What Does It Mean To Be Strong In The Power Of The Lord?

In Ephesians 6:10, we have the much-quoted verse, ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.’ On the subject of dealing from a position of strength, President Theodore Roosevelt adopted as his pet proverb, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” He meant that if the United States had a strong military, it could work its will among the nations of the world. In 1901, Roosevelt changed the saying to “If a man continually blusters, a big stick will not save him from trouble; and neither will speaking softly avail if back of the softness there does not lie strength, power.” When Jesus said, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth,” he was not speaking of armies and foreign policy, but some principles are the same. The meek Christian does not need to bluster, as if self-confidence could win the day. Whether we’re contesting a point, responding to criticism, or speaking of the hope within, we can do so in meekness, with quiet confidence. For in “back of the softness” within us lie the strength and power of God.¹ The strength and power of God are what all Jesus’ followers should excel in. That’s why our focus today is answering the question What Does it Mean to Be Strong in the Lord?

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Why People Who Are Strong in the Lord Thrive

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It’s a good idea to go back and reread Ephesians 1-3. Locating all of the positional truths and walking in them is what makes you strong in the Lord.

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We are currently teaching in the book of Ephesians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

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Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 45 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 40 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Podcast Notes

Strong in the Lord: Finally!

Ephesians 6:10–13 (ESV): — 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Finally, after 54 podcast episodes on Ephesians, we come to the point where Paul is wrapping things up.
But of course, that’s not what Paul means by the word ‘finally.’
The word ‘finally’ indicates that Paul is wrapping up this letter he wrote while he was sitting in prison.
He is transitioning to the end of the letter and in a few short years the end of his ministry on planet earth.
‘Finally’ means everything eventually comes to an end.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV) — 1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

We can’t hold on to spring when the summer beckons.
Everything comes to a final state except God.
But, what ‘finally’ does mean is that in God what comes to an end gets replaced with something better.
From glory to glory is always His plan.
God never goes backward — He always goes forward.
We are the one that goes backward if we don’t hold to His plan and His thinking.
Relating this again, His plan is always to go from one level of glory to another.
‘Finally’ could also mean that there is a limit to the amount of revelation that any believer or group of believers may receive.
Paul is writing this letter — and he has shared quite a bit in just a few short chapters.
People can only take in so much — some can take in a little more some a little less.
That’s why we were instructed to continue to pray for a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of God way back in chapter one.

Be Strong in the Lord: What ‘Be Strong’ Means

So, finally here’s Paul’s admonishment to us — be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
The word ‘be strong’ is the one we want to look at and with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
Be strong means to cause to be able to function or do something.
Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might’ is translated as ‘draw upon the Lord’s power and let him supply you with his mighty strength’ in the TNT translation of the Bible.
‘Be strong’ is a verb in the passive voice and should be translated as “be continually strengthened.”
Since the verb is passive, that means you are not actively engaged in trying to generate this strength.
You are not generating it — you are receiving this strength.
This ‘strong in the Lord’ strength is not something you add to an arsenal of things to improve on.
It’s passive — the action of the verb is being done to you.
You are allowing this strength to happen to you.
This strength is a by-product.
If the verb were active you would be the one actively trying to be strong but since it’s passive you are the one receiving this strength from another source.
The next word ‘in the Lord’ cinches the whole matter.
‘In the Lord’ means’ it’s His strength, not yours.
If you’re the one being strong, then you’re the one generating the effort.
A person decides they want to get in shape and so they go to the gym and begin to lift weights – what is he doing?
He is generating the effort to become strong.
This person disciplines himself — he/she eats right — exercises — this individual is the source of the endeavor.
This kind of effort does profit a little.
First Timothy tells us so.

1 Timothy 4:8 (ESV): — for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

You can’t work up the strength you need to stand up against devils, demons, and evil spirits.
This strength comes from the Lord.
It rises out of being filled with God.
Now, this is what Paul taught us in the first three chapters when he wrote about our position in God — in Jesus.
So, how do we passively receive this strength?
One way is by walking in the realities that we have already learned in chapters one through three.
If you remember chapters four through six are the ones where we put into practice the spiritual realities of chapters one through three.
What realities are those?

Strong in the Lord: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

Well in chapter one, we saw the vital value of having a spirit of wisdom and revelation flowing through your life.
What about that spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him?
The city of Ephesus was called the ‘Light of Asia.’
In the city called the ‘Light of Asia’, Paul instructs the Ephesians to pray for light, to pray for a revelation of God’s power.
The term revelation is a term used lightly in today’s church circles.
Some see receiving revelations from God as a badge of spirituality.
We are not spiritual because we received a revelation; we are spiritual when we do the revelation we have received.
Doing it is what imparts strength.
It’s what makes us strong in the Lord.
Revelation is an operation of the Spirit of God.
It is not natural.
It comes by prayer which means it comes by faith and believing that you receive.
It is a spiritual thing.
Revelation is not simply being taught something naturally.
If it is, then revelation goes on in every day in every grade school, middle school, junior high, high school, and college.
Revelation comes by an operation of God whereby knowledge of God is imparted to your spirit by the Holy Spirit within you.
What takes place in the education systems of the world is merely natural facts shared through natural means.
This is teaching.
It is information transfer.
This is not revelation.
Why do we need revelation of the exceeding greatness of God’s power used to raise Jesus from the dead?
Because there does not exist anything in nature that you can compare it to.
Any power found in nature is below the power God the Father exerted in raising Jesus from the dead.
Revelation is an operation of the Spirit of God. It is not natural. It comes by prayer and faith.
And since it does strength is, therefore, a by-product.
Being strong in the Lord means revelation is flowing in your life.
Doesn’t divine strength, power, and enablement come from the spiritual revelation you received because you’ve being praying and asking God to fill you?
All of this is from – chapter one in Ephesians, verses 16–20.

Strong in the Lord: Walking in Your Authority in Christ

What about walking in the light of your authority in Christ?
You saw that you are seated with Christ far above all principality, power, might, and dominion and every name that is named — that’s Ephesians 1:20–23 and 2:4–6.
Now, what do you suppose will happen to your spirit when you put pressure on that reality and experience its result?
Jesus is seated in heavenly places at the right hand of God and you are seated there with Him.
All things have been put under His feet.
Jesus is the head — you are the body.
Where are the feet?
They are in the body.
You know this Word from God and you stand up and take your place in Him.
That’s strength.
So, here you are — you’re working with the Word.
The scripture says that he that believes in me will not be ashamed.
You set your feet on this rock of revelation.
Victory is a result because devils believe, tremble, and run in stark terror at the sound of that Name.
If you want to be on the receiving end of strength, if you want to be strong in the Lord, then take your place and walk in the light of what you already know.
You’re seated with Christ in heavenly places — Step up and take a seat.
That’s being strong in the Lord.

Strong in the Lord: Predestination and Foreknowledge

What about knowing that you have been predestinated and foreordained?
If we take the word ‘predestination’ and break it down in English, it comes from two words ‘pre-’ which means before, and the word ‘destiny.’
Destiny is a predetermined course of events — it is something that is to happen or has happened by a determined plan.
You have been chosen in Him before the foundation of the world – that’s the word ‘pre’ in ‘predestination.’
We are chosen in Him, in Jesus, before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before God.
‘Holy and blameless’ is your destiny.
Being holy is cool — being holy is powerful.
Sin will drag you down — holiness will lift you higher than the heavens.
Holy and blameless is your pre-determined course of events.
This is the track that your life is set to run on.
And in the end, when you have gone to glory — you will see that holy is the way of things in heaven for nothing is impure there.
Understand these magnificent facts of predestination and God’s foreknowledge.
And allow them to amp you up and give you a pep in your step.
Let them give life to your limbs.

Strong in the Lord: Redemption through His Blood

My, my — glory to God.
What about this next glorious truth?
We have redemption through His Blood.
We’ve been purchased.
We’ve been brought back.
We are not the servants of sin anymore.
We are not slaves to junk and degradation.
We are redeemed out of the kingdom of darkness.
How does knowing the truths surrounding being redeemed empower you to deal with devils?
You know your inheritance – you’ve researched what belongs to you in Christ and why that’s super marvelous.
And then you became a master of that information — you know what belongs to you.
You’ve cataloged this information down in the inner recesses of your spirit.
It’s part of who you are.
You know what you know and no one is able to talk you out of it.
- Evil spirits speaking doubt to your mind can’t cause you to accept a package that doesn’t belong to you.
So, what do you do?
You act redeemed.
You talk redeemed.
You live redeemed.
There’s no devil in hell that wants to mess with a man that’s operating in revelation and knows that he knows.
That’s what strong in the Lord means.

Strong in the Lord: Clinging to Grace

What about grace?
You know that grace, God’s grace towards you, is favor in its most basic form.
Favor is something done or granted out of goodwill.
It’s a kind act from God to you.
In fact, it’s excessive kindness or unfair partiality.
God is treating you with preferential treatment.
It’s good to say it differently because it strikes your spirit and your mind differently.
Of course, you understand this — that’s why you are strong in the Lord.
Treating someone with favor is the opposite of treating someone with neglect.
You may have heard the term ‘random acts of kindness.’
You’re doing something for someone you love — you care about.
Now, the Lord didn’t show you a random act of kindness because there’s nothing ‘random’ with God.
God’s ways are all pre-planned with infinite forethought.
He loved you while you were yet in your sins.
So, grace is favor but it can also refer to the manifestation of such a disposition of kindness in the form of material benefaction, including the giving of gifts, the approval of one’s request, the granting of freedom or mercy, and the deliverance or salvation from evil or harm.²
Grace is more than just a sentimental feeling and you operate in it freely.
You put a demand on His grace with your faith.
You cling to it like a drowning man does a life raft.
Glory be to God.
You know when you have messed up, you have God’s grace to run to.
You’ve clung to His promises in this area — clung to it?
Man, you’ve Saran-wrapped yourself with God’s operational power.
That’s why you are strong in the Lord.

Strong in the Lord: Faith in the Name of Jesus

And, hasn’t God shown us favor by bestowing upon us the Name that is above every name?

Philippians 2:9 (ESV) — 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

Having faith in the Name of Jesus.
Strong people use the Name.
They rely on all that that Name means.
God highly exalted Jesus and bestowed on Him the Name.
Where is the concept of grace in this verse?
You guessed it – it’s in the word bestowed.
The word ‘bestowed’ means to give with grace or to give graciously.
Giving the Name must mean that God the Father had the Name in heaven.
How could you give something you don’t have?
The God who abounds in grace towards us gave us something – He highly favored us — He graced us by giving us access to the Name.
God exalted Jesus and highly favored Him — that’s what the word bestowed means — with a name that’s above every name.
That Name, the Name of Jesus gives us access to answered prayer.

John 14:13 (ESV) — 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

We pray in that Name, we sing in that Name — we exercise authority in that Name.

Mark 16:17 (ESV) — 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

Healing is received and ministered to others via that Name.

Acts 4:29–30 (ESV) — 29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

There are so many areas where the Lord encourages us to use His Name.

Colossians 3:17 (ESV) — 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

People who are strong in the Lord use, rely on, and depend on, the Name.
It is ever on their lips.

Strong in the Lord: Flowing in the Gifts

They also are open to the manifestations of the Spirit listed in First Corinthians twelve.

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 (ESV) — 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Those who are strong in the Lord know that strength does not come from their beings.
In yourself, you are not strong enough to fabricate a miracle.
Miracles come via divine means from the Holy Spirit flowing through your spirit.
Those who are strong in the Lord allow the Holy Spirit to use them in the gifts.
These dear ones know that they are unable to produce on their own the results that come from these nine manifestations
They’ve studied these gifts — they’ve done their homework.
They know that the manifestation of the Spirit is as the Spirit wills.
They are open — they are expecting — they are tuned in.
Great and marvelous are the results of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Can you see why that would be a strong thing?

Strong in the Lord: Seeing Yourself as God’s Workmanship

Strong people see themselves as strong because they see themselves as God sees them.
How does God see you?
He sees you as His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works.

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV) — 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

* The word ‘workmanship’ means that which is made, work, creation, only of the works of divine creation³
Your heavenly Father takes pride in His work.
Do you remember the Creation account in Genesis one?
After six days of work, this is what the Lord’s response was.

Genesis 1:31 (ESV) — 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

God looked back on His ‘workmanship’ and said, ‘You know what, this is very good – this is a good job.’
That’s how God sees you — he did excellent work in your spirit in the new birth.
You are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus.
God’s workmanship is of excellent quality.
Excellence is doing things well.
One person said it is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.
Excellence is best described as doing the right things right—selecting the most important things to be done and then accomplishing them 100 percent correctly.
It is the opposite of doing things mediocre.
When the Lord redeemed you from your ginormous mess created by Adam’s transgression, He did so in an excellent fashion.
God displaying His grace by sending Jesus was a masterstroke of exceptional planning.
You are the outcome of that planning.
God’s power is of excellent workmanship, when He uses it, He uses it well.
His judgment and consequent justice are of the same caliber – simply marvelous.
Everything God does, He does well.
He does it the best, the absolute best that a thing can be done.
You are strong in these facts — that’s what strong in the Lord is.

Strong in the Lord: Filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18–21 (ESV) — 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

And now, you have the tremendous ability to be filled with Jesus to be so totally in love with Him that it pours out of you in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to God, being thankful always unto God in Jesus Name.
Having so much confidence in who you are and whose you are that its no problem for you to submit to one another in love.
It just flows out of your life.

Ephesians 3:14–16 (ESV): 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

And with that thought, here is the Quote of the Day.

Mere human strength amounts to nothing when we face powerful spiritual enemies. It’s like throwing rocks at a Sherman tank. We need supernatural power in this war.⁴

Ah, but you don’t walk in human strength — you know the source of your strength — you know where your help comes from.
It comes from the Lord maker of heaven and earth.

Now Father God, I thank you for your goodness and your mercies unto us. You have made us strong because of your strength — because of your grace — because of your doings. I thank you today for all that you have done for us in Christ Jesus. We marvel at it and we bow down before you and thank you for it and we call you Lord. We give you all the praise and glory for everything that’s done because you have made us strong in you.

What Does It Mean to Be Strong in the Power of the Lord — you guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

How to Get to Be the Strong Man God Wants You to Be

__________
References:

Thomas Bailey and David Kennedy, eds., The American Pageant, 9th ed. (D. C. Heath, 1991) ↩
ibid ↩
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 842. ↩
Warren and Ruth Myers’s, Discipleship Journal, May/June 1994 ↩

emeryhorvath.com

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What Does It Mean To Be Strong In The Power Of The Lord?

Podcast: Light on Life Season Ten Episode Six

by Emery Horvath

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe in PlayerFM

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of Ephesians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Podcast Notes

Strong in the Lord: Finally!

Be Strong in the Lord: What ‘Be Strong’ Means

Strong in the Lord: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

Strong in the Lord: Walking in Your Authority in Christ

Strong in the Lord: Predestination and Foreknowledge

Strong in the Lord: Redemption through His Blood

Strong in the Lord: Clinging to Grace

Strong in the Lord: Faith in the Name of Jesus

Strong in the Lord: Flowing in the Gifts

Strong in the Lord: Seeing Yourself as God’s Workmanship

Strong in the Lord: Filled with the Spirit

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe in PlayerFM

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

We are currently teaching in the book of Ephesians. You can click on the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Podcast Notes

Strong in the Lord: Finally!

Be Strong in the Lord: What ‘Be Strong’ Means

Strong in the Lord: The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation

Strong in the Lord: Walking in Your Authority in Christ

Strong in the Lord: Predestination and Foreknowledge

Strong in the Lord: Redemption through His Blood

Strong in the Lord: Clinging to Grace

Strong in the Lord: Faith in the Name of Jesus

Strong in the Lord: Flowing in the Gifts

Strong in the Lord: Seeing Yourself as God’s Workmanship

Strong in the Lord: Filled with the Spirit

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