"STANDING IN THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD
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INTRO: It is always good to be with you and to worship along side of you together.
HOW ARE YOU DOING? REALLY? HOW ARE YOU FEELING AND HOLDING UP? IF WE WERE TALKING ONE-ON-ONE HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?
It is important that we ask one another that question and be ready to listen and comfort and encourage each other and pray for each other.
As I have asked some version of that question or just tried to pick up on how we are doing there are a lot of different answers but one thing that comes through in a lot of those answers (it almost goes without saying) but WE ARE TIRED!
We are tired in the sense of “being over it,” but actually, literally weary. It seems to be the common experience many people are having. Being tired in a number of real ways; physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually perhaps.
More work and everything taking longer: I talk to a number of people, including some of you who have expressed how much extra work you have now and the some of the work you already had to do taking longer because you have to do it differently, making so many things more complicated. I know this wears on you physically and mentally which effects you emotionally.
Mentally we are trying to process everything going on in our lives and work and nation and world. It is a little overwhelming, do you agree? For some it is creating fear or frustration, anxiety or excessive stress.
Emotionally we may be just trying to keep it together and our relationships are being affected because our emotions often flow out and on to others, even unintentionally we take it out on other, even loved ones.
WHAT DO YOU NEED STRENGTH FOR RIGHT NOW?
Maybe its the obvious things just mentioned. Strength to deal with the changes and extra effort our situation is causing. Maybe its something else...
Maybe its just patience with what is going on or with someone or something in your life.
Maybe you need strength to handle what is going on at work, strength to be the parent you need to be right now, (that’s one of mine)
Maybe you need to strength to be the leader you need to be for your family or just strength to take care of your family.
Maybe you need to strength just to stand right now. The truth that we forget so often is God never intended for us to stand on our own without HIM.
WE ARE WEARY and (while there are other things) ONE THING WE REALLY NEED (that I have felt recently) IS STRENGTH TO STAND!
Not a personal toughness that comes from within ourselves, because it runs out and leaves us exhausted, BUT SOMETHING MORE!
WE NEED WHAT GOD CREATED US TO NOT BE ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT SUCCESSFULLY: GREATER STRENGTH GIVEN TO US BY HIM, HIS STRENGTH!
We always need His strength, what we are going through now just magnifies our weaknesses and lack of control and how much we NEED HIM!
WE ARE BLESSED THAT WE HAVE A GOOD SHEPHERD WATCHING OVER US, LEADING US GIVING ACCESS TO HIS STRENGTH.
And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth.
This passage is a prophecy of Christ as the Shepherd of God’s people which He would become, foretold long before He came and declared Himself to be “the Good Shepherd” as we find in John 10. It comes right after the prophecy that Bethlehem would be the place of His birth.
Notice how He will shepherd His flock…how? “In the strength of the Lord.” I want to go back to this in just a moment but first notice something else in this verse.
If Jesus is the Shepherd in this verse (and He is), who is “his flock?” That would be you and me, His church, His people, according to John 10 those who listen to His voice.
Now notice the beginning of the second sentence. And “they shall dwell secure?” Do you feel secure right now? Do you feel safe?…Right now you may be having a hard time feeling secure. So if you do not I want to remind you that just as a shepherd watches over his flock Christ your Lord is standing, HE IS WATCHING OVER YOU.
No matter what you have lost, what has changed, who has hurt or left you, OR whatever has made your world feel unsafe, Christ has promised to never leave you. He will never change. And you have heaven waiting on you if you know Christ.
IT IS NOT THAT HE WILL MAKE EVERYTHING IN THIS LIFE BE SMOOTH BUT HIS PRESENCE AND HELP AND STRENGTH GIVES US STABILITY TO STAND.
JESUS IS WATCHING OVER US AND LEADING US BUT ALSO HE GIVES US HIS STRENGTH.
Think about what it means that this shepherd in this verse will stand and shepherd us “in the strength of the Lord.”
If you were to ask a kids Sunday school class who is the strongest man in the Bible, what do you think they would say? Probably Solomon whose incredible physical strength came from God.
But I believe that really Jesus was the strongest man in scripture (not physically) in every other way specifically spiritually. Being human His strength came from the His Father and the through the Holy Spirit.
What is awesome is that when you look at other prophecies about Christ you see the connection to the power of the Holy Spirit. For example; Isaiah 42:1 and 11:2
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Isaiah 62:1 is the scripture Jesus read in the synagogue and implied that He was the fulfillment. Is says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me:” Then there is...
And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
Notice what the Spirit is connected to that would apply to Jesus ministry…wisdom and understanding, counsel and might and knowledge.
When we come the New Testament and the fulfillment of these things we know these things are said about Jesus; that God Spirit was in Him without measure.
For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
Jesus carried out His incredible ministry with power over the physical world; calming storms, walking on water, healing every disease, power over the spirit world casting out demons, power over death; raising people from the dead and Himself being raised by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He lived and walked and ministered and endured and taught “in the strength of the Lord.”
JESUS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY THROUGH HIS DEATH TO LIVE LIFE WITH STRENGTH THAT IS BEYOND OUR OWN.
Close to the time of the cross Jesus tells promises His disciples that this about the Holy Spirit
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
After Jesus death, burial, resurrection and ascension the Apostles preached Jesus and told the Jews in Acts 2:38 “repent and be baptized and you will be given the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus’ promise that the Spirit “will be in you” as this verse says comes true for all who are baptized after this. The Holy Spirit is spoken of as dwelling in the disciples in the letters to the churches. (Like Romans 8 and 1 Cor. 3 and Galatians.
WE ARE BLESSED WITH THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO DWELLS IN US TO GIVE US STRENGTH AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS.
HE enables us to walk, and endure and live and in struggle AND stand “in the strength of the Lord” through the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 6:10 says in reference to overcoming Satan and putting on the Armor of God.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.
In the larger context of Ephesians Paul has already talked about the power of God given to us through the Holy Spirit.
In chapter 1:16 he tells them He is praying for them in very specific and deep ways. Verse 17 He prays;
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
God’s power is to us, the same power that raised Christ from the dead. We know this because if this passage in connection with Romans 8:11.
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
God raised Jesus from the dead through the Holy Spirit and through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, our bodies will be raised from the dead.
THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS MENTIONED LATER IN EPHESIANS...
Paul again says He prays for the them in chapter 3 that they would have strength, (How?) through the power of the Holy Spirit
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
So it is the Holy Spirit gives us strength within the deepest part of ourselves and for very specific reasons; (1 that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. (2 power to grasp how deep the love of Christ is, (3) to be filled with all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:20 that we know very well is a praise to God who can more than we ask or imagine. How? Through the power that IS AT WORK (NOT JUST FOR US, OR IN OUR LIVES BUT WITHIN US).
THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES US THE STRENGTH TO BECOME WHO GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE A BEAR FRUIT (AS GALATIANS 5:22 SAYS) AMONG OTHER THINGS LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GENTLENESS, SELF-CONTROL AMONG OTHER.
If the Holy Spirit lives within us then why do often not feel very strong?
WHY DO WE OFTEN NOT FEEL VERY STRONG?
Sometimes life can make you feel powerless. Sometimes it overwhelms you with things and things outside your control. Anyone feeling that way lately?
We are hopefully being humbled and having our eyes opened to the fact that we are not as in control as we think we are. I say hopefully because as long we rely on our own strength and ability to control things we will not turn to and rely on the strength God offers us.
If God has given us the Holy Spirit as a gift (Acts 2:38) who dwells within us then why do we still seemed to not have so much strength?
While I was working on this lesson my computer gave me the warning that I only had 15% battery left and so much time before it complete died. The funny thing was that my power cord was laying right beside it the whole time I had been working. I could have had it plugged in the entire time and had the battery filled with energy but instead it was drained.
It wasn’t connected to the power source. Now what would happen if I plugged it in for just a minute and then unplugged it? I couldn’t just plug it in for a minute and expect it to fully charge or be filled with power to run the computer. See where I’m going with this?
We often forget that our spiritual lives, our relationship with God, and the Spirit’s power in our lives is not automatic?
Just because God has given us a relationship with Him through Christ does not mean we will automatically keep a deep committed relationship without consistent and constant devotion, prayer, communication and submission.
Otherwise God would not have to urge us as He does in James 4:8 “Draw near to me and I will draw near to you.”
Just because God has given us His word to instruct us, strengthen and encourage us and help us endure and have hope as Romans 15:4 says does not mean that do not have to delve deep into His word everyday and let it dwell in us richly.
We cannot expect that we can be close to God, strengthen by His word and filled with His Spirit by “plugging” ourselves in for short periods of time here a there.
Just because God has blessed us with the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are baptized (Acts 2:38) to dwell in us as 1 Corinthians 3:16 says, does not mean that we are filled with, or walking by or being led by or have our minds on the things of the Spirit. Notice:
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
We would not have to be told to be “filled with the Spirit” if it was automatic and we did not struggle to be filled with other things and the Spirit influence because low. We would not have to be told to walk in the Spirit and be led by the Spirit if we did not have to believe in, submit to and listen for the Spirits leading.
Our bodies are made up of somewhere close to 60-70% water but we still have to drink water to stay hydrated and healthy. Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as being rivers of living water flowing from within but unless we draw from, drink from and be filled with the Spirit we may not have the strength that God offers through Him. SO...
HOW MUCH GOD AND THE HOLY SPIRIT WORK IN AND EMPOWER OUR LIVES IN PARTIALLY DEPENDENT ON US! ROMANS 8:5-6 IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS...
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
If we never struggled to have our mindset in the right place we would not have to be told to have our minds set on the things above (Col. 3:2).
SO WHERE HAS YOUR mindset been? IF THE MIND SET ON THE SPIRIT IS LIFE AND PEACE and we are not experiencing that is our mindset in the right place?
Right now we are tempted to allow our minds to be pulled to focus on worldly things and current struggles so much that we are overcome with worry and fear instead of strength. (I do not mean healthy concern or being cautious, or being involved in making a difference)
But when all we have on our minds are the physical things surrounding the things that our going on in our world, how can we stay focused on the things of the Spirit and draw strength from Him? The Spirit can help us to handle those things properly but if the spiritual things are overshadowed by the physical then we may not have our minds on the things of Spirit.
GOD’S STRENGTH IS HERE FOR US IF WE WILL RELY ON IT AND ASK HIM FOR!
Right now one thing that I believe God is doing in the hearts of many is teaching us to cry out for His strength to sustain us and give us the ability to do what He has called us to be and do!
God’s purposes, and will and mission have not been put on pause, a lot has changed but God’s kingdom and purposes do not. He hasn’t stopped working in us through His Spirit.
WE NEED TO HAVE SUCH A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF OUR NEED FOR GOD EVERY DAY THAT WE SEEK IT, CRY OUT FOR IT, AND RELY ON IT.
WE NEED TO HAVE FAITH THAT CHRIST DWELLS IN OUR HEARTS AND THAT HIS STRENGTH WILL SUSTAIN US!
Jesus said “pray believing” and you will receive. NOT ONLY PRAY BELIEVING but “pray and do not give up” persistently as Jesus also taught. (Sometimes we pray and stop like, “well that didn’t work.”)
BELIEVE IN IT, PRAY FOR IT, BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT AND BE STRENGTHENED BY HIS POWER TO OVERCOME AND PERSEVERE.
WE CAN AND SHOULD CALL OUT IN FAITH FOR GOD TO STRENGTHEN US THROUGH HIS SPIRIT WHO LIVES IN US!
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS AND PRAYED FOR THE CHURCH TO BE STRENGTHENED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT (AMAZINGLY FOR THE THINGS WE REALLY NEED RIGHT NOW.)
The last verse I want to encourage you with is really what this lesson has been all about. To put it simply believe in and rely on God’s help through the Holy Spirit and pray for strength to endure.
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
The last part of this verse is exactly what we need need “being strengthened with all power, according to His might (not ours) so we can endure with patience and have joy!
How many of us could use strength - mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. GOD CAN STRENGTHEN US - ACCORDING TO HIS GLORIOUS MIGHT SO WE CAN STAND.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY THIS VERSE TO YOU PRAYERS; Pray FOR YOURSELF AND THE CHURCH TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH GOD’S POWER SO WE CAN ENDURE WITH PATIENCE WHAT WE ARE FACING AND HAVE JOY!
PRAYER FOR THIS VERY THING!