1 Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
Isaiah 41:10 ESV Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Being strong in the Lord means trusting God; it requires that we rewire our mindsets to make us believe that we have a supernatural strength within ourselves to get us out of the difficult situations we find ourselves in. Being strong in the midst of great anxiety and turmoil is easier said than done. It requires that we fix our hearts, minds and emotions on God as we lean totally on Him. Living an authentic Christian life definitely requires us to be strong. Strong against the many waves and storms of this world and the secular systems that attempt to blow us down and derail us for the call of Christ. Not to fight and not to stand is to be defeated and to succumb to the direction and destination of this age. To be fainthearted and weak-willed in this Christian walk is to surrender to mediocracy and to a form of Christianity that brings neither power in this age to overcome nor power to embrace the eternal life that Christ purchased with His blood. Worse still, if we surrender to half-heartedness and despondency, we will soon find ourselves unable to awake ourselves from the spiritual slumber and drowsiness that covers our souls, making it a humanly impossible task to lift our heads, let alone stand. We need to do the due diligence of not becoming discouraged and bewildered when we see the onslaught of the enemy. We must resolve within ourselves that come what may and however hard this world and the enemy of our souls with the fight we will stand. We will, in the power and might of God’s hand, stand, and come what may, we will continue to stand back up when we fall.
Lord, give us the grace not to lose heart when we fall, but give us the grace to stand in your strength, knowing that we only learn how to walk by following a million times. Teach us heavenly father that we will not lose heart and will not become discouraged and quit. But in the day of battle that we will cry out to you who is mighty to save. Lord forgive us for every time we looked to our own strength and ability to save us. Lord we trust, rest and depend on you and pray for your grace, mercy and strength to stand in Jesus mighty Name.
Much Love in Christ,
Your Sister,
Ruth
Pursuing Holiness
Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach