10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
—EPH 6:10-11 NLT
Strength. Power. Energy. Muscle. Might.
Are they all a result of sheer discipline, grit and determination?
Are they the by-product of years in the gym, on the field or in the streets?
Or, maybe they’re just a by-product of different personality styles? Some people have a more compliant personality while others have a feistier, more determined temperament?
Where do you get the strength to stand when everything around you makes you weak in the knees and sick in the gut?
Where do you get the strength to get out of bed, put on your clothes, pour another cup of coffee and do the next right thing, when everything in you wants to pull up the covers, go back to sleep, take a pain reliever or sleeping pill, dull the pain with a stiff drink or veg out on Netflix?
Where do you get the strength to keep loving when you feel abandoned or betrayed?
To keep forgiving when the wounds inflicted keep multiplying and cut deep?
To keep believing when the evidence looks contrary to the preferred outcome you’ve imagined and been praying for?
To keep “hoping against all hope” (Rom 4:17-25)?
Strength when your hands get tired and begin to shake?
Strength when your heart is racing and fear is breathing hot down your neck?
Strength when your blood pressure rises.
Strength when sleep is hard to find.
Strength to hold on, keep believing and not give up or in.
According to Paul, strength isn’t a by-product of personality, gym time or grit.
Strength to stand when life hits hard is a result — it’s a by-product —
of our union with Christ.
All throughout Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he writes about the fact that because of our faith in what Jesus accomplished thru His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, we have been “united with Christ.”
We are “in Christ.”
For Paul, those two words — “in Christ” sum up the essence of what it means to be a Christian. They’re so important that some form of them get used in his letters at least 216 times.
The moment we trust what Jesus did when He died for our sins, in our place and was raised again to life; we are placed “in Christ.” To be “in Christ” means that we’ve received all that Jesus has done, all that He is, and all that He will ever do and be.
To be “in Christ” means that we’ve received all that Jesus has done, all that He is, and all that He will ever do and be.
No wonder Paul makes this radical statement in Ephesians 1:14.
“It’s in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.”
—Ephesians 1:11 MSG
Paul understands our propensity for weakness. He understands that “life and love are a battlefield” (Thanks, Pat Benatar, 1983.) And, that sometimes even the strongest of us feel frail, fragile and feeble.
So, when Paul begins to wrap up one of the most important letters in the NT, he points us to the source of our strength.
“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” —EPH 6:10 NLT
In other words, stay united with Christ! Our strength comes from Him. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives, abides, makes His home in YOU and me (Rom 8:11).
The same power that took on sin, death and hell and defeated them on their home turf! The same power that rolled a stone away to reveal an empty grave! Because we are “united with Christ,” that same power lives in you and me!
This is why life isn’t about gritting our teeth, moving faster, working harder or running longer.
It’s not about how much we sweat.
It’s not even about all that we sacrifice.
Strength in life is a by-product of our union with Jesus.
In Ephesians 6:10, Paul basically challenges us: “Stop relying on your own strength. Stop doing things your own way. Be strong IN THE LORD and IN HIS MIGHTY POWER.”
Then, in Verses 11 and 13 He challenges us to “put on all of God’s armor…”
Put on all of GOD’S ARMOR so that you will be able to STAND FIRM against all strategies of the devil. —EPH 6:11 NLT
Therefore, put on every piece of GOD’S ARMOR so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be STANDING FIRM.
—EPH 6:13 NLT
The promise of God in Ephesians 6 is that regardless of what life throws at us. Regardless of what today or tomorrow might bring. Regardless of the loss, pain, betrayal and hurt we may experience, at the end of the day, WE’RE STILL STANDING!
We’re still standing!
When the dust settles and the smoke clears, we may be wounded, battered, bruised and battle tested and scarred, but we’ll STILL BE ON OUR FEET pointing faithfully to the faithfulness of our great God.
Today, you may feel weak.
You may be tired.
You may wonder whether or not you can get out of bed, put on your clothes, make the coffee and do the next right thing.
Truth is: if it was only about you or me, we’d be nothing but burnt toast. There are not many David Goggins’ type people in the world.
But it’s NOT about YOU and it’s not ab out ME. Never has been. Never will be.
Your strength — our strength — is a by-product of our union with Jesus!
To be “in Christ” means that we’ve received all that Jesus has done, all that He is, and all that He will ever do and be.
Think of the implications of this reality. Earlier in Paul’s letter he describes it like this:
6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus… —EPH 2:6 NIV
22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church… —EPH 1:22 NIV
In other words, we are not only united with Christ. We are seated with Him “in the heavenly realms.”
If God has “placed all things under His feet,”
God has placed all things under our feet, as well!
This is the beauty, the mystery and the reality of what it means to be IN CHRIST!
He is our source of our strength.
He is the energy behind our efforts.
He is the reality of how we can live with strength even when we feel so very, very weak.
Peter described the source of our strength with these words in 1 Peter 5:10. He was writing to a group of people who had been completely devastated by life. A wave of tyranny and persecution against these believers had necessitated them leaving their homes and families to seek some kind of asylum or refuge in other parts of the world.
Homesick.
Tired.
Weary.
Lonely.
Frustrated.
Insecure.
Weak.
Peter reminded these believers of their source of strength.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 11 To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. —1 PET 5:10 NIV
Today, ask Jesus to RESTORE you.
Today, trust Him to MAKE YOU STRONG.
Today, believe that He is making you FIRM, STEADFAST and resilient.
WE have been UNITED WITH CHRIST.
You are “IN CHRIST!”
To be “in Christ” means that we’ve received all that Jesus has done, all that He is, and all that He will ever do and be.
Because of that, regardless of what life throws at you, at the end of the day — at the end of this battle or war — YOU’LL STILL BE STANDING!