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What is "Being Strong in the Lord?"
Rod ShimabukuroFinally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Ephesians 6:10
So what does it mean to "Be Strong in the Lord?"
The closing charge and instruction to Paul’s letter to the church is to be strong - but not in ourselves, in our might, with our gifts, or with a strength based on human volition and power. Paul was writing from a place of practical and experiential position. Being strong to fight a spiritual fight, against spiritual evil forces could not be won except by being strong in the Lord. Paul states decisively to being strong in the Lord in the strength of His might. This speaks of of a total reliance and dependence on the Jesus he talked about in ch.1-3.
I’m thinking that in Paul’s “Finally” statement, he wants us to includes considering who God is, through Jesus. I other words, be strong in the Jesus he taught about earlier in the letter. To live according to the strength of Jesus might, based on his Eph. 1, and his prayer in 3:14-21.
I feel partiality corrected in the way I approach spiritual warfare. I know that we engage in warfare intentionally, with action, in obedience to this passage in Eph. 6:10-18. But in taking action, I can tend to fight battles, as if it’s dependent upon me, my will to fight, my initiative. But I’m really seeing (for me) that to be strong, to overcome, in order to even take action - I need to know the Jesus Paul writes about in the first 3 chapters.
I want to live differently in my approach to spiritual warfare, studying the person, character and ways of the Godhead in ch. 1-3.
Dear Spirit of God,
I really want to grow in knowing Jesus and my Father. Please teach me, guide me, correct me into knowing Him and growing in the knowledge of Jesus. Thank you for Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation... in the knowledge of Him!
