When i am weak, He is strong — Scripture Reflection #048
Ephesians 6:11-12 (New Living Translation)
11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
It is extremely frustrating–to me at least–that I cannot win my battles against my temptations and sins on my own. I would like nothing more than to be able to cast off the temptations that strike at me all on my own. And I always feel frustrated with myself and my weakness when I can’t. Nothing that I do by my own power keeps me permanently free from sin’s sting. The good news, however, is that my salvation (and yours, too!) is not based on effort or hard work. I get to rely on the all-powerful, sovereign God to fight my battles and win them, for good. And while I will still fall sometimes, I know that to get back up, I must call on God. For when I am weak, He is strong.
When we understand that our true fight is not of this world, we can then turn to God for help and make actual progress in the battle. We cannot win a battle against an unseen enemy or power by our own strength, talents, or resources. Instead, we must fight with God’s weapons: the Sword of the Spirit, the Armor of Righteousness, and the Shield of Faith, to name a few.
The Point: If you find yourself constantly fighting the same battles over and over again to no avail, have hope! God wants to help you, and His help has the last say. He asks that you constantly call out to Him and surrender your weaknesses and battles to Him. He will be faithful to help you!
Psalm 145:18 declares,
“The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.”
