that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,

Ephesians 3:16 

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 2:1 

oday we’re looking at another of those lies or negative thoughts that so easily flood and take over our minds. That thought is “I have no strength.” To a certain degree, that thought is somewhat accurate. Of yourself, you are weak and impotent. But as a Christian, your God does not leave you in that state. A weak Christian would be profitless in God’s kingdom.

                Moments before He ascended into heaven, Jesus let his apostles as well as the church know that He would provide the power that we lack in our natural being.

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

That began to happen on the Day of Pentecost, when the church was born. It has happened to everyone that has placed his trust in Jesus Christ since that day. Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16) and is endued with power from on high. Just as a shiny sports car with a brawny V-8 engine has power resident under its hood—so you as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ have power residing in you. Now read Ephesians 3:16 quoted at the top of the page. It is part of Paul’s prayer for the saints at Ephesus. Why is he praying for them “to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” when they already possess the Holy Spirit. Well let’s go back to that sports car with the hot engine. If you are ever going to “burn rubber” with it, first you have to put some high-octane fuel in its tank. You need to provide high-powered fuel to your inner man too—God’s Word. There is one more thing you must do with that sports car—and that is, turn on the ignition key and start it. Many Christians that have a feeling of “weakness” let the power that resides in them lie dormant; they never back that car out of the garage and take off down the highway. Be confident that the power is there and ready to be used with the same confidence you would have in that sports car as you put the pedal to the metal. The Apostle Paul realized that the power for his ministry came wholly from God—and he turned it on. Notice what he said in Romans 15:18-19.

For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—
in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

Paul realized that in his flesh he was weak and powerless (Romans 6:19). But he also realized that “when he was weak, then he was strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). He knew he possessed the power of the Spirit of God. This demonstrates so well that he believed what he wrote and preached to others. To Timothy he had written, “…be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 2:1). He had experienced God’s grace on more than one occasion and had found it to be sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

You should know that relying on God for power and strength is not limited to the New Testament. The prophet Micah, for example wrote, “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the Lord…” (Micah 3:8). Christian, you too must realize you have been provided with all the power you need—now follow the example of that sports car. Fuel it up, turn the ignition on and start it. Then drive off in confidence. You’re not a clunker that’s going to sputter and stall. Remember the words of Paul in Philippians 4:13:

 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When you got saved, “God did not give you a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Why does God do things that way? Why doesn’t he endue us with unflappable power and strength that is intrinsically part of us—part of our natural man? Paul answered that question so well in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “…that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.” When you consider all of this—what conclusion can you draw? Yes, in and of yourself you are weak. Secondly, God provides all the power you need “exceedingly abundantly above all you ask or think, according to the power that works in us” (Ephesians 3:20). Thirdly, if he didn’t do things that way you would get “puffed-up.” Fourthly, this way He gets all the glory. Praise God for providing you the power you need each day.

(12/18/05)