Be Encouraged: In Christ, you are a spiritual powerhouse.

“I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power that he used.” (Ephesians 1:19, CEV)

Did you ever read the Christian classic The Screwtape Letters” by C.S. Lewis?
C.S. Lewis does an amazing job showing us how the devil, prepped and schooled by Satan, thinks of and strategizes against Christians. According to C.S. Lewis the devil thinks Christians are nothing more than weak, cowardly, flighty, and unable to withstand any trial for very long. He thinks believers are puny, spiritual pushovers and pipsqueaks: a term used when we refer to the very young or those we dismiss as insignificant, too small for the job, or powerless. No need to be offended or get our spiritual nose out of joint, only recognize and admit that what the devil believes is closer to right than we would like to think. He has peeped our spiritual hole-card and seen us in action. We are all of this and worse than this! We’d like to think we are stronger, immoveable and a force to be reckoned with, but we actually aren’t. We don’t have much staying power and the first strong, contrary wind that comes along we are blown over, blown off course, blown to smithereens. We’re like the magician whose tricks are so shallow they have not impressed anyone except the blind. The disciples found out very quickly they didn’t have the power they thought they had as they attempted to heal the little boy tormented by a demon. It wasn’t until Jesus descended the mountain and spoke a word of healing that they realized without Jesus they didn’t have a fighting chance or hope in heaven to defeat the devil at anything (Mark 9:17-29).

Paul spent his ministry telling believers about the power of God through Christ Jesus, their risen Savior, that was available to them also; the same power Christ had used on earth to accomplish all he did. You and I are all the devil thinks we are. On our own, we don’t have anything to bring. We might have a poker face but when the game heats up and we are forced to show our hand we don’t have anything to show; we’re more apt to shrink back and pewter out. Until we acknowledge and recognize that Jesus is our power source and without him we cannot do anything at all, not even anything good or decent, we cannot do anything that will stop devil in his tracks, quell his strategies, steal the captive, lost from his prisons, or be the conduit of God’s miracles and power. Only with Christ are we unstoppable, undeniably strong, and unquestionably resilient. With Jesus as our help and stay we are not pushovers, puny, or pipsqueaks but those powerhouses that not only make an impact but mess up all the plans of the enemy.

Dear God, you are my God and I adore you for who you are.
I confess that, at times I settle for a weak performance and outcome rather than humbling myself and seeking Christ’s power.
I’m thankful to belong to you, thankful to be covered by Jesus and thankful his power has become mine; all I need to do is seek him and his power will be mine also.
Because the blood of Christ has saved me the promises of God are sealed over my life and circumstances and are eternally mine. Amen.

Affirming Activity:
What difference can knowing the power of God, through Jesus Christ his Son, make in your present circumstances?
How will you apply and incorporate today’s powerful promise to your plan of self-care?