HSD: Strengthen Yourself in Christ

Come here. Come take a walk with me.

Do you remember when you first got saved?

I remember when I first got saved.

I could not shut up about the goodness of God. (Though not much has changed in this regard.)

The Lord seemed to answer “Yes” to my prayers immediately.

Did you feel like that?

I felt dressed in His Favor.

Almost like...

I know He loves us all the same, but I just felt as if…he held a little favoritism toward me some days. (I know, I know. He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34) but see with me here. I felt amazing.)

In the beginning, it felt like all I had to do was cry out to Him one good time during any moment of distress and the issue would be instantly resolved.

I’d feel renewed in strength and mind again.

Do you remember that feeling?

How easy it felt when you were still a babe in Christ?

We aren’t anymore, though, are we?

We’re no longer drinking His Milk—

We have been feasting on His Word.

We have matured. We know how to wait now. We know what it means to be hungry and how to sit in that feeling for a while.

We know how to feed ourselves with what He has provided for us.

We’ve been given everything we need to strengthen ourselves in Christ Jesus our Lord & Savior.

We know how to come before His Presence (Psalm 100).

We know where to find our strength (Philippians 4:13).

We know what it takes to please Him (Hebrews 11).

We know how to fight in Him (Ephesians 6).

And guess what…?

God is no longer going to spoon feed us what we want when He has taught us how to fish.

Yes, the spiritual war has grown fiercer. Pray harder.

Yes, you’re feeling more exhausted. Worship more.

Yes, you feel alone. Seek Him fervently.

We are no longer babes in Christ where we should fear if our Father’s ever going to show up because He seems to be running late.

No.

Dad has given us everything we need to fend for ourselves based on what Has been instilled within us through His hard work.

Based on the active functioning of the Holy Spirit within us.

His Word reminds us of the strength of our weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4).

He has told us who our enemy is, what we are actually up against, and how to armor up in victory (Ephesians 6: 11-18).

He has told us not be fearful at any point because He is with us (Isaiah 41:10), because we already know what to do (Philippians 4:6), and because He has equipped us with the power, love and sound mind to overcome any moments of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).

And He has told us so many times that we are more than conquerors (Romans 8: 37), BECAUSE He who is within us is far greater than our adversary in every way (1 John 4:4).

You do not need to be saved again. He already did that.

You need to lean on what has already been afforded to you.

You need to believe in the power of His Word.

The endurance of His Promises.

The advantage placed in true Worship,

And the weapon that is prayer.

It’s time we strengthen ourselves in the name of the Lord.

Just as David did (1 Sam 30:6) despite the intensity of His people’s disappointment in Him.

It doesn’t matter what it looks like. You have already won.

It’s time to apply strategy.

Wisdom is the effective application of knowledge.

You do not need to be saved again, my sibling-in-Christ.

You need to ask for the Wisdom that the Lord has reserved just for you and all who asks (James 1:5) to help you come into agreement with your victory.

You are fine. No more panicking. No more wallowing.

Receive this. Apply this. Share this.

And remember, in everything you do…

do it with Love.

Holy Spirit, I thank You for this Word today. Please let it meet the eyes of every person who needs to hear this so that they may be encouraged to move forward and lead others to you with Love. We love You, Lord, and we thank You. In Jesus’ Name to the Glory of the Father, we thank You. Amen.

And then I grew. The more I pursued Him, the more infrequent the “yeses” became. I had to pray a little longer and worship a little harder to feel what once felt instant.

And when the true tests came, I crumbled. I didn’t have the foundation of the Word to stand on. I realized then I was seeking an idea of Him and not Him truly. I was seeking His hand and not His heart.