Strength In Christ

"Give strength to the hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness. Tell everyone who is discouraged, 'Be strong and don't be afraid! God is coming to your rescue, and He will save you!'"
                                                                     Isaiah 35:3-4




When a parent helps a young child learn how to walk, it is a collaborative effort that frequently involves encouragement and lots of do-overs. Time and again, the young child finds himself seated on his derriere without having gotten very far in distance (thankfully, they have pampers to buffer the blow). The parent lovingly tells the child that they can, indeed, have victory but that they must get up again and attempt it one more time. Trust is required for the wobbly toddler to want to venture out, yet another time, beyond the comfort of crawling that they have so adeptly learned. The child learns to find strength in the strength of their parents' arms and attentiveness.

Since all of us successfully learn how to walk in our formative years (unless, of course, there are physical limitations), it is a wonderful visual for us to see how God intends for us to draw upon His strength throughout our lives. The apostle, Paul, describes this process as he says, "I toil, struggling with all His energy that He powerfully works in me" (Colossians 1:29). In other words, we exercise our will as we rely on the will of God in order to make things happen. Both parties work in unison in order for the weaker vessel to be made strong in his or hers Father's hands.

Strength in Christ, however, in no way mimics the strength that the world tells us we should possess. It is not stoic or found by "picking yourselves up by the bootstraps". Instead, it is only found in our relationship with Jesus. It is found in the most unusual places like choosing the treasures found in God's Word, or in prayer, or in just an honest dialogue with God about your circumstances and your life.

John Piper uses the acronym of A.P.T.A.T. to explain how to find our strength in God, alone.  It is as follows:
          A. ADMIT (that you can do nothing)
          P. PRAY (for God's help in your situation)
          T. TRUST (a particular promise of God's help)
          A. ACT (believe His promises)
          T. THANK (Thank God for help received)

Of all of these steps, Piper says that trusting is by far the most important one. We do not pray for help hour by hour. Instead, we trust specific promises hour by hour. We meditate on them and speak them out loud. We remember that it is the blood of Christ that has given us access to these very precious promises and that we are a blessed people who can live our lives standing upon them.

His strength can become ours. Paul tells us that "in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature]. And, [since] you are in Him, [you] are made full and have come to the fullness of life [filled with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and have reached full spiritual stature]" (Colossians 2:9-10). In other words, He has already apportioned every ounce of strength for us that we will need each day.

It is His grace and mercies that are new each morning that ae poured out into our lives to supply our every need. We choose daily whether we will receive them or whether we will tough it out on our own. We choose daily whether we lean on Him for all that we need or whether we are self-sufficient and will be the lord of our own destiny.

If we have truly been crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20), we live by faith in Jesus who loves and gave Himself for us. We give. We love. And, we are free-- not only from sin, but also to do what God has called us to do. We are strengthened in our faith as we practice God's presence in our lives and believe that God is acting on our behalf. Even, when we cannot tangibly see it yet.

Especially when we are at our weakest points, Christ can be all the more stronger to us. Strangely, it is during these times that we get to know God in ways that we never could when life is going well. God's faithfulness shines ever brighter in these seasons where we find ourselves utterly without any strength. It is then that He is our strong tower and refuge in the storm.

We can learn what Paul did when God said to him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9). This message of grace was God's promise of provision for every need we have and whenever we need it. There is an acrostic for grace that goes as follows:
                                         G- God's
                                         R- Riches
                                         A- At
                                         C- Christ's
                                         E- Expense

This grace is sufficient. There is never a shortage.  He will meet our spiritual needs, our material needs, our emotional needs, and our physical needs. If His grace is sufficient to save us, then it absolutely is sufficient to strengthen us in our times of suffering.

So many of our blessings come in the form of transformation rather than in the form of substitution. Often, we prefer to trade our difficulties with easier circumstances, but, instead, God changes us. He teaches us how to conquer our worries and our fears and trust Him to greater degrees than we ever have before. Our needs are met when we are transformed. After transformation, our trials work for us rather than against us.

What God may choose to give us during transformation is deeper insight and revelation as to what He is doing. We accept whatever gifts He gives and allow Him to accomplish His purposes. God always prepares us for what lies ahead before we even have any idea of what that might be. He is thorough and always the perfect parent- knowing when to let us walk, run, or even fall on our derriere!

Power increases in our walk when God's grace enables us to soar above our problems rather that to be weighted down by them. Our character is built and we become more like Jesus. We move beyond acceptance of our sufferings to having the ability to glory in them. Suffering then becomes our servant instead of our tyrannical taskmaster.

P.T. Forsyth said, " It is a greater thing to pray for pain's conversion than its removal." This allows the spiritual to take precedence over the physical. It trusts God's ability to balance burdens with blessings. It acknowledges that pride is a more evil dictator than any physical ailment. It understands that pain is not a barrier to effective service. And, it gives us the opportunity to truly rest in God's Word.

We find our strength in God when we trust in His will and depend on His grace. We find our anointing and callings as we mature in Christ and move beyond acceptance to power in Christ. When the full measure of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) resides in us, we will move and advance in the very strength of Christ! Be strong!!!


"Faith upholds a Christian under all trials, by assuring him that every painful dispensation is under the direction of his Lord; that chastisements are a token of His love; that the season, measure, and continuance of his sufferings, are appointed by Infinite Wisdom, and designed to work for his everlasting good; and that grace and strength shall be afforded him, according to his need."
                                                    John Newton, Hymnist