He knew one day I’d need a Savior.
Would you please stop running! Would you please realize that you’re not as strong as you’ve imagined; that without Jesus the sum of you is nothing! As hard as you’ve wanted to believe, all you’re trying to offer Him in the energy of the flesh is valueless. He’s not interested in Your strength, He wants you to realize you have nothing to offer Him, yet He still wants to give you His strength, if you’d just say “YES!”
It’s not our strength that impresses Him, it’s our weakness. Someone who thinks they have all the Lord requires in and of themselves is either confused or delusional. We’re not invited to come to Him in our strength or on the basis of anything we can offer Him, we’re invited to see our life, strength, and everything we’d ever hoped to be or become, in Him alone, by faith alone.
Please stop trying to develop your own spiritual strength and receive all the strength you’ll ever need for all eternity in Him, in the Person of His Holy Spirit. He will give you everything you need to be everything He desires you to be, but you must trust Him and walk in the ways He will lead you. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 