Charles Stanley (January-03-2025) Daily Devotional: Spiritual Strength.
When our struggles seem overwhelming, we can call on God, who promises strength to endure.
Ephesians 3:14-16 - For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians while he was imprisoned in Rome. It wasn’t his first time suffering for the gospel, and they knew this because they’d heard his story and had even seen some of the persecution firsthand.
After reminding his friends of who they were in Christ, Paul picked up his prayer where he left off in chapter 1. He knew well that living as a subject of the one true King isn’t always smooth sailing. But he didn’t want his persecution to discourage them, so he prayed for their spiritual strength.
Paul reinforced the truth of who God is and who believers are in Him. But the Ephesians aren’t the only ones who are the Lord’s—we also belong to Him. And God, who has lavished upon all Christians the riches of His glory, promises to provide for our every need (Philippians 4:19 - And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.). As was true for the believers in Ephesus, we need to be reminded of this often, and that is a key work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26 - ``But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you).
Spiritual strength helps us to endure whether we are suffering or seeing others struggle. It is also what enables us to carry Christ into the world—as we’ll see tomorrow.
