Strength and Power

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Strengthened will all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;

Giving thanks unto the Father…”

Colossians 1:9 – 12

These are the words that Paul wrote to the new believers in Colosse. I read this passage to our children the other morning during devotions. We talked about God’s great power and how He wants to share that power with us to strengthen us not according to the kind of power and strength that the world recognizes, but to give us strength to “walk worthy of the Lord”.

We’ve been talking about “patience and longsuffering with joyfulness” and what that looks like in our lives. Rather than complaining, we can be thankful; rather than being impatient, we can be patient when we are strengthened with God’s glorious power to resist sin in our lives.

Together, we are learning to run to Jesus moment by moment when temptation comes. He has power to make us like Him.