Christian Living
In Part 1, we mentioned 5 crucial points to note as regards being strong in the Lord
- Every Christian needs to be strong in the Lord because there is an adversary whose mission is to steal, kill and destroy.
- To successfully stand against the wiles of the enemy, we need the Lord’s strength, not our strength.
- Every day is the day to be strong in the Lord and walking in-step with the Holy Spirit keeps us alert, guided and guarded from the onslaughts of the evil one.
- We must stir up the spirit of faith and resist the spirit of fear
- God’s faithfulness is a shield and is constant. We can rely on His faithfulness.
As promised, below I share some of the things I’ve learnt about being strong in the Lord….
How To Be Strong IN Lord
1. Recognize and Take Your Position In Christ
Recognize that you are ONE spirit with Christ.
“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
I Corinthians 6:17 NKJV
You are joined with Christ. You have the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). Your body parts are members of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15). You were in Him in death, burial and resurrection. What He conquered, you conquered. The devil has no legal right to taunt or oppress you. You are Christ. If the enemy cannot stand up to Christ, he shouldn’t stand up against you.
2. Stay Confident Of The Lord’s Presence in You
“You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is GREATER than he who is in the world.”
I John 4:4 NKJV
The One in you is greater than the one who is in the world. This is why you can always overcome the adversary and his agents. You carry the greater One in you.
3. Recognize That The Devil And His Cohorts Are A Defeated Bunch
“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. FOR THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.”
I John 3:8 NKJV
The reason Jesus came was to destroy the works of darkness. And we know that right now Jesus is seated at the position of authority in heaven. He delivered on his His mandate. He got the job done. Jesus defeated the enemy and stripped him of all powers.
“Having DISARMED principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
Colossians 2:15 NKJV
The enemy might be roaming around like a roaring lion, but he is not one. The Lion of the tribe of Judah defeated Him. He was totally disarmed, that is; Jesus stripped him of every weaponry. There’s no need to fear a powerless foe.
4. Put On The Whole Armor Of God
There were 3 main scriptures the Lord gave me in the heat of my health challenge; Psalm 118:14, Ephesians 6:11 and Psalm 91. I wrote out confessions based on these 3 scriptures that I said every day. So I found it very instructive when the very first thing I hear clearly in my spirit as I tried to figure out how to survive on the platform I talked about in Part 1, was ‘put on the armor of God’.
“Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” Ephesians 6:10-11 NKJV
Somebody says how do you do that? Well what I did was to include a daily confession of Ephesins 6:11-18 in my faith confessions….
“I am born of God and so I overcome the world and all in it. I am the righteousness of God, bold as the lion, there is no charge or condemnation on me. The Word of God is the Truth over my life; I am what the Word says I am, I am not identifiable with anything the Word has not said of me. I have the peace of Jesus, I carry and dispense it every where I go. The Word of God in my mouth is my shield and defence over every fiery dart of the enemy. My Father’s faithfulness covers me. My Father crowns my path with favor and honor. No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper, I condemn every tongue that rises against me in judgment. No counsel against me shall stand. I pull down every stronghold, cast down every imagination, destroy every force contrary to the knowledge of God. Every thought that is not of Christ I capture and punish every disobedience even as my own obedience is fulfilled. In Jesus Name.”
The above is just a section of my daily confessions. I know you can write up something better for yourself.
Put on the whole armor of God! Keep your focus on the Word and promises of God rather than on what the enemy is trying to do.
5. Keep The Word Always Before You
See what 1 John 2:14 says.
“I have written to you who are God’s children because you know the Father. I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning. I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong. God’s word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one.” 1 John 2:14 NLT
Whether you are young or mature in the faith, the Word of God in your heart is very key to being strong in the Lord. If the Word is the sword of the spirit with which we quench every fiery dart from the enemy, then it is no brainer that you must have the Word in your heart and mouth. We must read, study, meditate and act on the Word day and night.
In Joshua 1:9 God said to Joshua….
“Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”‘ Joshua 1:7-9 NKJV
And our foundational scripture for this study says “Be Strong in the Lord”
‘Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ‘ Ephesians 6:10 NKJV
Friend, there is definitely a strong link between being strong and courageous and knowing/doing the Word. You cannot be strong in the Lord without His Word abounding in your heart and mouth.
Keep the Word of God always before you. Do not fall into the trap of engaging in any form of combat with the adversary, speak the Word and the promises of God. Jesus had mainly 2 responses for the devil; ‘it is written’ or ‘come out of her/him’ (selah). Know when to use the authority we have in the Name of Jesus.
6. Persevere In Praying In Tongues
Again, Ephesians 6:10 says ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might”.
God’s powerhouse is the Holy Spirit. Hence to be strong in the power of God’s MIGHT is to be strong in the Holy Ghost. And one way to be strong in the Holy Ghost (strenthened in your own spirit) is to pray regularly in the Holy Ghost.
Again, see Ephesians 3:16….
“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 NKJV
When we pray in the Spirit, our recreated spirit is charged up and fierce (Jude 20). When we are alive to the Spirit, we are spiritually alert, guided and guarded from the onslaughts of the evil one.
You want to be strong in the Lord? Persevere in praying in the Holy Ghost. There is no special time to pray in the Holy Ghost. Every second/minute is a good time.
7. Put On The Garment Of Praise Always
Scripture-based Songs, Psalms and Hymns are definitely one way to keep the Word of God on our lips. Additionally, your praise is an expression of faith too.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 NKJV
Be joyful in the Lord, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
8. Trust in The Lord
Trust in His faithfulness. His faithfulness is constant and is a shield ((Romans 3:3-4, Psalm 91:4).
Trust Him, He will uphold you with His mighty strong hand.
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’’ Isaiah 41:10 NKJV
Trust Him; Make Him your refuge, fortress and hiding place (Psalm 91:2, Psalm 18:2).
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”
Psalms 18:2 NKJV
Trust Him; realize that you are Christ, christ is in the Father and so you are kept safe in the Father through Christ (John 14:20).
Trust Him, your life is hid in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:3).
I pray that just like Apostle Paul, may your testimony be that The Lord stood With you and Strengthened you….(II Timothy 4:17-18
Halleluyah! Praise The Lord!!
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Thank you for joining me on this short study.
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