being made strong
Some questions first, are you wanting to see souls saved and a community reached for Christ? Does it seem like no matter how hard you try nothing seems to work? Are you fighting illness, weakness, disease, or handicaps? Does it seem the harder the effort the worse things seem to get? Does fear grip your soul because of all the wickedness that is all around us? “Horror has taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake Your law.” Psa. 119:53. These are situations we all find ourselves in from time to time and some of us have permanent issues. God does have an answer. He still loves us and wants us to have grand success in reaching the lost and in getting others to grow richly in Christ. Paul wrote a letter to his son Timothy to help him with similar issues.
“To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus the Lord.” 2 Tim. 1:2. Paul starts out by wishing three things be provided to Timothy from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. These things were grace, mercy, and peace. Grace is the undeserved favor of God Almighty that enables us to walk in close fellowship with God, to grow in our knowledge and love of the Savior, and to be empowered to win others to Jesus and change the lives of believers. Grace we receive the moment we come to know the Savior in salvation and more grace is added to our lives as we grow in our relationship with God. “And of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.” John 1:16. Grace is supplied for obtaining more grace. “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” 2 Cor. 9:8. Yes, God is able to supply us with as much grace as we need to accomplish everything that He has given us to accomplish. All this grace that comes from God’s infinite storehouse of grace can be had by prayer. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Heb. 4:16. There is always enough grace to meet every need that we have, no matter the level of difficulty, no matter the amount of stress, no matter the amount of illness or handicap that stands in the way, and no matter how impossible the task seems to be.
Mercy is God’s unmerited forgiveness. Our flesh is constantly making a life of service to God difficult. God quickly forgives us when we request forgiveness because He sees Jesus and His righteousness when He looks at us. After Paul wishes Timothy mercy he offers peace. Peace comes when we put our full trust in the Savior. When evil oppresses we have a promise found in James 4:6-7which says, “But He gives more grace, Wherefore He Says, God resists the proud, but gives grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” The first time that I decided to use this passage of Scripture, I was being heavily oppressed by the enemy. I turned to God and told Him that I was going to use James 4:7 and then I yielded myself to Him. I then turned in my thoughts toward the enemy and yelled, “Leave.” The enemy left. All the oppression disappeared and I received the greatest sense of peace I have ever had in my life. God keeps His Word. Since then, I have had numerous times where I needed to invoke this promise. The enemy always leaves and a sense of peace always follows. God is, indeed, good! Peace is a weapon that God provides to aid us in keeping, keeping on for the cause of Christ.
Come with me to Romans 11:33-36 for a moment. It reads, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” Our God has a storehouse of knowledge and wisdom, grace, mercy, and peace that far excels any need we will ever have. All of this great storehouse is ours just for the asking if we remain surrendered to His will. Paul goes on to say, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom.12:1. This clearly states that because of all that God has in store for us, all that He has sacrificed for us, and all of His great love for us, there is only one response that is reasonable. That response is a total surrender to God of all that is us. This includes all of our time, talent, treasure, wishes, wants, abilities, and love. A common thought that is taught to future servants of God is that they need to take some time each week to relax and have recreation. The thought is that the heavy load of serving God would necessitate a time to self, a time to relax from the great load. Unfortunately, this is a false assumption. The greatest source of refreshing and regaining strength to pursue our work for God is found in prayer and meditation upon the Word of God.
Paul had a heavier load in his service to God than anyone today. He suffered severely for the cause of Christ. In talking about his difficulties in service to God, He told the Corinthians, “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Cor. 12:8-10. Paul did not set aside his responsibilities and find some recreation to ease his stress. Despite all the difficulties that he had to face, he also had the care of all the churches that he helped establish. His responsibilities and burdens far exceeded anything anyone could have today. The best place to gain strength and refreshment is always in prayer and Bible study. When I am exhausted from doing the work Jesus has for me, I pick up my Bible and read. I talk to God and seek comfort from His Word. I always come away refreshed and able to return to my duties.
Paul said that when he was weak that it was then that he was strong. Seems very much like a contradiction, but what happens is that when we are weak we depend more on God to get the job done and less upon ourselves. The more we lean on God the more power that is available to get things accomplished. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches: he that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5. Being weak makes us more dependent upon Jesus and makes us stronger to accomplish His will. Paul, after encouraging Timothy and giving him a call to faithfulness in 2 Tim. 1:3-18, told Timothy, “You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Tim. 2:1. It would be easy to say that Timothy just needed some encouragement but that would not be correct. We find out in 1 Tim. 5:23 Paul tells Timothy, “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for your stomach’s sake and your often infirmities.” Timothy was plagued with illness, yet he kept on doing the charge that God had laid on him. For when Timothy was weak God made him strong. That is, when Timothy was weak due to illness, God gave him more grace to enable him to complete his job and the result was that Timothy was far more effective than he would have been without the illness. When we are weak, ill, handicapped, or heavily distressed, if we yield to God, ask for His help, and continue to due the job He has given us, we find that God greatly multiplies the results. Want to see more souls saved? Do you find yourself under the weather? Yield to God, ask for grace, and pursue the job. God will greatly multiply your results because you are depending fully upon Him because you know you are not physically able to accomplish it without His help.
I know of someone who is more ill than most of us will ever be and yet he continues to serve God bringing many souls to the Savior. Yes, he has a disease that may very well be killing him, but he is still swinging the bat and bringing souls into God’s kingdom. Have an opportunity to preach the Gospel and find yourself with a weak voice, why not ask God for help and due the job anyway and let God determine how souls are brought to Him. God can accomplish more when our bodies are failing us and we yield to Him for help and do what is needed than we could ever accomplish with good health. Sound a little overboard? Try it sometime! God just may deeply surprise you. Remember, nothing is too hard for God! It also does not matter how hard the world has become to reach with the Gospel, God still is able!!
A world of lost souls is out there that desperately needs someone to go and tell them about Jesus. The time left to get the job done is diminishing very rapidly as Jesus is standing at the door of heaven waiting to come and claim His bride. It’s time to yield all to Jesus, all our time, talent, and treasure. Remember, He owns us. He bought and paid for us with His precious blood. Jesus suffered the agony of lost fellowship with God the Father just so you and I could live with Him forever. Stand up and swing. Those wimpy arms God will empower and you just may hit a grand slam homerun!