INTRODUCTION
The previous part explained the character of evil strength that manifests as fleshly lusts, bondage and loss of self-control. This message presents the ‘STRENGTH OF GOD’ distinguishing it from the ‘strength of evil’. It reveals the spiritual character of both sources of strengths.
1. THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD
God, defends and delivers mankind; He created all things and “He calleth them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that HE IS STRONG IN POWER; not one that faileth” (Genesis 1:31; (Isaiah 40:26). God’s strength is symbolized as the “rock”, “fortress”, “buckler”, “high tower”, and “Salvation” (Psalm 18:2,31; 59:17; 68:34-35).
“All power belongs to God, now and forever. Amen”. (Matthew 6:13; Peter 5:11; Psalm 62:11). We give praise for the creative and arming power of the Almighty God over all creation! (Revelations 4:11).
a) POWER TO PROTECT AND DEFEND
The Lord’s strength is also illustrated in terms of His capability to protect, defend and deliver mankind. He is “our refuge and strength, a present help in trouble”. He is a “stronghold”, a “shield”, “a strong rock for a house of defence to save [us]”; His “feathers” and “wings” shall be our covering and trust. (Psalms 31:1-4; 46:1; 91:2; 144:1-2; Jeremiah 16:19).
b) GOD’S SAVING STRENGTH
The strength of God is further revealed in this power to save and deliver unto Salvation. This redeeming Strength of the Lord illustrated by the psalmist: “Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great”. (Psalm 18:35; Psalm 17:7; Deuteronomy 33:29)
His saving strength against the strength of evil is in His Name because “The NAME of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). And “neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved”. (Acts 4:12; Matthew 1:21; Acts 10:43). And this saving strength is sealed in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
c) EMPOWERING CAPACITY
The LORD’s Power also has an empowering capacity. The scriptures describe God’s empowering of mankind as: “The God is my Strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places”; “He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine hand”. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect. (Psalm 18:32-34; Psalm 144:1; Habakkuk 3:19).
This empowering function of God’s strength is the key benefit to mankind to deliver us from Satan’s world of sin and “disobedient spirit”. “Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, worthless idols of no benefit at all” (Jeremiah 16:19; John 8:44). Such worthless inheritance of sin by Adam and Eve, now rules in our flesh in manifest lustful carnal desires. So how can one inherit the Strength of God to withstand the strength of the spirit of evil that rules in man’s flesh?
2. KNOWLEDGE OF GOD’S ‘SPIRIT OF TRUTH’
To inherit the Strength of God to withstand the spirit of evil requires knowledge of God’s Spirit of Truth. We must perceive all the symbolisms of God’s POWER in the context of His Spiritual nature. “GOD IS A SPIRIT: AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH” (John 4:23-24; Psalm 145:18). The ‘Spirit of Truth’ is God’s Strength. Jesus prays for his disciples saying, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (2 Samuel 7:28; John 17:17).
Brethren, the function of God’s “Spirit of Truth”, is to guide you into all truth: and convey to us the Will of God and to show us things to come. It is also to “reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness and of Judgement”. For those who would receive Gods ‘Spirit of Truth’, He shall be in them and dwell in them. (John 16:8 &13; John 14:17).
But those who live in Satan’s “world of sin” and ‘disobedient spirit’ cannot receive God’s “Spirit of Truth”. This is because they cannot see him, neither can they know him. Yet if “[they] shall know the truth, the truth shall make [them] free” (John 8:32; 14:17).
3. GOD’S SPIRIT GIVES LIBERTY FROM FLESHLY LUSTS
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty”. (2 Corinthians 3:17). So, if the ‘Lords Spirit’ is in you, you become free because this Power of God constrains you to fulfil the desires of the flesh. And if you “Walk in the Spirit, … ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16). But how does one obtain the Lord’s ‘Spirit of truth’ to walk in his liberty?
3.1 ‘SPIRIT OF TRUTH’ IS BORN OF GOD
God’s ‘Spirit of Truth’ is not born of “blood, nor of the will of flesh, nor of the will of man but of God” (John 1:13). For “blood”, the will of flesh” and the “will of man” are influenced by “the course of this world” and the spirit disobedience which is Satan the “prince of the power of the air”. This power makes people prone to lustful evil passions as “children of wrath”, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind for instant material or emotional gratification, and thereby in bondage of ‘spiritual death’(Ephesians 1:2-3).
The “Spirit of truth is born of GOD. And where there is the “Spirit of the Lord” there is liberty to the captives and to them that are bound by the will of the flesh and spiritual death. (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). Therefore “brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another”. (Galatians 5:13)
Next week we will examine how one may obtain the Lord’s ‘Spirit of Truth’ to overcome the will of the flesh and walk in Love and liberty by the strength of the Lord.
PRAYER
Almighty Father, thank You for Your word. Thine is the kingdom, the POWER and Glory, forever.
Merciful Father forgive us our transgressions; and cause us to know Thy TRUTH, and thy Word.
Deliver us from the will of the flesh, the will of man and the “power of the prince of the air”.
Holy Spirit sanctify us with the Truth of God, and keep us from the course of this world.
I make this prayer in Jesus name.
Have a blessed week!
Lots of Love, P. Schwartz (SOG), 17/03/2019
