Strength

What if you were tempted in a way that you could not resist? What if the temptation was so strong that it pulled you into its grasp? What if you tried your hardest to resist Satan’s attacks, the pull of the world, and the desires of your flesh, but the combination of all three was too much for you to handle? Will God charge you with a sin that overpowered you? Paul answered that question for us in today’s passage.

Michael is not just any angel—he is of the highest rank of angels, an archangel who has engaged in spiritual battles. Michael the archangel is a heavyweight! He is described in three books as fighting against evil spirits and forces of darkness. When Michael was sent to help Daniel, at the angel’s touch, Daniel fell down, trembling on his hands and knees (Daniel 10:10-14). In Revelation 12, we read of Michael leading the charge against “the dragon and his angels” (Revelation 12:7). Yet, with his high standing and spiritual strength, he dared not go after Satan on his own. In a showdown with Satan described in Jude 1:9, he depended on the Lord to fight for him. So must we.

Do you ever make excuses? Excuses like, “The people I work with hold me back.” “I don’t have the skills for the job.” “My parents screwed me up, it’s their fault.” “I don’t have time.” “People expect too much from me.” “God expects too much from me.” When God called Moses to a great assignment, he was full of excuses.

Can anything separate you from Jesus? Can Sin? Defeat? The enemy? Let’s see what today’s passage says. In answer to the question, “Can anything separate you from Jesus?” the apostle Paul says…

Have you ever been tempted? Struggling with temptation? In our passage today, Paul gives us important instructions in this area.

If there was ever a verse torn apart by being ripped out of context so often, today’s passage is it. “Christian” pop-psychology tells us to memorize these words and write them on our bathroom mirror. This verse shows up on the wide receiver’s shoes. Look closely through the quarterback’s facemask; you can make it out on black strips under his eyes. The conclusion most make is this: Whatever I want to do, God will give me the strength to do it. But, always remember this key principle of understanding Scripture: Context ultimately determines the meaning.

“Loneliness can drive us to some very dark places.” That’s what a fellow believer shared in a recent email, and that’s what David shares in today’s psalm. David wrote these words while hiding in a cave from Saul as he was trying to kill him. When we feel alone, we can hide in some very dark places.

Have you ever been shaken? Left reeling? A person I met with today described it as a “gut punch.” These troubling times may involve an illness, a job loss, a death, a disappointment, or a broken relationship. In today’s passage, the psalmist says it feels like the earth is giving way and the mountains are quaking. But the strength of God can overpower our greatest fears.

Peter wrote his first letter to the believers scattered throughout what today is Northern Turkey. The letter was penned in late AD 64 or early 65. During that time, believers in Rome were experiencing intense persecution. It is probable that Peter was in Rome, watching the persecution firsthand. Normally the physical mistreatment of believers started in the larger cities, then spread through the countryside. Peter warned his readers that “now for a little while,” they may have to suffer. But like fire refines gold, so trial refines faith.