25 July 2022
(A) Be Strong in the Lord – what it entails
In our recent worship service, one particular song entitled ‘Be strong in the Lord’ was sung. I thought to myself – ‘how appropriate’. In the current times we are living in, this is perhaps one great need for us believers, particularly in the midst of viral pandemics, climate changes, the global conflicts, economic crises, the terrible deterioration of moral values seen in corruption, vileness, violence, cruelty, injustice prevalent in societies and nations.
Then I considered what being strong in the Lord actually means in practical outworking.The verse that came to mind:
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Being strong in the Lord has everything to do with knowing and feeling that one is weak. In this sense, we grow stronger in the Lord by growing weaker – what a paradox! God given strength or power is being enabled by Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit – it means keeping on in personal holiness before God, personal communion with Him, personal service of and action for God.
Only at the point when our own insufficiency of natural strength is faced, felt and admitted does divine empowering and strengthening begin. Power comes about in humble dependence on God to channel His power in our sanctification and service. With this we depend on Him to channel His power through us into others’ lives to help them move forward at their point of need.
Beware – the power pitfall is self-reliance and failure to see that without Christ we can do nothing that is spiritually important and lasting. God’s power, God’s strength is manifested and perfected in conscious continual human weakness (John 15:5).
If I accept each day’s struggles, frustrations, obstacles and ‘failures’ and see them as God’s ways of making me realise and acknowledge my weakness, then growing stronger in the Lord might become a possibility and reality for me, and it would make a tremendous difference in my walk with Him.
(B) Reason to be strong in the Lord
“Why am I in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corin. 15:30-32 ESV)
These are the words expressed by Apostle Paul in relation to the subject of resurrection. It is clear that Paul was living in ‘an age of terror’ as he sought to fulfil his mission in preaching the gospel. He encountered dangers at every turn; he had to ‘die every day’, denying his rights, his comfort, his dignity; he had to fight with ‘beasts’, not literal beasts, but persecution, spiritual attacks, opposition, and even the possibility of losing his life.
And Paul said that if there is no resurrection, what is the point for him to go through all these ‘struggles’. Notice the familiar statement, “If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” – does it not remind us of what the preacher in Ecclesiastes declared? All, rich, poor, wise, foolish, etc. – all would die – so might as well enjoy the short meaningless days of your life before death overtakes you – all is meaningless – the preacher lamented.
But Paul is telling us that we need not take that perspective. He is telling us that for him, “to live is Christ and to die is gain”, and this can be our perspective if we are followers of Christ, adopted children of God with the prospect of resurrection, inheritance, and glory in Christ! All the struggles, all the pain, all perseverance and endurance in Christ and the gospel are thoroughly worthed it!
We shall not die – we shall live, reign forever in glory with the Lord Jesus – this is the destiny of all true disciples! We have reason to be strong in the Lord.
(C) Be Watchful
In the closing instructions to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul wrote:
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Corin. 16:13).
Notice that in his exhortation for believers to be strong, several ‘elements’ were brought forth: ‘Be watchful’, ‘stand firm in the faith’, ‘act like men’ – all these are intimately involved in the ‘process’ of being strong in the Lord.
Be watchful:
The idea of the Christian life as a warfare and as a conflict seems to have dropped out of the minds of believers – this is in contrast to the fact that the New Testament emphasises everywhere that the Christian life is a conflict, a fight and a battle. We are constantly exhorted to be watchful – the Christian life is a life of wrestling; “we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against wickedness in high places” (Apostle Paul); the Apostle Peter tells us that the adversary is “like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour” and the book of Revelations’ main message is the message of the mighty conflict, the spiritual entities and powers battling for this world and for mankind.
This is the primary reason we need to be watchful always, for the enemy does not sleep and is constantly working to destroy God’s people and to dismantle the plan of God.
What are we to be watchful in?
We are to be watchful over ourselves; we are to be watchful against developing a lowered general morale – especially in the last days, in an ‘age of terror’, seen in plagues, calamities, persecutions, moral depravity and sufferings, we are to guard ourselves from feeling ‘hopeless’, ‘discouraged’ asking ourselves whether it is worthwhile going on with our faith and discipleship, individually and corporately. The evil one, the accuser of the brethren, specialises in lowering the morale of the ‘soldiers of Christ’ and when he does succeed, the Lord’s army may lose the impetus and vigilance in the warfare.
We are to be watchful against the constant danger of a lowered standard in our Christian lives. Have we lowered our standard of morality, rationalising in areas we have compromised, not acknowledging sins as sins in our lives? Have we become those who are experts in the art of explaining away what we do, experts in the work of self-justification?
In this regard, are we watchful not to lower our spiritual strength and efficiency? Are our ‘spiritual muscles’ in as good a condition as they once were? Do we read the Word of God as we used to; are we spending time in prayer, meditation and confession? Are we ever ready to make excuses for our neglect and laziness?
We have referred to spiritual warfare; here we need to also be watchful of our enemy – do not underestimate the power and strength of our adversary – he and his minions are formidable spiritual forces.
We must not forget the subtlety of the enemy – he can dress as “an angel of light” and lead us astray from the simplicity in Christ Jesus our Lord. Deception is his special ‘weapon’ and we need to be watchful not to allow him to ‘tamper’ with the Word of God and distort it deceitfully by introducing what is not supposed to be in the meaning of the particular Scripture.
We also need to be watchful not to be sidetracked by putting our emphasis, as believers and as a church, on secondary matters. We must not forget that the primary task of the church is to call men to repentance, to denounce sin and evil and to preach Christ and Him crucified, and to be ambassadors for Christ in His desire to rebuild a new humanity, the temple of God, and to present a pure and unblemished ‘bride’ to the Son.
Take note of what Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27:
“So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified”.
The Apostle was fully conscious of being watchful over his life. He knew that even for himself, there is the danger of losing vigilance and watchfulness. In this light, we can understand how this must have contributed greatly to his being strong in the Lord.
It is interesting to note what Augustine, one of the ‘fathers’ of evangelical Christianity, had to say about being watchful and exercising ‘self-watch’. He first stated that affection for God is vital – it is incumbent for everyone, especially those in Christian ministry, to spend time with God. This time must include prayer with God. This time must also include an investment in the Scriptures that supersedes mere academic study. The time must also include disclosing before God the burdens of one’s heart – this includes ‘confession’, ‘self-examination’ (not unhealthy introspection). Augustine and other Christian leaders exhorted fellow ministers to take heed of themselves lest they ‘live in those sins which they preach against in others.
Let us not forget that being strong in the Lord includes being watchful and vigilant, Otherwise we may be sidetracked from the narrow road the Lord desires us to tread.
(E) The wrong understanding of being strong in the Lord
Some believers think that being strong in the Lord is being ‘champions’ of God’s truth ‘at all costs’ – for them orthodoxy is ‘everything’, to the point of being constantly argumentative, rigid and unloving. The end result is that there is no warmth about them – for them, winning the battle for mental correctness is the only one great purpose.
That is not to say that there is no place to defend God’s truth and to stand up for the truth taught in Scriptures. But doing it just ‘intellectually’ without affections and gentleness may cause more ‘harm’ than good.
We need to remember that conceptual knowledge kills if one does not move on and progress from knowing notions to knowing the realities the notions refer to – there is a need to move on from knowing about God to an intimate relational acquaintance with God Himself.
Let us not forget that the gospel comes to us by grace – resulting, through faith and repentance, in a life of love and holiness – of gratitude expressed in goodwill and good works. Hence the call by Apostle Paul in Romans to accept those whose faith is weak and not to ‘quarrel’ and ‘dispute over secondary matters.
Even in sharing the gospel, the messenger must reflect the message of the gospel in his or her life. Putting someone down and ridiculing their understanding will not help to share the ‘good news’. It may even ‘stumble’ them and cause them not to be open to the gospel.
The Holy Spirit is given to lead us into close companionship with others in Christ. It is spiritual pride in its intellectual form that leads men to create division in the body of Christ. We need to ask God to help us to be strong in being humble-minded and warm-hearted and clearheaded to be as passionate for peace as for truth in Scripture.
The fruit of the Spirit includes love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control. The truly strong in the Lord manifests all the various aspects of this fruit.