Finding the Strength That You Have
It’s the power of God’s word that gives us strength when we are called to do things that seem impossible, and it’s the mind of Christ that allows us to believe they are possible.
We see an example of this In Judges 6.
Allow me to set the scene…
The Midianites have pushed the Israelites from living in their own land to hiding in caves, mountains and strongholds.
For seven years, the Midianites would proceed to use their camels, livestock and tents to destroy any of the produce that Israel had planted for themselves. It says they were, and I quote, “as thick as a swarm of locusts.”
Then the angel of the Lord comes to a man doing his work in hiding named Gideon, and commissions him to go and deliver His people, the Israelites, from the ravages of the Midianites.
The Lord does this by telling Gideon to “go in the strength that he has.”
At this point, Israel is hiding, Gideon is hiding, his family is following other gods and idols, and it would seem that Gideon has no strength at all. Knowing all of this, Gideon asks the Lord how he could possibly save Israel.
The answer can be found by looking at who God says Gideon is in verse 12, and by whom he is being sent in verse 14.
First God says, “The Lord is with you,” addressing Gideon’s lack of confidence.
Then God calls Gideon a “mighty man of valor,” speaking to his true identity. In the Lord's eyes, Gideon is a mighty warrior, or like a strong efficient army.
Thirdly, God speaks to his insecurity once more in verse 14 saying, "did I not send you?”
At some point, Gideon had to start believing what God was saying was even possible. To get there, Gideon asks God to do signs and wonders to confirm His word. It’s not a bad idea – even for today.
BUT there is another thing that may move us from testing God to actually believing what He tells us, and that is the mind of Christ.
While having the mind of Christ (as taught in 1st Corinthians 2:16) can’t be narrowed down to this alone, a sign that you may have it is when the impossible seems possible.
With man some things are impossible, but with God all things are possible.
So, whatever He’s asking you to do, whether that’s starting a non-profit or choosing to love your enemies, you know you’re thinking like Jesus when you start thinking, “Hmm, this just might be doable!”
In situations when God prompts us to do the impossible (or what seems impossible), two things that make all the difference in the world are:
Remembering who God says you are, and resting in the truth of the identity He has given you.
Asking the Holy Spirit to allow you to perceive the situation with the mind of Christ.
Whatever God is calling you to step into, no matter how impossible it may seem, I would encourage you to use the strength you have, and trust that God will be with you to do the rest of the heavy lifting.
Blessings,
Dean