A Little Strength

In Revelation 3:8, Jesus, speaking to Philadelphia church, said, "I know your works... for thou hath a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name." A little strength, that is a very comforting thought to me. How much strength do we need? Only a little, the Word of God is telling us. Imagine a huge machine, a big engine with a switch. The only thing needed to get the whole thing going is a little strength, a flip of a switch and this huge thing happens. The signature of a man on a legal document and there is a fortune behind it. He has just a little strength just to write his name and that is enough to trigger a transfer of great wealth.

When Israel was warring with Amalek, Moses was there with his arms held high. When his arms were up, the battle went Israel's way. However, Moses' arms got tired and he had to drop them and then the enemy began to gain control. Aaron and Hur discerned the trouble, found a rock for Moses to sit on, and then they stood beside him and held up his arms. All they had to do was to keep his arms up and Israel would win the battle. It just took a little strength.

That's what the Lord said that to these believers in Philadelphia. He said you have a little strength and have kept my word and have kept my Name. You don't need much strength. You just need a little.

In John 6:28, Jesus is asked how to work the works of God. He said, "The work" for us is but to believe on the One God has sent. In Ezekiel 2, the Lord said to Ezekiel stand on your feet. The Spirit of God came in him and he stood on his feet. In Ezekiel 3:1, the prophet was told to eat the scroll and the Spirit caused him to eat the scroll. 

These passages are encouraging for us because we don't need to do much. We just need a little strength.

"Quicken me in Your righteousness," that's what the Psalmist prays in Psalm 119:40. In the seven verses previous to that one, the Psalmist tells the Lord to teach him statutes, to give understanding, to make him go the right way, to incline his heart, to turn his eyes from evil, to establish the Word in his heart... I love this for only God can do this for me. And I don't need my natural strength. I need God to do this for me. With a little strength, just a little strength, and God can do so much. He strengthens me, gives me, makes me, inclines, turns away my eyes, establishes His word, turns away my reproach and he quickens me. 

Why does he do that? Because the ministry of Christ to us is the ministry of grace. And that means that no one at any time has ever merited the works of grace that are happening to us. It is so simple. Just take this little step and God comes running to you. Make one little prayer and it changes everything. Decide to trust.

Moses hands hung down and all he needed was somebody on one side and another person on the other side to lift up his hands. God does this. And, the enemy is defeated and I feel that way in our ministry, we are sitting back and we are watching these verses happen.
Teach me, oh Lord.

Give me understanding.

Make me go in the path.

Incline my heart unto your testimonies.

Turn away my eyes from vanity.

Establish your Word unto your servant who is devoted to your fear.
Turn away my reproach and quicken me in your righteousness. (See Psalm 119:33-40)

Now, Joseph had a coat of many colors in Genesis 37. The coat of grace that's on us is colored with many colors. Our lives take on different hues. When we are getting older in life it is a work, it is another color! We have a color here and we have another color on our coat there. When everything is going really well and you are just running through a troop, you have a color of grace. When everything collapses and just tumbles into a pit, and Joseph wound up in a pit, you have another color of grace.

When Joseph is sold to the Ishmaelites and he goes into Egypt and he gets into trouble there in Genesis 39 as Potiphar's wife sets her sights on him. It is amazing story about how he decided to live by the Word of God. He refused the seduction and that is exactly what got him in trouble. He was soon in prison, the victim of a false report by this woman. Often, when you live and this grace is happening in your life you become targeted.
When you are an object of grace, it is very simple and your way is right and clear. God turns you into the right path. I think the amazing education of the Spirit in Christ in the body is invaluable. God is giving us His grace and this is really easy. It is a little strength that is required. For me, there are problems, but I just have to fall but into the arms of God. To say at some times, "God, help my unbelief," is really enough. A mustard seed of faith can move a mountain. A little strength and believing that the Word is yea, and Amen.

There is a great story about Billy Graham. When he was in California before a major Los Angeles revival, he had a question put in his mind by many of his friends. They were saying to him that the Bible is not dependable, that it is not inerrant. So Billy Graham went to a hotel room and he was there for three days. He prayed for he had to make a decision. And he made his decision and said, "I will believe that this Book is fully inspired and that every word is totally dependable and the Bible is inerrant." He went out to the platform that night and preached with a sense of the power of God like that he had not had for months. There was no internal struggle. He just believed and it was enough and God poured upon him. It took only a little strength.

And that is the way it is in your life. You are like Joseph, a man with a coat of many colors. At your working place and in the world and maybe even among friends and relatives, you are a target for mocking and ridicule. Even your own heart may present questions: Is it really so? Is it really true?
I must believe it with all my heart. I need to believe in something higher than myself with all my heart. You are filling me, God. You are causing me to be righteous. You are leading me in your Holy Spirit. You are speaking to me in my heart. You are praying in me and through me (see Romans 8:27). You are the God of all grace who said Your mercy endures forever.

Every morning, when you get up -- I don't care how you have lived recently -- I would like you to know that this is not about your sin; this is about God saying to you, "I gave my Son so that your life could be different."
With a little strength just turn to God.