We’ve been talking about asking and serving in Jesus’ name. This daily devotional chases a rabbit and looks at the strength we receive when we ask and serve God.
Nuggets
- We have to have the faith that we can do what God calls us to do.
- God is going to give strength to His children who faithfully serve in His name.
Devotions in the In Jesus’ Name series
God knows that, once we accept the gift of salvation, it is anything but smooth sailing for us. He has plans for our lives that include serving Him to expand His kingdom, but Satan does everything He can to derail us from accomplishing His Will.
We may question our ability to do what God calls us to do. We don’t realize – or doubt – that He is going to equip us to do His Will (Eph. 4: 11-12).
One of the ways God equips us is to give us strength. We are going to continue looking at Wilkinson’s sermon entitled Doing All in the Name of Christ to see how we gain strength in Jesus’ name.
Resource
Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Let's Put It into Context #2
Meyer helped us determine exactly what is meant in the phrase the Name of God. He wrote, “Thus the Name of God, as used so frequently by the heroes and saints of sacred history, stands for those Divine attributes and qualities which combine to make Him what He is.”
Resource
Remember, Jesus and God are One.
Strength Comes from Faith
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong” (I Cor. 16: 13 NIV)
We have to have the faith that we can do what God calls us to do.
Faith is a gift from God that enhances the conviction that the doctrines revealed in God’s Word are true, even if we do not understand all aspects of them, a belief which impacts our lives and distinguishes us from others. But we have to remember that He is not sending us in on our own.
Dixon put it this way. He wrote, “Faith is submissive and humble, but full of hope and courage.”
- Submitting to God is actions by humans that obey God and keep His reasonable, holy, and righteous laws and commandments, follow His purpose for us, and do not follow Satan’s promptings.
- Christian humility is our yielding our dependence to Christ to serve Him and others.
- Hope is the expectation, also called a living hope, based on the confidence that, because of our relationship with God, our names will be found in the book of life.
Resource
Glossary
Faith unlocks God’s omnipotent power in our lives. Yes, the power is always there.
It is not applied to our lives until we put our faith and trust in God.
It isn’t just faith that is going to accomplish God’s Will. God has decided to work through us.
That means we don’t put our confidence in ourselves. We put it in God.
Strength Comes in the Name of the Lord
“Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied” (I Sam. 17: 45 ESV).
God is going to give strength to His children who faithfully serve in His name.
God knows that we will feel out of our comfort zones when we are serving Him. He doesn’t leave us alone.
God always goes before us when we do His Will. “It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deut. 31: 8 ESV).
Isn’t it wonderful that God does more than that? He also strengthens us.
The outcome of that is strength of confidence in God. We know we can rely on His promises.
Yeah, it is kind of a chicken-and-egg thing, isn’t it? Confidence brings strength, and strength brings confidence.
Another outcome is action. We can and should pray. God will let us know when we are to put feet to our prayers.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Putting the feet to our prayers is very important. We don’t just have a checklist of wants and needs.
We have to actively accomplish God’s Will.
Think about it. Satan is a fierce opponent. If we are just sitting around, waiting for God to give us all the good stuff, we won’t be prepared to fight him.
True, it is God fighting Satan and not us. We, however, have to do our part.
Making the Connections
We don’t know how long of a time it was between David’s anointment as king in I Samuel 16 and the battle with Goliath in I Samuel 17.
It is safe to say that God was preparing David to be king. He was also preparing him to be the man after His own heart.
We look at that phrase and say that isn’t us. We aren’t men and women after God’s own heart.
Thompson disagreed. He wrote, “In one respect every Christian resembles David: he has been anointed by the Holy Ghost for an especial purpose: called and selected from the world to be ‘a member of Christ, the child of God, and an inheritor of the Kingdom of Heaven.’”
Resource
Person of Interest
Yes, God has a purpose for each one of us. There is one for those strong in the faith. There is also one for those weak in the faith.
God will prepare us, also. That is all part of His plan for us.
We may look at David and say that God gave him an extra portion of strength in Him. If He did, it was because of his faith. We say that like we can’t have a faith like David’s.
We think that was a once-in-a-person deal that won’t be applied to us. It can — and should.
We just have to grow our faith.
How Do We Apply This?
- Strength is contingent on faith.
- Make sure faith controls our lives, so that circumstances don’t.
- Be prepared to act when the preparatory time is completed.
- Have pure motives when we are asking in Jesus’ name.
- Put God in the proper priority.
- Remember, our enemy is Satan.
- Know the Scriptures.
Resource
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Father God. Lord, we are weak. We need Your strength. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.