"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might."
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV
The devil walks around like a roaring lion and will attack anywhere that is a threat to him. Paul had planted churches in Ephesus and all other regions and they were becoming established. However, whenever a work becomes established and people are flowing in the Holy Spirit, Satan will attempt to block the work. He will try to cause division where the people are at loggerheads over some piece of doctrine, or perhaps, how the church is being run. He loves church splits and uses man's pride to facilitate this behaviour.
Have you noticed how quite a few leaders are in the news just lately. Quite a few have been caught in sex scandals - affairs, homosexuality sexting etc. He will do all he can to expose leaders and bring the work into the public eye. Whether it is sex scandals or the mis-appropriation of church funds, once the non-believing world get to know about this, it hits the headlines of the media and the church is stained with bad publicity.
Paul tells us, to be strong in the Lord. In other words, he is saying we should establish and promote a strong spirit within us because, it will get us through anything. We establish this by, constantly walking with God. Ephesians 4:1 encourages us to, 'walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.' Again, Ephesians 5:1 says, 'Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children.' To stand strong in he Lord, we need to live daily in communication with God.
No one is perfect and this is why we need to be in control of ourselves, seeking God's daily guidance to the letter. Don't forget, the devil is not your friend and if you are forging a way forward in God's Kingdom work, he will try and stop you. If there is any scandal about you to be found, he will find it and reveal it. If there isn't, he will invent something, he is the father of lies; the accuser and the destroyer. This is why it is vital to walk worthy of your calling and to be strong in the Lord and His Holy Spirit.
We should 'Redeem the time because the days are evil.' Ephesians 5:16. We need to seize the opportunities and make the most of them. When chances come our way for improvement, we need to grab hold of them, seek Jesus for His advice and then carry the advice out. The problem is, man can be filled with pride. If they're not watchful, a fall can be inevitable. Therefore, be strong in the Lord and allow Him to take the lead. He's good at that.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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