“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” Ephesians 6:10
Dear Ones:
The entirety of the Christian experience of victory has its roots in the matter of strength and power. What was the promise associated with Pentecost that was so essential for the disciples to understand if they would be witnesses of Christ? The promise was one of a baptism of and with the Holy Spirit. What was this baptism? According to Paul’s writings in Romans, it was a baptism “…into Jesus Christ.” (6:3) The believer, at the moment of the new birth, was placed IN Jesus Christ. He was plunged beneath, and in, the living waters of His life, having become ONE with Him. Thus, the believer became a “new creation” by virtue of that Spirit of Christ who had been WITH the believers, but who now had come to reside IN the believer. In this indissoluble union with Christ, where He “dwells in the heart,” that which is OF Christ becomes available to the believer. It is NOT a matter of the believer seeking to create, by his own resources, that which God alone can give. It is however a matter of faith, to live BY the declared, and written word and work of Christ, trusting wholly in His indestructible, and unchangeable life. On the day of Pentecost, there was the fulfillment of another aspect of the promise: “…but you shall receive POWER, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you.” (Acts 1:8) The birth of the church, and every member of it, came about by the POWER of God. We see this so very clearly when John wrote: “But as many as received Him (Christ), to them gave He POWER to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” (John 1:12) The beginning of Christendom came about by the power of God, given to each believer, and corporately, to the whole body of believers. The church had begun “…by the Spirit,” and it will only be, as each believer continues to live and walk, “…by the Spirit,” that it will grow, and become the witness to the world that it should be.
In writing to the believers at Ephesus, and this in the form of a prayer, the Apostle Paul would write: “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly ABOVE ALL that we ask or think, according to the POWER that works in us, unto Him be the glory…” (3:20) We see here that the Apostle understood the basis for all Christian experience of the victorious life. It is BY the power of God. In the context of his “infirmities,” those weaknesses, limits, and conviction of his helplessness, Paul writes: “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the POWER of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Cor. 12:9) In his letter to the Philippians he writes that his great objective and goal in life is, “…that I may know Him (Christ), and the POWER of His resurrection.” (3:10) This power of which he speaks is not only that which is necessary to carry him to heaven, but to give him to know Christ’s victory on this earth.
How do we have, or receive, such needful power and strength? The first thing is that of having a true vision of Christ’s power. Paul prayed that the Ephesians would be given, “…the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him (Christ)…and what is the exceeding greatness of His power to us-ward who believe.” (1:17,19) The vision is essential. Next, the specific prayer must be made to receive: “…that He (the Father) would grant you…to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.” (Eph. 3:16)
Dear Father, give us Your vision of the power of Christ, by the Spirit. And strengthen us in our hearts, to believe and receive Christ as our power, for every need. We thank Thee, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Love, Dad