Be Strong

Now that you are all armored up, it is time to anticipate a battle. It is time to be strong. The strength the Bible talks about isn't just the ability to perform physically demanding tasks— it's the ability to withstand great force and pressure.

If you’re a godly man, Satan will place an incredible amount of power and pressure against you—and no amount of muscles, guns or money will be able to stand against that.

Jesus, the most powerful man in all of history, shows us what truly defeats Satan by living it out and finishing the job for us. Before Jesus redefines what it means to be great, powerful and strong, He begins with the gospel. What looked like the greatest moment of weakness in the world turned out to be the ultimate demonstration of power and strength.

If you want to possess real strength, it must be within God’s economy—which is unlike the ways of the world. Instead of pursuing power, possessions and position, you must become a sabbathed man, a persevering man, a humble man and a serving man.

To be a sabbathed man means living out the godly rhythm of resting for work, not from it. When God created Adam and Eve, the first full day they experienced was a day of rest—to abide with God. They hadn’t even worked yet.

True sabbath rest is found only in the risen Christ. It is a gift from God that reminds us we need Him—and that He delights in us.

Jesus shows us what a persevering man is at the cross. In the garden of Gethsemane, He cried out to God the Father, asking if there was any other way to fix the mess we're in. He sweat drops of blood in anguish, fully aware what the cross would require—yet He still chose to go through with it.

The only way to satisfy the wrath of God against our sin was for Jesus, who knew no sin, to become sin and make payment on our behalf. We get to drink the cup of God’s grace because Jesus drank the cup of God's wrath for us.

Jesus took responsibility for things that were not His fault—and that’s part of what it means to be a man. He had all the authority of heaven and earth, yet He leveraged that authority to endure suffering on our behalf. To be strong means you must make yourself vulnerable and expose yourself to pain and discomfort for the benefit of others.

A humble man is one who submits to the authority God has placed over him. Jesus shows us that real strength and security is not demonstrated through displays of power, but through humility. Why would God trust you to live with authority if you are not living under it?

Jesus came not to be served, but to serve—and give His life as a ransom for many. Before going to the cross, He clothed Himself like a servant and washed the disciples’ feet. He stooped to the lowest position and took on the dirtiest task—even for the one He knew would betray Him.

He didn’t preach a sermon. He didn’t perform a miracle. He didn’t beg them to behave. He served. And His motivation for serving was love.

The measure of a man is not in power, possessions or position. It is found in the person and work of Jesus Christ. What kind of man are you?

What do I do now?

Stop making excuses. Get up and start serving—your wife, your kids, your friends, your coworkers, even your enemies.