7. LORDSHIP AND RECEIVING HIS STRENGTH

"In the Lord" we have all the strength needed to fortify us in combat with the enemy. We are well able to overcome and triumph in the Lord Jesus.

Ephesians 6:10 "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might."

In the preceding verses the apostle speaks by the Spirit, into the lives of the people at different levels. He gives necessary counsel to all, so that they may glorify their Lord in a life in the Spirit, in all the duties and circumstances of ordinary living. Now, however, he brings them all together for a final exhortation that suits every believer, whether parents, children, masters or servants. He gives counsel needed by all, no matter at what physical or spiritual level they are.

We are familiar with what is commonly expressed as the battle of life, and that it is in the area of relationships that it is fought and won, whether it be the husband and wife, parents and children, or relationships in the body of Christ. We have in Christ the Lord all the strength necessary for our use, an endlessly available supply. We can all triumph in Christ our Lord. Paul reveals in his prayer, how that source of strength is made effectual in our time of need.

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,"

It would be of no use to soldiers suddenly embroiled in conflict, to have a well-stocked armoury, but the weapons are unobtainable because the master at arms and his staff are unavailable. It would be just as ineffective in spiritual combat and need, to keep saying that Christ has all the strength and resources. He is the mighty storehouse of all power (that is true), but we are only really helped when those powers and resources of the Lord are made available to our present need. It would also make this exhortation meaningless: "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Ephesians 6:10 ), if we do not know how to be. The answer is prayer for one another, that we "be strengthened with might through His Spirit" (Ephesians 3:16 ).

Once again we are faced with the real need to obey the command of,

Ephesians 5:18 "... be filled with the Spirit,"

Acceptance of the Lordship of Jesus is a relationship that is meant by the phrase "in the Lord", and it is only in this relationship that the strength can be experienced through the Holy Spirit in the inner man. Living in fellowship with the Lord in the Spirit, makes readily available to us strong trust, strong hope, strong courage, strong endurance, and strong love, saturating all our relationships in the battle of life. With His strength we can turn the battleground into unassailable victory ground.

Our strength and victory are found in obedience to our Lord. As we live upon His Word and carry out His commands, we will never give any ground to the enemy. We can stand where He has put us, fully protected by the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11-17 ). By receiving His strength, we are able to rout the demonic hosts of Satan (Ephesians 6:12 ) that assail believers at all levels of family relationships. We are able to wield with might,

Ephesians 6:17 "... the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God;"

and put to flight Satan's combatant forces. Standing in His strength in our family relationships, establishes the kingdom of God in our community and spreads it among our neighbours.

Witnessing to a young couple recently, I invited them to come to one of our Sunday Celebrations. They would have willingly accepted, but were unable, because they were leaving our city that Saturday to take up residence in another town to which the husband had been transferred by his firm. I learned that the wife had been influenced for Christ by the ladies in our body, and the husband by someone who worked with him, who also belonged to us. Their united testimony was that they were greatly impressed by the home life of our people, and the happy family relationships they observed to be common among us. They promised me that they would find our fellowship in the town to which they were going.

Another couple came to see me. After making them welcome, I asked why they had come to see me. They said that they had marriage problems and they knew a young couple in our church whose marriage seemed so wonderful. This impressed them so much they said they wanted to hear from me what was the secret. What a joy it was to be able to help that couple from the position of strength granted me by the victorious living of a young couple in the body.

The Lord we serve not only instructs and commands us, He also makes available to us His very own strength, to live out His life principles, bring devastation to the ranks of the enemy, and take more territory for the Kingdom. Men and women see, lived out before them, an alternative life to the defeated one they are living, a life full of victory and blessing, lived out in the strength of the Lord.