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Strengthened by Christ
Andrea Lende • March 31, 2021
II Timothy 2:1
Strengthened by Christ
You can also listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Strengthened-by-Christ-etu2up
II Timothy 2:1
“So you, my son, be strong (strengthened inwardly) in the grace (spiritual blessing) that is [to be found only] in Christ Jesus.”
There are days when I am overcome with weakness.
Some days start out that way.
There are other days I feel strong and power through the day until something comes up that derails me.
Then the feelings of powerlessness rise up inside me and I feel incapable.
Incapable of moving forward, being productive, and serving as the Lord asks of me.
Sometimes I give in to these feelings.
Sometimes I don’t.
How can we recover when our emotions spiral out of control?
This passage suggests the secret to regaining our strength when we feel like collapsing is God’s grace.
Paul told Timothy that grace which is found only in Christ is the only thing that can truly strengthen our spirits.
Jesus strengthens us when we are weak.
He comes to our aid when our strength is gone.
And I just forget this at times.
I forget to call upon the Lord first.
Instead, I may call a friend or family member.
I am hoping for a little sympathy.
Hoping they tell me to slow down and take it easy.
Hoping they will give me permission to give in to my emotions and feelings.
I’m looking for permission to be less than my best when I should be asking the Lord for strength to do as He asks.
I should be asking Him to help me complete the tasks he has given to me.
My first responsibility is to the Lord not to myself.
He will help me get through the upset, or the obstacle, or hindrance that is keeping me from doing His work.
The enemy is constantly seeking to move us off of God’s course.
Constantly trying to derail us and thwart God’s will.
If we know where the negative impact is coming from, we can fight to stand our ground.
Fight to stay connected to the Lord.
Today I choose to withstand the negative emotions and feelings I have as God strengthens my spirit to do as He has planned.
May you find the Lord will strengthen you in all ways, so you are able to withstand the advances of the enemy.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me You are my Strength. Thank You for reminding me that You strengthen me with Your Holy Spirit through Your Son Who gave His life to make it so. Father help me come to You for help as I have need. Help me rely on You. Help me resist the temptation to rely on others because You are truly all I need. May You fill my soul with Your Wisdom. Keep the enemy far from me, Lord. Help me recognize Your Spirit and not be led astray by the enemy’s spirit. Keep me close to You. Keep me Yours, Lord. Keep me Yours. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM with you My child to watch over, protect, and strengthen you in all ways.
Response: Thank You for watching over, protecting, and strengthening me Almighty God.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.