The Source of My Strength

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you can stand firm against all strategies of the devil. We are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in times of evil. Then after the battle, you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace from the Good News to be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18 NLT

Every family member has been sick with a cold or flu since last week. Last night I wasn’t feeling well, so I went to bed and asked the Lord to protect my family from this seasonal flu. I had aches and pains when I got up early in the morning and didn’t want to get out of bed. I felt as though I had no strength in me.

But, the Lord, as usual, had other plans. So, I got up and began my morning chat with our Lord and recorded in my Dwell in the Word Journal the lessons that the Lord Jesus was about teache me.

The Lord promptly reminded me about “The Armor of God” in Ephesians 6. Of course, we are all extremely familiar with these verses, but today, the Lord wanted me to see something beyond the armor.

He wanted me to see Him as my protector, source of strength, anchor, and constant throughout my life. When I try to give up, God never leaves me alone. Instead, he lovingly reminds me that He is my strength, protector, and constant in my life. He’s always at work in the background, even when I can’t see it. God is aware that you and I will experience days when things go so badly that we are tempted to give up, but instead of reprimanding us, He graciously reminds us through His Word that He is the source of our strength.

In Ephesians 6:10-18, Paul reminds us of the importance of putting on the armor of God so that we might stand firm and rely on God, who is the source of our strength, and resist the devil.

Ellie Holcomb once wrote, “Weary as we may be, instead of a guilt trip, God kindly gives us exactly what we need to keep fighting. He fills our tired arms with strength and helps train them to fight using the power, not our own. We raise our hands in emptiness and fill them, with help- with heavenly equipment to protect us and arm us for the fight at hand.” (Holcomb, p.64)

The Lord reminded me that He had equipped you and me with the tools we need to help us stand firm when we go through trials and temptations. But even more than that, He didn’t leave us alone. He did not abandon us. We have the Holy Spirit, who reminds us daily that God is the source of our strength and the constant in our lives.

Lord Jesus, thank you for reminding me that I am never alone. No matter how weary and tired I am, I can run to Your arms, knowing that You are the source of my strength and the constant in my life. In your name, amen.

Reference

1. Holy Bible New Living Translation, Tyndall House Publishers, Inc, 2015.

2. Holcomb, Ellie. Fighting Words – 100 Days of Speaking Truth into the Darkness. Nashville, Tennessee B&H Publishing 2021.