March 28, 2024

CHRISTLife — TwentyEight: Empowered

cl empoweredMost times it’s through weakness that we experience God’s strength. He uses our weaknesses and the areas that we feel less strong to open a divine door. Without weakness we would rarely experience His strength. My mind goes back to Gideon and his army of 300, yet he was equipped to do exactly as God intended and defeat an army that worshipped idols.  He started out with 3000 men, and God reduced the army to 300.  Another example of less is more is the feeding of the masses with just loaves and fishes.  Doesn’t our God just have a way?  When we trust Him with our life, can’t He equip us and empower us for exactly what He has for us to do?   You already have access to the strength the Spirit gives, simply because He lives in you!

He has called you for supernatural acts, my friend, which require supernatural equipping.  We must be charged up in order to do the will of God.  Like your cell phone, it will do you no good if it is not charged.  Same with us as believers, if we do not stay connected to His Word, and in tune with His Spirit, how will we know what  God has in mind for us?  He speaks to us through His Words in the Bible. And at the end of this chapter, there are a few verses that were recommended for deeper study and I thought we could go through them together…

Your right hand, O Lord, is majestic in power; Your right hand, O Lord, shatters the enemy.
Exodus 15:6

God saved the Israelites by parting the Red Sea.  It is an almighty symbol of God’s saving work on behalf of His people.  This event is a reminder of the salvation of our God.  How do you remind yourself of His great saving work in your life? What “red sea” do you need Him to part in your life today?

I love You Lord, You are my strength.
Psalm 46:1

This was written toward the end of David’s life when there was peace.  God is praised for His works and blessings thoughout the years.  What blessings has He done in your life, and have you praised Him for it?  What if are you struggling with right now?  Even if… He is worthy to be praised.  What is your “if?”  Even if the world around you is crumbling, we don’t need to fear.  In the face of utter destruction, the writer expressed a quiet confidence in God’s ability to save him. No matter what, God is our refuge.  Even if there’s turmoil and trials, He’s not just a retreat—He is our Eternal Refuge and strength in every circumstance.  He is always providing, always there to help.  His power is complete and He gives us victory over all!  He will never fail you, He will always rescue you.

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord Himself is my Strength and my Defense; He has become my Salvation.
Isaiah 12:2

God is never too tired or too busy to help and listen to His children.  His strength is ours and—if we stay close and engaged in His Word—we will always have His strength at our disposal. All you have to do is say His name and seas calm, problems fade, and you are restored.  Even if a whisper is all you can muster, Yahweh is listening and ready to intervene.

Friends, you may feel like you don’t have what it takes to do battle for God, but He sees it differently.  He sees you as equipped, empowered, full of strength and ready for any task laid before you.  1 Corinthians 1:27 says,”But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”  If this is you, you are exactly where God wants you. You are in a position to listen and accept what He has for your life and you are humble enough to know that you cannot do anything on your own.  For He has promised that when we are weakest,  He is strongest.  And when we are at our lowest, His strength carries us.  It is such a precious time of communion that we don’t ever want to forget and we will always cherish such times.  I encourage you to journal and keep a list of when you and God are more in union and you couldn’t make it another minute without His strength.  Then you have a battle plan to share with others and a faith that can move mountains!

Let us pray: Dearest Lord, thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit in me.  Help me to never get in the way of Your perfect plan.  I pray for a fresh filling every morning, oh God.  I thank You for Your power in me, for Your patience in my weakness and for Your strength when I need it most.  Lord, keep me humble. Keep me teachable and positioned to hear You only.  Silence the voices of the world that can be so loud and can drown You out sometimes.  Help me to remember that the only way to hear You is to be still and listen and to read Your word and pray. Thank You for parting our “Red Seas” and for taking care of our “if’s.”  Forgive us when we forget that You are enough.  We love You and praise You and sit at Your feet.  Precious Lord, thank You for hearing us. It’s in Jesus name we pray, amen.