I remember going to a conference where the speaker spoke on the love between God and His children being a reciprocal love. She used many examples, but the one that still sticks out in my mind was how she would pray or journal, naming all of the ways she had seen God show her his love – and she found herself responding at the end of the prayer – “I love You too.”
Friend, our relationship with God isn’t meant to be one-sided where He lavishes His love on us and we simply say thank you – His desire is for us to love Him in return. Today’s devotion is a beautiful illustration of what happens when we love God with all of our being. Click the devotional button for some wonderful encouragement =
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4
After reading my morning verse recently, I found myself journaling these words: “Father, You are good. How long ago did You show me this verse? How many years since I sat at my kitchen table reading and rereading it and the verses that followed? How many times and ways since then have you shown me the truth of those verses?”
Sometime in the early nineties, I sat at the table of our newly built home, enjoying the quiet moments of my baby’s nap time. Sometimes, when she slept, I would rest or clean, but most often, I would spend some alone time with God in His Word. As a newly “revived” believer, I was hungry for the Word and eager to build/rebuild a relationship with God.
Today’s verse brought that table and time to mind, as it was there that I first remember beginning to study Philippians 4:4-7, specifically – Paul’s words, “Rejoice in the Lord always. (I will say it again: Rejoice!) 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7Andthe peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – note: while verse eight wasn’t included in my early study, it soon followed and has rescued me from more than one battle.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8
God seemed to embed those words in my mind that day. Through the three decades that have followed, He has continued to faithfully ingrain them and use the words to help me through many turbulent days/years of this life/world. These words … have taught me to fix my eyes on God and His will … to ‘rejoice’ even when the days are hard, sad, or downright scary. The words helped me develop a relationship with God, teaching me to spend time in prayer, talking to God, not just at Him. From there, I began learning to trust Him, to fix my thoughts on Him, and to experience the promised peace.
To this day, these words of Paul remind me that God is near, that His return is imminent, and that in and with God, I can have, know, and be filled with peace even in the tumultuous storms of this life! God’s peace is truly a peace that surpasses all understanding. It is a peace that gives strength and hope in both the good and challenging seasons; this strength and hope have led me to “re-joy-cing” in God for more than thirty years of my life.
As I read the words again this morning, they were not new to me but they caused my mind to stop and remember God’s goodness so many years ago and every day since to change my life from the inside-out!
“Joy is the flag flying high above the castle of the hear, announcing that the King is in residence there.”
~Unknown
Loving Heavenly Father, my strength and hope are from You and through Christ in me. Your grace and power fill me with the confident JOY to keep going when hope seems far away and sorrows weigh me down. When I am weak, You are strong! So in my sorrow for this world and despite my concerns – please continue to help me KEEP my eyes and thoughts fixed on You – and let the flag of JOY fly high above the castle of my heart – where You rule and reign – announcing to all that You – my God and King – are in residence here!💜 – And to borrow from today’s devotion from “Our Daily Verse,” “May my life be a testament to the unshakable joy found in a relationship with You. Let this joy be my strength, a light to others, and a reflection of Your constant grace in Jesus’ name, Amen.”
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13. ESV
It’s funny, yet not surprising, how God knows exactly what we need to hear and when we need to hear it, and He supplies it. Such was the case this morning,as I read from OurDailyVerse.com again. This time, it wasn’t just me that needed to hear it. He knew there was someone in my life who needed to hear not just the verse but this one particular statement: “It’s not about gritting our teeth, but about acknowledging our limitations and allowing His power to course through us.”
These devotionals are typical prayer starters for me in the morning and sometimes at the end of the day. This morning’s flowed something like this:
Father, You are Good. You enable Your people with STRENGTH to live as You have called us to live. Whether in a prison cell like Paul or facing the daily cares and fears and other challenges or enemies of this world – that trap us and “weaken” us — causing us to feel like “we can’t” press on or stand firm in our faith. Yet, we are without excuse, Father, because we are filled with the powerful strength of Christ, our Lord and Savior, who endured death on a cross when He could have called 10 thousand angels to get Him down — and who three days later walked out of the grave! – (did you just say glo-ry hal-le-lu-jah!? I know I did!)
It’s not about gritting our teeth, but about acknowledging our limitations and allowing His power to course through us. This doesn’t erase challenges, but it shifts how we face them, replacing fear with unwavering faith and weakness with His might.
OurDailyVerse / September 17, 2024
Sometimes, Father, the days seem filled with seemingly impossible tasks or demands. Today is one of those days for a friend of mine, and as I was praying for her, I realized that you had already given me the perfect words to encourage her. Even when we think we can’t possibly deal with a problematic/anxiety-spiking problem, Your Word declares that we can do ‘all things through Christ Who gives us strength!‘We cannot do it in our own might or will – but in the STRENGTH of CHRIST! Paul declares that “we have been crucified with Christ.” – He goes on to say that “the life we now live in the flesh we lie by faith in Your Son, who loves us and gave Himself for us.” According to Romans 8:37, We are more than conquerors – NOT by anything we have done or can do or will do but because of what Jesus did for us. The cross was ours to bear, the death was ours to die, But Christ took them for us – He was pierced for our transgressions… He was crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that brought us peace was placed upon Him – and by His wounds, we are healed – and set free from the chains that had rendered us lost and powerless! And when we belong to Him, His Spirit lives in us, teaching and reminding us of all that Christ taught and giving us strength in our inner being.
that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,1
Ephesians 3:16. ESV
I shared the prayer from the Devo with my friend, and now I am sharing it with all of you. Perhaps you need to hear it today; I encourage you to make it your own and to be strengthened by it. If it isn’t one you need to hear today, I encourage you to tuck it away for a day when life is full of more challenges than you think are possible and need to be reminded – You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you – ❤️
Dear Lord, As I confront the challenges of today, fill me with the strength that comes from You alone. Remind me that I do not face these trials by myself but with Your power within me. Help me to rely on Your strength, not my own, transforming my worries into confidence and my fears into faith.
Guide me through each moment, and let Your peace reign in my heart. Thank You for making me more than a conqueror through Your love and grace.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens.
Ephesians 6:12
Just as it is crucial for us to be prepared for the battles that are lurking around us, it is equally important to know who our enemy is and who he is not. Why? Because if we do not know him we will more easily fall prey to his lies and deceptions when he comes for us. Likewise, if we do not understand who he ‘is not’, ie “flesh and blood,” or as Bibleref.com explains, our enemies are “not people or objects. Instead, they are “part of the demonic armies”, or as Paul defines them: “rulers… powers… world rulers of darkness… and spiritual forces of evil.” They are dangerous and can only be overcome when we are standing ready in the strength and the power of our God.
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8
It isn’t enough to know what God has said, Eve knew what He said and she even repeated it to the serpent [the enemy] but she still succumbed and submitted to the enemy’s lie and to the desire of the flesh and eye that the lie had stirred within her. Make no mistake regardless of the form our enemy takes, his goal is to lead us away from God – which ultimately leads us to sin.
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
James 4:17
Sin, “our true opponent.”1 has a name. Eve knew him as the serpent in Genesis chapter three. Here, in Ephesians chapter six, Paul refers to him as the devil – but he has a host of other names and demons that work to do his bidding. They have one purpose in mind and that is to steal, kill, and destroy all those who faithfully follow after God. Our only hope of survival is standing firm in the strength and power of God and implementing the full resources of His armor. This may, at times, seem impossible but consider the encouragement of Peter, who said, “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, [God] has given us great and promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Like Adam and Eve, we try to explain away our sin or cast blame onto the ‘enemy’, but the truth is – we, like them, are without excuse for our sinful choices. So, may we heed the wisdom and encouragement of Paul’s words – to prepare ourselves and know our enemy so that we might stand firm and begin to suit up in the weeks ahead as we learn to implement the “full armor of God.”
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.
10 Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. 11 Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 6:10-11
Paul has been giving instructions to the Church of Ephesus on obedience, giving specific instructions to children, parents, slaves, and masters. As he wraps up the teaching on obedience, he tells them how to remain faithful and obedient to God, or to use Paul’s words, “how to stand firm.” He starts with the reminder that their strength and power must come from the Lord and there is one that plots against them. However, it’s the next phrase that captured my attention:“Clothe yourselveswith the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand [against the schemes of the devil].” If I were teaching this in the classroom, I would undoubtedly be writing this on a whiteboard, underlining and circling and highlighting every word of this sentence. Why? Because it is crucial to the rest of the passage and to living obedient lives and surviving the battle that Eve, and every person on the face of the earth has faced since the garden.
Please note the personal responsibility Paul places on every believer. We are to “clothe ourselves”, in other words to “put on” our own protection. We cannot dress others in the armor nor can they ‘clothe’ us. Neither are we to pick and choose which pieces we want to wear. No, if we wish to win the battle(s), we are to put all of the armor on; and it is clear that we are to not only put each piece on but we are to know what the pieces are and how they protect us. Don’t miss the added key to all of the armor is prayer and alertness. While he doesn’t say to put these on he gives clear instruction to “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”
Paul testifies, and all of Scripture supports, that the devil schemes against the children of God; and that without being properly (ie fully) clothed with God’s “armor” we will not be able to stand. Instead, we will, like Eve, succumb to his tricks and deceitfulness. Make no mistake, as children of God, the devil is our number one enemy and we must learn to live fully armed and ready.
There is much to learn in the weeks ahead. Many, if not all of us, have already heard or studied this section of our soldier manual (the Bible), and yet good soldiers never stop training. They continually prepare for battle, they make sure their equipment is in order, and that they are well versed in using it. They know what is expected of them, they have drills, and training sessions to assure that they are ready. We must do no less and we must start with the wisdom packed into these two little verses.
(You) Look to [the Lord for your strength] (10)
(You) Depend on [His power] (10)
(You) Put on [the full armor of God] (11)
Let’s Reflect
What is the armor of God?
Why is it important?
Going Further
The devil, as Paul calls him here, has many other names – including the evil one [Matt 6:13,John 17:15; Eph 6:16; 2 Thes 3:3; and Matt 13:19] and the father of all lies (John 8:44). You will find 10 others at the following link: 10 Different Names for Satan and What They Mean
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23
Father, You are good! I am reminded this morning that one of the many facets of Your goodness is Your faithfulness – indeed Your Great Faithfulness! Truly, as Your prophet wrote and the great hymn proclaims, morning by morning new mercies I see. Your faithfulness stands out to me as I recall that all I have needed YOUR HAND has provided. Without fail, I find strength for today and bright HOPE for tomorrow when I remember how You’ve pardoned my sin and filled me with a peace that endureth! Surely these are some of Your chiefest blessings to me – with 10,000 besides!
May I forever proclaim Your faithfulness – for whether I find myself – in plenty or in want… in the calm or in the storms of life… on the mountain tops or in the valleys… in the midst of exceeding joy or unspeakable sorrow – this one thing I know for certain … Great. Is. Your. Faithfulness. 💜
As believers we are God’s children, this means we can rest in these words that He spoke to Israel through Moses. Read and re-read verses 10 and 13. I memorized verse 10 years ago and I cannot tell you the number of times I have lay awake at night or walked through a storm of life claiming this verse – praying it – thanking Him for it – writing it … and finding it to put my mind and heart at rest. It is the essence of standing on God’s promises.
As you see noted in the above SOAP, living in community with God has great benefits – namely hope, joy, and strength- and to reiterate yesterday’s focus the assurance of His promises – ones like He will never abandon us, or fail us … and He will help us, and when we are in danger or afraid – He will hold our hand like a father and hold us up with His victorious right hand – and we will know with certainty the truth of the observations you see below – we have nothing to fear when we live in community with our God – because He is with us, He takes hold of our right hand, He speaks ‘peace’ to us, and He reminds us He is helping us. This is a true picture of a stronghold – this is our GOD!
For years I would get caught up in the fearful circumstances of life and fixate on the fear rather than God – It was this verse and the promise it proclaims – that taught me and helped me to remember it every time fear encroached. When we make it a habit to remember the things God has promised or the things He has done we will be strengthened in our Spirit, we will sense His victorious right hand holding us up and helping us. We will begin to trust Him as our Protector and stand on/rest in His promises.
When we trust in Jesus Christ to be our savior we make a commitment to the Father who sent Him. The commitment involves laying down our own life and desires of the mortal flesh to follow after Christ in the new spiritual nature He has graced us with; or as Paul said, as the “New Person” we have become. Christ’s love now controls us, so we commit to love and obey and to serve Him only.
– Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. … 17This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!
2 Corinthians 5:17
This past week’s focus in our study, “The Importance of Prayer”, has been focused on the various commitments of our prayer life, starting with the commitment to wait expectantly, which means trusting God to hear and to answer according to HIS WILL, (Psalm 5). This first commitment fed into all of the others, which included the commitment to being satisfied in and with God – not just an “ok, that will do” kind of satisfaction – but truly deep-down to the “soul-satisfied,” (Psalm 63). The commitment to trust Him and to be truly satisfied with Him – whose love is better than life – will, or should, naturally lead us to a commitment to praise Him – not just when or because life is ‘good’ – but because God is good (Psalm 100). Because life won’t always be good or easy, when we are committed to trusting God we will also be committed to cry out to Him for help and strength when life is stressful (Psalm 18), and equally committed to repent of our sins with a desire to maintain a pure heart and a right relationship with our God (Psalm 51).
While the word commitment and act of committing have raised fear in me since somewhere in my late 20’s and early 30’s, I am happy to say when it comes to committing to God, my life… my prayers … my trust … my fears … and my struggles … I have little to no issues. Why? Because I have found Him to be trustworthy and true. I have found Him to help me when I am weak, to provide for me in my needs, to direct me in my choices, and to sustain me by His power … and so much more! Our study this past week has been a refreshing reminder of the need and the joy and hope that come from being committed to a life of prayer.May the same be true for you as you make these commitments in your own walk of faith and prayer.
Links for “The Importance of Prayer” -week 5- are below
8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
2 Corinthians 12:8-9
Have you ever wondered what Paul struggled with? Defined as a “thorn in his flesh”, one that was given purposefully to trouble him, and one meant to keep him from being arrogant. Ouch! Read the verses again, don’t miss how Paul handled the maddening trouble (7). Verse 8 says that on three different occasions he prayed – begging the Lord to take it away from him. Paul was both confident and persistent and yet the answer was continuously ‘no’. Why? Because God knew that the effect of the trouble would cause Paul to see his own weakness and depend on God’s strength. God’s plan was never for Paul, or us for that matter, to think of ourselves as self sufficient but rather to be dependent on God’sall-sufficient grace
Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant.
2 Corinthians `12:7
When we see our own weaknesses and in turn realize the need for and sufficiency of our God, we will understand the futility of bragging about our strengths and instead we will find ourselves seeking God, trusting in Him, and praising Him. As Paul says, we will boast all the more about our weaknesses so that the power of Christ might be seen in us. To this end we should all live – that Christ be glorified in us.
Be sure and check out today’s Love God Greatly Blog Post
For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13 NLT
ReflectionQuestions:
What does it mean that we are able to do all things through Christ?
How can you find peace in your weakness or in difficult circumstances knowing He is always working, even in your weakness?
In God’s kingdom, we are at our strongest when we are weak, and we are our most independent when we are dependent on God. Our verse today does not mean that we should do all things, but that we can find joy as we rely on God to empower and equip us to do the work He calls us to do.
Amen
Me From the Inside Out 