Relying Upon The Spirit’s Strength

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

One of the false mantras that culture upholds and delivers to our children is that they ‘can do whatever they want as they draw upon their inner strength.’ There are slogans all around the school I work at that claim ‘You Can Do It’, ‘You Have the Power’ and ‘You are Strong’. I cannot ever bring myself to reiterate any of these glaring lies to the children whom I am chaplain to.

Instead, as followers of Christ, we know that all of the strength needed for the spiritual journey is derived from the Lord, not from our inner strength, of which as weak, fallen people, we have little. But what is the nature of and condition for experiencing God’s inner strength?

Judges 14:6 Then the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and he rent the lion as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done.

Let’s turn to Samson in the book of Judges to glean some understanding. Samson’s physical power, which, without a doubt, was beyond human capability, was not from his inner strength or anything of his own doing. His strength, as some are led to believe, was not in his hair, but his strength came from the Spirit of the Lord. We are told in Samson’s story over four times that God alone had been Samson’s power. Only when the Lord’s Spirit had left him, were the Philistines able to overcome him (Judges 16:20).

We are encouraged to be strong in the Lord and the power of His might and to depend upon His strength which equips us to do all that He designates for us to do. How often however, do we neglect to do this and depend upon our own strength?

The problem lies within our hearts. We want to depend upon Christ, but we have divided hearts. Like Samson, we step out and act according to our own understanding, our own desires, our own plans and in our own strength. Like Samson, we choose to do what is right in our own eyes, not what is right in the eyes of God. Samson failed to fulfill his high calling and the divine commission he was given, because his heart lusted for his own selfish desires, over and above the desires of God.

Samson brought a divided heart to God’s work. Are we guilty of the same? We can appear to be dedicated to God – spiritual on the outside but have a divided heart and be worldly on the inside. We ought not blunt our effectiveness for God or disregard the strength that He graciously gives us through a divided heart.

2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.

God shows Himself strong to those who are loyal to Him; to those whose heart is fully dedicated to Him. As Samson’s disobedience and covenant breaking escalated, God finally withdrew His Spirit and Samson quickly learnt that his own strength could not sustain him.

There is a way of living that seems right to people in our culture, but it amounts to nothing (Proverbs 14:12). In fact, the proverb says, ‘it leads to death’. Those who do not follow Christ depend upon their own weak strength, yet the man or woman who chooses to live a life fully dedicated to the LORD, will not be disappointed. In every circumstance they will find the divine power to complete what God has commissioned them each day to do.

“Father God, give me an undivided heart so that I would serve You both fully and passionately. Thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit who gives me the inner strength I need to do Your work. May I continue to rely only upon Him, who enables me to do all that pleases You. I ask for Your forgiveness when I am distracted and desire only what is right in my own eyes. Create in me a clean heart, Oh LORD, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.”