Be Strong in Him

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

It is amazing what we can accomplish when we draw our strength from God. My least favorite job is cleaning and organizing indoors. I much prefer to be outside doing yardwork or going on an adventure. However, there have been several neglected spaces in our home that have been waiting for my attention. Incredibly, after beginning my days with God and then taking the dogs for a long walk, I have found the strength and motivation to get things done. The more I complete said tasks, the more I discover I want to get others finished as well. I so appreciate having more organized spaces, and find myself ready to keep pushing to complete as much as possible each day. God’s power is limitless, and He supplies the strength we need as we seek Him. May we ever go to God to be our strength, and pursue the path that He has placed before us in all things.

Be strong in the Lord,

for His strength is great;

He meets as we seek,

and trust in the wait.

Each day He’ll equip,

with the things we need;

to keep pressing on,

in every deed.

No matter how great,

or how small the task;

He always hears us,

when we seek and ask.

Thank You, Lord Jesus,

that You hear our heart;

and grant us Your strength,

to complete each start.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good and faithful to meet us as we seek You. Thank You that You strengthen and equip us to do the things that we need to do, even the seemingly trivial tasks. Thank You that You care about the details. Forgive us for the times that we try to push through on our own and find ourselves falling short. Teach us to trust You more and to rely on You to be our strength and resolve. Lead us in Your lavish love to care well for those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength in all things and at all times and we give You praise for Your unfailing faithfulness and love that lead us. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Strong in Him

Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

We are encouraged to draw our strength from God. This means that God never intended for us to power through things on our own, or somehow build up resilience by continuing in struggles alone. He grants us His power and strength so that we can rise up and do the things that He has called us to do. Sometimes, He changes our circumstances, but more often, He changes us. God is faithful to provide what we need when we need it so that we can continue in the direction to which we have been called. The more we seek Him and spend time in His presence, the more aware we become of His nearness, help, strength and power. May we ever seek the Lord in all things, for He is the One who provides the strength we need in all things and at all times.

The Lord is our strength,

the One we can trust;

to supply our need,

to do what we must.

His power’s perfect,

When we seem have none;

He strengthens, equips,

so His will is done.

As we call on Him,

He hears what we need;

and grants us His strength,

as we let Him lead.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that our strength comes from You as we seek You. Thank You that You meet us in our moments and carry us through so that we can stand strong in You. Forgive us for the times that we have doubted what You can do. Continue to teach us that we can trust in You in all things and at all times. Lead us to love as You love so that all those around us are strengthened and encouraged by Your goodness and grace. Be glorified O God, as we continue to seek You to be our strength throughout all of our days. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – 2 Samuel 22:33

The Armor of God

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

Our armor, our strength from God, comes into our consciousness as we intentionally seek Him. God’s strength, protection, power, truth, and righteousness grant us a readiness to face whatever comes our way. For in all things, the Lord is present to help us, and He shows us the truth about what lies before us. Because He knows and has overcome all things, He is the One whom we should seek to help and equip us to navigate each new day. His armor is powerful protection from being defeated. At times our need for protection is physical, but just as often there is a mental and or spiritual war being waged. Self-doubt, injuries, illness, and more, are things we all face in our lives. God told us that we would not have a trouble-free life, but rather that He would be with us, always. Our armor is found as we run to the Lord and trust Him to lead us, be with us, and to strengthen us in His wisdom and power for all that lies before us. May we ever seek God to equip us with His armor, so that we might rise up in His wisdom and strength as we encounter every hill and valley that lies before us on the road we are called to take.

The armor of God,

protection indeed;

mind, body and spirit,

He knows what we need.

Wisdom is granted,

as Him we choose seek;

His strength is poured out,

when we’re feeling weak.

As things before us,

seem to be too much;

the Lord will be near,

to fill us all up.

Overflowing love,

as truth is made known;

righteousness revealed,

as His way is shown.

Father, please help us,

to ever seek You;

choose wear Your armor,

as You show the truth.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are good, faithful, loving, and ever-present to help. Thank You that we can seek You to equip us for all that lies before us. Thank You that Your armor protects us: body, mind, and spirit. Forgive us for the times that we attempt to muscle our way through things instead of seek You and Your wisdom to know the path that we are meant to take. Show us more and more of who You are and how You love so that we might be better equipped to walk in Your way and do Your will. Lead us in Your love to walk alongside those around us well, so that they may see and know Your heart, care and protection for them. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to strengthen and equip us, for You are our armor and our defense in all things. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. – Ephesians 6:14-16

Be My Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord an His great power. – (Ephesians 6:10, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

Today is a good day to be reminded that my strength comes from God. I am tired and have a busy day ahead. As we near ever closer to spring break, holding my student’s attention during class becomes more difficult and requires more energy than usual. This morning, I am being observed, and though I have a wonderful and kind principal, I still get nervous about the process. Days like this are God’s reminder to trust in Him, as He is always faithful to meet me as I seek Him. This morning, I am trusting in Him to be my strength, provide clarity of thought as I plan, and energy to engage my kiddos in a way that helps them grasp the content. God is faithful, and this morning I trust Him anew to be my strength.

The Lord is my strength,

On Him I depend;

No matter what comes,

His strength He extends.

Whatever the need,

God already knows;

With love, He’s for us,

As kindness He shows.

Let’s rise up in faith,

His strength and supply;

All that is needed,

In love God provides.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being our strength. Thank You that You know our need and are faithful to provide as we abide in You. Forgive us for our lack of fortitude when we are weary. Teach us to trust in You to be our strength, for You are faithful always. Lead us in Your love to care for people as You do. Show us Your heart, especially for those who are struggling. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank You for the strength You supply to help us navigate each new day. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. – Psalm 18:32

Be Our Strength

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong. – (Ephesians 6:10, MSG)

Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of His explosive power flowing in and through you. – (Ephesians 6:10, TPT)

 

If anyone can speak truth into our lives as we are limited in what we can safely and wisely do, it is Paul, through his letter to the church in Ephesus. Paul was writing from a Roman prison, encouraging all to find strength in God. His reminder to us is that as we are invested in our walk with God, His strength will rise up in us and flow through us, in all things. In a space of rapidly increasing restrictions and limited availability, there are still a plethora of freedoms that we are granted that Paul did not experience in a Roman prison. We are able to communicate with loved ones, near and far; we are able to get outdoors and take in the fresh air and move. Technology grants us access to far more than ever before, even in as much as the opportunity to worship together, separately, from our own homes, with our own congregations, online. No, it doesn’t look the same, but it is far better than the space Paul was in, and likewise, far better than the confines of a hospital bed, fighting for life. In this time of being primarily home bound, there is room to grow closer to our family, with whom we reside, and time to invest in things that we seldom otherwise do. Yesterday, I walked around the perimeter of our yard and snapped some photos, choosing to be intentional as I looked through the lens. I found great delight in observing how the light and shadows danced among plants ready to bloom, and soaked in the sunshine that has been present all week. Our evening ended with a family game night, and our middle son dominated at Dominoes. Smiles were on each face around the table, and there was a sweet peace in one another’s presence as we laughed and played together. God is so good, and His strength is granted as we trust and depend on Him in all things, great and small.

 

Be strong in the Lord,

For that is how strength;

Rises within us,

And reaches great lengths.

As we trust in Him,

For life, love and grace;

He meets and equips,

To run well, our race.

Trust in His goodness,

Look around and see;

He’s ever faithful,

Watch and you’ll agree.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your strength is limitless and Your love, boundless. Thank You that You make us strong as we seek You. Forgive us for our lack of faith when times are tough. Teach us to trust You, no matter what we see. Show us how to love in the strength You give us, so that others may come to know the abundance of Your great love. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we love You and trust in You to be our strength all of our days. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9

The Mighty Power Within

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. – (Ephesians 6:10, NIV)

Last of all I want to remind you that your strength must come from the Lord’s mighty power within you. – (Ephesians 6:10, TLB)

Finally, brothers and sisters, draw your strength and might from God. – (Ephesians 6:10, VOICE)

 

Though I am an individual who has been granted a generous portion of strength, it is not unflappable, and I am very aware of my own limitations. Human strength cannot be sustained 24/7 for weeks and weeks on end. Supernatural intervention is required, if we are to rise up and answer the call to do and be more than our humanity will allow. This space of being constantly dependent on Christ is an ongoing battle. I want to be enough, do enough, and have enough to spare, yet when I revert to attempting to power through, there is never enough on my own. However, when I lean into the Lord and depend on Him, He is enough, and I am able to navigate the raging waters around me as if they were still. Christ within me, is enough; yet it must come from Him and not from me. There is a delicate balance between self and spirit, and it requires patience and wisdom and waiting to discover the difference. Christ directs our steps and strengthens us for each next step we need to take. Self runs ahead and becomes weary, before there is even a plain path on which to tread.

Mom’s speech therapist accepted a different position, leaving the current in-home company that her therapies are through, without a speech therapist. This means that she has to switch in-home care companies entirely, as her insurance will only work with one company at a time. The loss of one, results in the loss of many, including: her wonderful physical therapist, occupational therapist, and in-home nursing care team. Progress under the current team has been phenomenal, so we are praying and trusting that the new organization is equally empowering for mom’s remarkable rehabilitation and recovery. May we ever seek the Lord to be our strength as He is our Source of power that moves mountains and marks milestones in mom’s healing.

 

Be strong in the Lord,

For He is our rock;

All strength comes from Him,

To rise up and walk.

Keep moving in faith,

Ever pressing on;

Answering His call,

When our strength is gone.

It is in that space,

Where our own strength ends;

That we discover,

On Whom to depend.

Forever faithful,

God will never leave;

His strength unending,

To Him, we must cleave.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that strength comes from You. Thank You that when we recognize that our own strength is gone, Yours is at the ready to carry us on. Forgive us for attempting to muscle our way through life’s trials, as we are not strong enough on our own. Teach us to trust and depend on You, for You have already placed Your strength within us through Your Spirit. Show us how to love those around us in a way that strengthens, encourages and builds up hearts that are depleted. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to be our strength, always. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7