His Strength Is Perfect

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect. [Steven Curtis Chapman]

There He told them, “Pray that you will not give into temptation.” [Luke 22:40] 

atan called a meeting of his servants to talk about how they could make a good man sin. One evil spirit said, "I'll make him sin by setting the pleasures of sin before him. I'll tell him of sin's delights and the rich rewards it brings." "That won't work," said Satan. "He's tried sin and knows better than that." Then another demon said, "I'll make him sin by telling him of the pains and sorrows of virtue. I'll show him virtue has no delights and brings no rewards." "That won't do either, "cried Satan, "for he walks in virtue and knows Wisdom's ways are 'pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.'" (Prov. 3.17) "Well," said another evil spirit, "I'll make him sin by discouraging his soul." "Ah, that will do it!" cried Satan. "We'll conquer him now!”

Fighting temptation is a spiritual, physical and emotional battle that requires strength, more strength than we have alone.  To be temped is not sin, nor is it God testing our hearts.  God’s testing presents opportunities to do that which is pleasing to Him, to show obedient hearts.  Temptation is Satan’s way to cause us to question our Christian values and our love for God….”How can I, a Christian, have such terrible thoughts?” Satan whispers “Oh, how wicked you must be to think such things! It's clear you're not trusting God - if you were it would be impossible for these things to enter your heart."  It sounds so reasonable that we begin to condemn ourselves for such thoughts and become discouraged – separated from God and easy prey for Satan.   

Jesus knew His disciples, eleven insignificant men who He had called to go out and conquer the world for him, would need incredible strength to go on without Him.  The disciples had probably never been outside their home country of Palestine, they had no funds to carry out their mission, they had no political base to work from, all they had was their Lord’s divine authorization to “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Discouragement is fatal to faith, confidence is vital.  The Bible, Old and New, is full of verses encouraging us to “"Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed... Only be strong and very courageous. (Josh. 1:7, 9); "Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." (John 14:27). His strength is perfect for just those times when we are lose our strength because of discouragement.  His power is our power, through faith, prayer and study of His word.  That is how He carried the disciples when He was gone from their presence, and that is how He will carry us when we can’t go on.

-c anderson

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