Maintaining Your Spiritual Strength
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)
In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Ephesians 6:10 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition, AMPC)
This verse instructs us to be strong in the Lord, implying that being strong in Christ is a choice and that there are things we can do to be and stay strong. We are to draw our strength from Christ, meaning we get our energy and ability from Him rather than from external things.
There are things we need to do on a daily basis to maintain our spiritual strength. We must spend time daily with God in His Word and in other books and materials that teach us about Him. We must spend time in prayer, which includes both speaking and listening to the Lord. We must be filled and refilled with the Holy Spirit. We must maintain an awareness of God through moments of personal worship and thanksgiving.
Everyday we must be in God’s Word. The Word has the power to transform and empower us. It enables us to be like Christ in all we do. It provides faith and gives us the mind of Christ. When we fill ourselves with the Word of God, we fill ourselves with the thoughts and the will of God. This is so powerful. Think of it- we have the opportunity to get the very thoughts of the Creator of the universe in our minds! Its like a transfusion of His wisdom and knowledge. But, we can’t access it unless we get in the Bible.
It is also good to avail ourselves of what others have received from God by reading their books and sitting under solid Bible teachers. We can gain valuable understanding of God and His Word by listening to what God has shown other believers. However, we must be diligent to search the Scriptures for ourselves to ensure that what they are teaching us is biblically sound.
Praying is not an option for the believer. Jesus said in Luke 11:2, “When you pray,” which tells us we are expected to pray. He did not say “If you pray.” Daily communication with God is required to maintain a relationship with Him and to stay strong in Him. As we pray, we must be mindful to listen for God to speak to us. Prayer is a two-way street. It involves both speaking and listening. Those who claim that God does not speak to us anymore must understand that the issue is not the lack of God speaking, but the lack of people listening and hearing Him.
Praying takes on extra power and meaning when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and can speak in tongues. Praying in the Holy Spirit can strengthen us in the inner man (Ephesians 3;16). It gives us a direct line of communication with the Father that does not allow our own minds, or the devil, to get in the way. We are to be filled and then we can ask God to refill us with a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit everyday.
Constant contact is essential to the life of a believer. We must maintain an awareness of God and His presence in our lives. We do this by stopping throughout our day to acknowledge Him. It may be as simple as pausing to say, “I love you, Lord.” Such personal worship moments remind us of our connection with Him and it is like blowing Him kisses all day long.
As we are faithful to do these things daily, we will stay strong and able to resist the enemy and his temptations. We will be able to walk with God for the long haul. We will not grow weary and faint along the way. In doing these things, we can maintain our spiritual strength.
