Strong in the Lord

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.” (Ephesians 6:10 CSB)

The NASB read, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” The NIV says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” The KJV reads, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” You get the idea. So, how do we do that? Paul lays it out for us.

To be strong in the Lord and in His power we first have to put on His armor, which is spiritual armor. These armor pieces include: truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, and the word of God. Truth guides the way. Righteousness keeps us on track with integrity. The gospel moves us forward to attack the darkness. Faith protects us, as does salvation. The word of God provides an attack weapon for overcoming un-truth.

In addition to putting on and keeping on the armor of God, we need to pray if we want to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Prayer helps to keep our minds and hearts in communion with God’s mind and heart. Prayer keeps us in greater contact with the Almighty God who alone is the Source of our strength. The Spirit of God enables us to pray so that we then “tap into” the full strength of God. As Zechariah says, “’Not by strength, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.” Prayer maintains the contact between us and the Spirit, much like an electrical conduit.

Lord, Help us today to put on the full armor that You provide and to keep our hearts in tune with Yours through prayer, so that we may be strong in You and in the power of Your might. Amen.