February 29, 2016 DISPLAYING STRENGTH
Daniel 11:12b: “but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”
The Christian life is not just about surviving, but is about being overcomers and being engaged in, and wining the battles we face. Part of the purpose that God has for believers is for them to demonstrate to the world, and to Satan and those who do not know God, the grace of God and the greatness of God. Believers could not demonstrate the character of God had not God had one grand and glorious plan-to give the Holy Spirit to each believer. It’s an amazing fact, but God has made us “new creations”-a different kind of human being. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” The greatest, the most grand, the most life changing truth is that the Spirit of the all-powerful God resides within us! The implications of His Spirit living in us are far-reaching, impacting our lives in ways we can’t fully imagine. It is possible for a believer not to have grasped the reality of His Spirit within; that is why God has instructed believers to study His word and to seek Him first. When we hunger for His word and when we seek Him first, He will reveal to us what it means to be His “new creations.” The Holy Spirit produces good fruit in us as we see in Galatians 5:22-23. A friend of mine who is a gifted teacher of the word of God is Tom Hall, and he has said that boldness is one of the sure signs of being filled with the Spirit. Today, there is much attention given to helping believers “cope” with life, and there is a place for that for sure, but if the goal is to simply cope with life, then we fall far short of God’s intentions. The song many of us sang as children had the message right: “I’m in the Lords Army.” Also, the hymn that many have sung for years has it right: “Onward Christian Soldiers-marching as to war.” In the culture in which we live, there are many battles to fight, and I dare say that every believer has battles to fight. The battle rages on many on fronts. Currently, there is an effort to silence Christians; persecution is on the increase; there is a breakdown of the family-the building block of society; there is widespread addiction to drugs and alcohol; many believers deal with depression; alternate life-styles that are contrary to God’s plans are condoned and given special protection under the law; the murder of the unborn is legal and accepted by many-and we could go on-but you are well aware of the battles we face. The point is that no matter what we face as individuals and as a nation, it is a time when believers are to “display strength and take action.” This verse is for you and I-not somebody else! God has equipped us to be effective in the battles we face-and He will fight with us and for us. We must acknowledge the battle, define the battle, and then be engaged in the battle. Let us not hesitate to be beacons of truth and light in a dark world; let us not hesitate to take action as God directs; let us be bold and courageous.
Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Daniel 11:12b: “but the people who know their God will display strength and take action.”
The Christian life is not just about surviving, but is about being overcomers and being engaged in, and wining the battles we face. Part of the purpose that God has for believers is for them to demonstrate to the world, and to Satan and those who do not know God, the grace of God and the greatness of God. Believers could not demonstrate the character of God had not God had one grand and glorious plan-to give the Holy Spirit to each believer. It’s an amazing fact, but God has made us “new creations”-a different kind of human being. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 we read: “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” The greatest, the most grand, the most life changing truth is that the Spirit of the all-powerful God resides within us! The implications of His Spirit living in us are far-reaching, impacting our lives in ways we can’t fully imagine. It is possible for a believer not to have grasped the reality of His Spirit within; that is why God has instructed believers to study His word and to seek Him first. When we hunger for His word and when we seek Him first, He will reveal to us what it means to be His “new creations.” The Holy Spirit produces good fruit in us as we see in Galatians 5:22-23. A friend of mine who is a gifted teacher of the word of God is Tom Hall, and he has said that boldness is one of the sure signs of being filled with the Spirit. Today, there is much attention given to helping believers “cope” with life, and there is a place for that for sure, but if the goal is to simply cope with life, then we fall far short of God’s intentions. The song many of us sang as children had the message right: “I’m in the Lords Army.” Also, the hymn that many have sung for years has it right: “Onward Christian Soldiers-marching as to war.” In the culture in which we live, there are many battles to fight, and I dare say that every believer has battles to fight. The battle rages on many on fronts. Currently, there is an effort to silence Christians; persecution is on the increase; there is a breakdown of the family-the building block of society; there is widespread addiction to drugs and alcohol; many believers deal with depression; alternate life-styles that are contrary to God’s plans are condoned and given special protection under the law; the murder of the unborn is legal and accepted by many-and we could go on-but you are well aware of the battles we face. The point is that no matter what we face as individuals and as a nation, it is a time when believers are to “display strength and take action.” This verse is for you and I-not somebody else! God has equipped us to be effective in the battles we face-and He will fight with us and for us. We must acknowledge the battle, define the battle, and then be engaged in the battle. Let us not hesitate to be beacons of truth and light in a dark world; let us not hesitate to take action as God directs; let us be bold and courageous.
Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
Blessings,
Buddy
RSS Feed