Find Strength Here

2 Corinthians 3:5–6 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

God reveals the foolishness and the weakness of this present world system, even with its philosophy and religion “that no flesh should glory in His presence.” Salvation must be wholly of grace; otherwise, God cannot get the glory. (Wiersbe)

Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

God is the one responsible for starting the “good work” in or among us.

Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

Philippians 2:12–13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

The work God does for us - salvation

The work God does in us - sanctification

The work God does through us - service (Wiersbe)

The work will continue until we see Christ, then the work is fulfilled (Wiersbe). So, as long as we have breath in our lungs, God has purpose for us here on Earth because if His sole purpose was our salvation, we would have been called home already.

When we find friction in our lives, whether it’s with a spouse, a family member, a brother/sister in Christ, whomever, look at it this way. Friction is caused by one of two things (using two blocks of wood):

One block is moving faster and/or the other is standing still

Both blocks are moving but in opposite directions

Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

Ephesians 2:8–10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Jeremiah 1:6–9 “Then said I: “Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.” But the Lord said to me: “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,” says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.”

Exodus 4:10–12 “Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.””

Zechariah 4:6 “So he answered and said to me: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.”