OceanSide church of Christ

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SEEKING HIGHER GROUND

…in Strength (2)

 

How to Obtain the Strength of the Lord

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    All of us feel spiritually weak at times.

1.        When temptation comes upon us

2.       When we need to be steadfast in our worship of God

3.       When the church needs workers for various projects

4.       When we need to take a stand for the cause of Christ

5.       When we have to deal with the burdens of life

6.       When we have to face difficult situations with others

7.       When we face rejection while spreading the gospel of Christ

 

B.      When we are weak, we need the strength of the Lord. 

1.        When we say this, it seems as though we are talking about something that is magical, mystical, or miraculous.

2.       We seem to think that sometimes we have it, and, at other times, we do not.

3.       The Lord’s strength, however, is not like that at all.

a.       The Bible teaches us how to have the strength of the Lord.

b.      Too, we can have it all times if we choose to avail ourselves of it.  (NOTE:  Obtaining the strength of the Lord is a choice that each of us can make).

 

C.     Last week, we presented a general lesson entitled:  “Seeking Higher Ground…in Strength.”  This is a second lesson with that title.  Our subtitle, however, is:  “How to Obtain the Strength the Lord.”

 

I.             BECOMING DEPENDENT

 

A.    For the Christian, being dependent on another is not something we yearn to do.

1.        The Bible teaches us to support ourselves (I Thess. 5:10).

 

…that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

 

2.       Most would rather serve than be served (Gal. 5:13).

 

…but by love serve one another.

 

B.      We are not speaking about being dependent upon others.  We are referring to our becoming totally dependent upon God

 

C.     John 15:5b

 

…for without me ye can do nothing.

 

1.        We cannot save ourselves.

2.       We cannot make ourselves holy.

3.       We cannot make ourselves spiritually productive.

4.       We cannot truly make an impact upon the world.

5.       We cannot have a purpose for living.

 

D.    NOTE:  It is easy to mouth the words:  “I am dependent upon God.”  But, it is difficult for some to reflect this in their lives. 

 

E.      Being dependent on another does not sound like a person is being strong. 

1.        We do not have reference to being strong as an individual.

2.       We are referring to the power of God to work through me (II Cor. 12:9-10).

a.       “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

b.      “…for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

3.       NOTE:  God can do greater things through us than we could ever do for ourselves.

 

II.           DEVELOPING A DESIRE TO YEILD MY WILL TO HIS

 

A.    The will of man involves “the power of control the mind has over its own actions” (Dictionary.com).

 

B.       We like having the say over our own lives.  We do not like having another tell us what we should and should not do.

1.        I will think the way I want to.

2.       I will live the way I want to.

3.       I will speak the way I want to.

4.       I will treat others the way I want to.

5.       I will worship God the way I want to.

 

C.     However, to be strong in the Lord, we must develop a strong desire to yield our will to the will of the Almighty God.

1.        The need to do God’s will

a.       Matthew 6:10

 

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

 

b.      I Peter 4:2

 

That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

 

2.       This is the most difficult step in obtaining the power of God.

a.       Our will believes it knows what is best.  (wisdom)

b.      Our will believes that it will provide the best for us.  (blessings)

c.       Our will believes that it can protect us.  (strength)

3.       Many others have had to fight “the battle of the will.”

a.       Adam and Eve fought the battle of the will.

b.      Cain fought the battle of the will.

c.       Pharaoh fought the battle of the will.

d.      King Saul fought the battle of the will.

e.       King Nebuchadnezzar fought the battle of the will.

f.        Esther fought the battle of the will.

g.       Jesus fought the battle of the will in the wilderness.

h.      Peter fought the battle of the will.

i.        Jesus fought the battle of the will again in the Garden.

j.        Saul of Tarsus fought the battle of the will.

 

D.    To win the battle of the will, we have to be convinced of some things.

1.        God’s will is perfect.

2.       God’s will is always best for us.

3.       God’s will is the one that is filled with blessings both now and in the hereafter.

 

E.      Jesus is the prime example.

1.        Think of the obstacles He confronted as the crucifixion drew near.

a.       Man did not deserve this sacrifice.

b.      Satan did not deserve even an apparent victory.

c.       Jesus was not just a man.  He was the Son of God.

d.      God had given Jesus the ability to choose His destiny.

e.       When Jesus prayed, He knew that all things were possible to God.

2.       In spite of all these things, Jesus yielded to the Father’s will (Mark 14:36).

 

And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me:  nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.

 

F.      Socrates on desire.  A young man came to Socrates desiring knowledge.  Holding the young man’s head under water till he felt he would drown.  When he let him up, he asked the young man:  “What is the one thing you wanted while under the water.”  He answered:  “Air.”  Socrates told him that when he desired knowledge as much as he desired air while under the water, he could obtain knowledge.

 

III.         LEARN HIS WILL

 

A.    Once a person has the desire to give up his will to the will of God, it is essential for him to learn the will of God.

1.        Matthew 11:28-30

 

Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart:  and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

2.       John 6:45

 

It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.  Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

 

B.      The word “learn” means “to acquire knowledge and skills by reading, instruction, and experience.”

 

C.     Learning any subject is not easy.  It takes an investment of time and effort.  To learn the will of God can be even more difficult.  Why?  Because, we are not being instructed by men.  We are being instructed by the mind of God.  There is no being as knowledgeable and wise as He (Ps. 147:5).

 

Great is our God, and of great power:  his understanding is infinite.

 

D.    The depth of God’s Word

1.        Statistics about the Bible:

a.       There are 66 books.

b.      There are 1,189 chapters.

c.       There are 31,102 verses.

d.      There are 788,280 words.

e.       There are 3,237 characters.

2.       We also have to learn about nations, covenants, doctrines, sacrifices, feasts, relationships, interacts between individuals, miracles, parables, psalms, proverbs, types and shadows, etc.

3.       The infidels and agnostics criticize and argue against many Bible passages.  Thus, we have to have answers regarding the verses they question.

4.       Man also has a tendency to wrest the Scriptures to his own destruction.  We have to be able to learn and correct those wrong teachings about God’s Word.

 

E.      Once we have obtained a pretty good working knowledge of God’s Word, we have divine power as a resource in our lives (Heb. 4:12).

 

For the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

1.        God’s Word can soften hardened hearts.

2.       God’s Word can change sin-filled lives.

3.       God’s Word can repel the advance of the evil one.

4.       God’s Word can defeat the critics.

5.       God’s Word can give strength to the weary.

6.       God’s Word can save the souls of men and women.

 

IV.        BY FAITH MAKE APPLICATION OF HIS WILL AT ALL TIMES

 

A.    Applying the word of God to our lives because we believe it is powerful will demonstrate its power over and over again (Phil. 4:9).

 

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do:  and the God of peace shall be with you.

 

1.        It is not enough to see and hear.

2.       It is not enough to receive.

3.       It is not enough to learn.

4.       We must DO!

 

B.      We will grow.

We will add important elements to our lives.

We will purge sin from our lives.

We will withstand temptation.

We will take on important roles.

We will rely on God’s promises.

 

C.     Too, we will find that God has given us other things that will help us to be strong. 

1.        Prayer

2.       The body of Christ

3.       Armor that enables us to withstand the evil one.

4.       Examples that show us what to do and what not to do.

5.       We learn patience, that is, the ability to endure.

6.       The power of love

7.       The power of forgiveness

8.       NOTE:  We can call these our weapons.  Paul refers to our weaponry in II Corinthians 10:4).

 

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds).

 

D.    All of these combined is what we usually refer to as “the power of faith.”  When faith is executed properly, we are said to be “strong in faith.”

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Obtaining the strength of the Lord does not require anything special.

1.        We become dependent on God.

2.       We yield our will to the will of God.

3.       We learn His will which is found in the Bible.

4.       Then, my faith we make application of it to our lives.

 

B.      It is God’s grace that has provided all of the tools necessary for us to be spiritually strong in our human weakness.

 

C.     Understanding this source of our strength, we can leave you with the words of Paul to the young evangelist Timothy (II Tim. 2:1).

 

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.