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God's strength, not mine

Colossians 1:6 NLT
This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God's wonderful grace.

The truth changes lives.  It changes us, and then it begins to change the lives of the people we come in contact with.  I have seen it in vivid, living color.  One of the things I live for, have passion for and am doing ministry for, is to see Jesus change lives of people who have no hope until they connect with Him.

Yet even many of us who know Jesus chose not to live in truth.  When we chose not to live in truth, we become weak.  There is faith in us.  The God of power, faith and love is in us, but His ways and character and strength can't been seen coming out of our lives.

The last part of Ecclesiastes 9 shares about a man who is poor but wise.  I think of him as a guy with few muscles but lots of brains.  Because this guy was wise when an army came to take over his city, he was able to help his community defeat that army.

When we know God's truth and stand in His strength, we are going to have power, wisdom and strength like few other people.  We will see God work.  Lives will be changes in big ways.  Even those lives of people who we think can never change.  I want that kind of strength.  Do you?

1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT
If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.

1 Corinthians 16:13 NLT
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong.

Ephesians 6:10 NLT
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

Be on guard.  Don't stand in your own strength.  Be careful not to forget God or leave Him on the outside of your situation.  He continues to have the power to change your life and mine.  He can and will change our situation, infuse us with His strength and resources all because we rely on His truth.

Are we allowing God to change our lives?  When we are, we are standing in His strength, not our own.

2 Corinthians 12:10 NLT
That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Much of this post was originally shared in September of 2010.
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