The strength that comes from above

Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:10-13

We are confronted regularly with stories about people having difficulties dealing with struggles in life. Our text provides us instructions that the whole Scripture has been given to us in order to enable us to face life in a godly manner. God is not interested in man’s religion, but He is extremely interested in how we live our lives. We are constantly bombarded with distorted outlooks in life and unreliable hopes. But once we meditate on the Word of God we realized that God exposes us to the truth. From our text, the apostle Paul provides us an honest assessment about life. Life is filled with struggles. You don’t have to go far and look outside because your own experience confirms the truth that life is not a “bed of roses” or a “cloud-nine” experience. Don’t buy into the romantic naiveté that you can just spend your days in carefree relaxation and enjoyment. God’s challenge for us is to learn how to trust in Him. The Bible says that we are "in the time of evil" and He wants us to stand firm (v. 13). The idea is that there will come times which are worse than others, when pressures are more intense, and when problems are more unsolvable. There are moments that they come upon us at once. The devil will use such experiences to bring us to despondency. As Paul discovered, there is only one way to handle this struggle and that is to “be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (v. 10). There is no other way to come out victorious than to realize that it’s not in your abilities and power but through our dependence upon God who has already overcome the world. “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Take this admonition to heart and understand that this is what characterizes life. Seek out the strength and might that comes only from God. “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

Blessings,

Noel De Guzman

www.my-wbc.com