Be Strong in the Lord

Psalm 27 : 13 – 14, I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord! -NKJV

Galatians 6 : 9, And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. -NKJV

As we witness the signs of the last days coming to pass, it is vital that we guard our hearts against weariness. As a pastor, I come in contact with a lot of Christians who tell me how difficult life is for them and their families. It isn’t surprising that believers from all walks of life are feeling the pressures of spiritual attacks against them.  

The Lord teaches us in Ephesians 6 that we aren’t warring against other people. The warfare that we are standing against is spiritual. We also know from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 that conflicts and betrayal will intensify in the days preceding His return to Earth.

If what I have shared thus far about spiritual warfare resonates with you, know that Satan is on the prowl. He and the demonic forces of darkness work through situations to stir up strife so that we will lash out at each other. We must be on guard and keep our hearts so that we don’t get caught up in strife.

However, the warfare that we face regularly isn’t just about Satan causing strife among us. There is something more sinister that Satan wants to accomplish in our lives. He wants to cause us to grow weary in our walk of faith. Weariness is becoming a real part of life in the twenty-first century.

Besides the enemy stirring up strife and coming against Christians, he wants to use discouragement so that we will faint in battle. Faint means: to relax; loosen, and to put off. If you are weary in your faith because of intense spiritual warfare against you, draw even closer to the Lord through prayer. We have to stand our ground when trials engulf our lives so that we don’t faint and give up on the Lord.

Why does Satan rage against anyone who places their faith in Jesus? John tells us in 1 John 5 : 4, “It is our faith in Christ that gives us the victory over the world.” Therefore, we must guard our hearts, especially when we realize that our faith is under attack. Satan is after our faith!

When we draw back from standing strong in the heat of the battle because of weariness, this action is an indication that the enemy’s schemes are effective. It’s one thing to be weary when life gets tough, but we must continue to stand strong in faith.

Perhaps you have been enduring an intense season of hardship that is wearing you down to the point that you’re not certain you can stand any longer. If so, ask the Lord to give you strength to stand still until the victory comes. In addition to praying, you will need to cast down thoughts that might cause you to doubt the faithfulness of the Lord.  

As the psalmist wrote, we are to wait upon the Lord. Isaiah also encourages us by the Spirit of God that if we wait upon the Lord, He will renew our strength. It may seem impossible to you now, but wait for the Lord and He will deliver you.

Pastor Asa Dockery

 

 

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