LESSON
38
God is Your Strength
We need to come to a
place where we become plugged into the power of God 24 hours a day and 365 days
a year. Until we become like this, our
Christian walk will be up and down.
Eph.
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We've made this so
complicated and it's so simple.
Col. 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
If the creator of the
universe lives inside of you then why are you weak.
Col. 2:9-14 For
in him dwelleth all the fulness
of the Godhead bodily. And ye
are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the
flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through
the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened
together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances
that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the
way, nailing it to his cross.
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The power of God is in
us. Christ took the power of the enemy
and broke it over our lives. The same
God that took the devil's power is saying to us "Be strong in the Lord and
the power of His might."
Abraham was 90 years old
when He received the promise of a son.
Abraham said, “How could this be. My body is dead.” God said, "Abraham, I am your El Shaddai."
The word El Shaddai means your “strong breasted one.” He was saying, “I am your very source of
life.” As a child draws life from the
breast of his mother so too are we to draw life from our heavenly Father.
Abraham had to draw his
strength from God. Even as a baby can be
put before his mother's breast, he still must suck in order to get any
nourishment. If he doesn't receive life
from his mother he will die.
It was impossible for
Abraham to do it in the natural man. He
had to receive divine strength.
Even though we are born
again, we don’t automatically receive God’s strength. We must draw it from Him.
In previous lessons of
the discipleship course, you were taught many of the key principles for how to
draw strength from God. Prayer, intimacy
with God, and embracing the Word are all vital keys. Before you can use these keys, you have to
first recognize that you have need of God’s power for ALL THINGS.
Many Christians approach
life from the stand point that they will do all they can, then when they have
no more strength they will turn to God.
This is an incorrect philosophy.
God wants us to draw from Him continually so that all that we do is done
with His strength and His power.
Heb. 11:6 But without faith [it is] impossible to please [Him]: for
he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and [that] He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
Be
strong in the Lord and the power of HIS might.
Gal.
We have to break out of
this cycle of living off of our own strength and begin to walk in the power of
God.
Phil.
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We must become totally
dependent upon God. He is our El Shaddai, our source of life. Live your life with His power. Everything you do, do it with His power. You must draw His strength from Him.
Jer. 17:5 Thus saith the LORD;
Cursed [be] the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
Jer. 17:7 Blessed [is] the
man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the
LORD is.
As long as you trust in
your own flesh you are not leaning on God.
The Holy Spirit will
gush forth with rivers of living water; not a stagnant lake. Many of us are like the Galations. We start with grace and then end up in the
flesh, just doing our religious duties.
One of the signs that
you are plugged into the life source is that when the fire gets hot, fear has
no control over you because you are in a continual flow of faith. You will walk in total victory and never fail
to bear fruit.
Psa. 1:2-3 But his delight [is] in the law of the LORD; and in His
law doth he meditate day and night. And
he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall
not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
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You must draw your life
source from somewhere. For some it may
be the television, a particular person, or a book. We must draw our strength from God. So often we only get a drink every once in a
while instead of tapping into a continual flow of power.
DRAW
YOUR STRENGTH FROM GOD.
In Review:
1. What
does El Shaddai mean?
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2. What
confidence do you think Abraham gained by God telling him that He was Abraham’s
El Shaddai?
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3. What
confidence does it bring to you?
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4. From
who or what do you presently get your strength from?
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5. How
can you draw your life source from God?
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