Be Strong : Bishop Tony Samuels
In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. - Ephesians 6:10
One of the amazing benefits of being connected to the Lord is becoming a recipient of His strength. That’s good news, because when you have His strength, you don’t have to worry about running out of strength, because His is unlimited.
When we look at life and the things we face in it, you can quickly assess that you have to be strong to make it in life. God has not called us to be overcome by life; on the contrary, He gave us His life so we can experience life, and life more abundantly. There is a certain attitude, or disposition, we need to possess to tap into the strength of the Lord. We are commanded to be strong. The Lord is so serious about this. In Joel 3:10, He said, “Let the weak say I am strong.”
I love the story of Joshua and his journey as a leader of Israel, but let’s take a look at the beginning of his reign, right before he took the children of Israel over into the Promise Land. Look at the words the Lord spoke to him in Joshua 1:6: Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. So before he went to receive what God had already given to them, he was commanded to be strong. Being strong in the Spirit is translated as someone who is strong in their faith; they are strong in their believing God. Joshua was about to face some giants that were a lot bigger and stronger than he was…but if he could remain strong in his faith in God, the giants in the land would be reduced to bread.
You see, the Lord knew if Joshua went into the land with weak faith, the sight of the giants would have caused Israel to go backwards and not forward. The promise would have remained a promise; it never would have become a reality in their lives. The Lord wants His promises to become a reality in your life, but you are going to have to stand through adversity, stand through seasons that make no sense, to receive all that the Lord has for you. The biggest issue is people don’t stick with it long enough to receive the manifestation of what God has for their lives. Sometimes, the biggest difference between people is that one stayed and one left.
1 Corinthians 16:13 says, Be on guard; stand firm in your faith [in God, respecting His precepts and keeping your doctrine sound]. Act like [mature] men and be courageous; be strong. This Scripture conveys a position, a stance we are supposed to take in our walk with the Lord. Some people might be saying, “What do I do when I feel weak?” It’s simple; you go to the Source.
Isaiah 40:29 says, He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Notice, it says He gives power, but you have to go to Him to receive it. You see, one of the keys to Joshua’s success, and the reason why I believe the Lord chose him, is because even before he became a leader, he spent time with the Lord. The Bible even says that when Moses left the tabernacle, Joshua stayed in the Presence of the Lord. He was receiving a double portion of Glory from the Lord.
If there is one thing I always want to convey as a Pastor to the people of God, it is to spend time with the Lord. There is no shortcut; there is no replacement to spending time in His Presence. It is the way to tap into His strength and the Power of His Might. This Scripture conveys this truth: 1 Chronicles 16:11 says, Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face continually, longing to be in His Presence.
So my brothers and sisters, be strong in the Lord. And how do we do that? By seeking His face and spending time in His Presence.
Be Strong In The Lord,
