“Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man….”
This epistle was written by Paul from a prison cell in Rome, while he was going through a hard time, but his words were filled with hope and encouragement. His words are powerful and effective even today!
It would be easy to get discouraged and despondent in the midst of all the strange things happening in our world during this time, but the Holy Spirit is calling us to keep our eyes on Jesus, and on God’s plans to cause us to arise and triumph. Yes, most of us may feel like we are walking through a season of real tribulation, but God’s word to us is “do not lose heart”! This season is going to take us to a greater glory, and a deeper experience of His love. It is taking us into a deeper place of spiritual strength, where we are “strengthened with might” through the Holy Spirit. And how does this happen? When we set our faces like flint, and fix our gaze on Him, the one Truth and unchanging reality; when we bow our knee in faith, and worship our Lord and King, trusting and believing that He has our world covered, and that He is bringing us through the melee to the other side. He has not left us. He is with His bride, and He has promised to be with us, by our side.
Dear friend, be assured of the very real and great love the Father has for you. Paul says in these verses that he is in prayer for his people, bowing his knees in worship to Abba God, “from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.”Father God created the world and said that it was “good”; He loved His creation and was well pleased with everything He had made. I really believe that despite all the turmoil and darkness in the world today, Abba Father loves His creation, and sees every part of it as His family. He loves every man, woman and child, even the ones who have rejected and denounced Him, and His heart and arms are open wide for every child to come back inside! Differences based on race and ethnicity may exist in the minds of man, but not in the heart of the One who created everything and then said “it is good”. The members of Abba’s family are meant to partake of the “riches of His glory” and to be “strengthened with might” through His Spirit in the inner man. This is something we can experience daily, because the riches of God’s glory are from a realm that is beyond our natural world. It is from the unchanging, limitless dimension of Abba’s divine world, where there is no war, no lack or sickness or terror.
Yes, you and I can tap into that divine reality when we draw near to Him in faith and surrender to His heavenly rule and reign over our lives, and over our world. We are strengthened with might when we encounter Jesus and we fellowship with Him. In Ephesians 6:10, Paul exhorts the church to “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might”. This shows that we can be intentional about “being strong” in the Lord. We can be intentional about filling ourselves with the things of God and the power of His presence. Take time to worship Jesus and experience His touch. Take your eyes off the bad news and feast on the Good news! There is always more in God, and more of the things of heaven.
Friend, we have to see that we cannot control or change the things going on around us. Yes of course we must continue to pray for the Kingdom of God to be established, and for people’s hearts to be turned to Him, and for there to be a reign of peace; but we have to willingly submit it all to the King of kings and believe that He will move in our land because He loves the people and the nations of the world, the work of His own hands! Nothing that is happening in the world right now is a surprise to God; He knows the end from the beginning, and He saw it all before it ever began! So let your heart be strengthened as you read this message. Breathe in deeply and allow the Holy Spirit to fill you up and make you strong.
You are strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Many Christians focus on making themselves strong, but God is calling us to be strong in Him. Our strength comes from Him, from being lost in Him. Paul wrote (in 2 Corinthians 12:9) “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” As I see my inability to change situations in my own strength, and I acknowledge the omnipotent power of Jesus, I experience the transfer of His supernatural life, the power of His might manifesting from deep within the core of me. I become strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!
“Call to Me and I will answer you. Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you. Set your gaze on Me, and you will encounter Infinity. My grace is sufficient for every situation you encounter in this life. I am your never failing Friend. I am your advocate and the One who stands by you to the end. I am filling you with My supernatural power and with all the strength you need in this hour. You are My precious, much loved blood bought Bride!”
Minoli Haththotuwa, September 2020
