THE K I N G ’S BUS I NES S ta in victory over self. “He th a t ru l- eth his own sp irit is g rea ter th a n he th a t ta k eth a city.” This is the-pow er by which we are empowered to do and to d are; we can perform every duty; whatever God w ants us to do, wherever He calls us to go, we can say “ I can.” Panoplied w ith H is armor, arm ed w ith th e sword of th e Spirit,-—w e can do nothing of ourselves, b u t all things th rough Christ. If th e re are battles to fight we can win them th rough Him. If th ere are problem s to solve, we solve them th rough Him. If th e re are trials to endure and persecutions and dis tresses to meet,— th rough Him, ener gized by His power, girded w ith His sword, streng th en ed by Him, filled w ith His Spirit, th rilled w ith H is life,— we can endu re all th ing s; we can do all things. (5 ) The Consolation of Fellowship. P au l is w inding up his le tte r, and in his closing chapter Christ is set fo rth as th e stren g th of th e believer, and God as th e supplier of every need. He will fill up every need. W hatever our need, th e supply is in Him. We may need a prison, such as Joseph and P eter had; God will supply it. We may need a broken thigh, as did Jacob; God will supply it. We may need th e lash and shipw reck as did P aul, b u t God will supply it. If man is needy, God is wealthy. God is th e source of supply; th e source of wisdom, ask for it; th e source of power, lay hold of it; th e source of faith , it is a g ift of God. Do we need life? “ I am come th a t ye m ight have life, and have it more abund an tly .” “He is able to do exceed ing abundan tly above all th a t we ask or th in k .” The channel th rough which every need is supplied is Christ Jesus. Everything flows th rough Him. Every prayer ascends th rough Him. Every blessing comes th rough Him. “ W ith out me,” He says— “ noth ing .” In Him, th ro u g h H im -—all things. P au l says “My God”— the God h e knew , th e God he tru sted , th e God th a t m anifested His
658 Micah says,' “ I àm filli of power by th e Spirit of th e Lord.” This power of which P au l boasts is linked w ith: th e faith fu ln ess of Christ. “ I will never leave thee n o r forsake thee.” “Under n eath a r e th è everlasting arm s.” “He is faith fu l who h a th prom ised.” T h e 'L o rd can never fail. W hat He has been, He is; w hat He is, He will always be; th e same, yesterday, today and forever. Nothing delights Him more th a n to feel our conscious depend ence upon His unfailing W ord; and th is power is linked w ith H is mercy; “ God h ath spoken oncè, twice have I heard th is, th a t power belongeth unto God, and also unto thee, O Lord, be longeth mercy.” (Psa. 62:11, 12). The power of Gód is tran sm itte d unto men. The Bible is resplendent w ith th e deeds of valor w rough t by th e power of God th rough men. God’s power is seen in Abraham who in re sponse to th e call of th e unseen God tu rn ed his back upon home and kindred and marched to an unknown land, con tended w ith every ch aracter of hum an foe and laid th e foundation for God’s coming kingdom . Moses also, by th a t matchless power tran sm itte d to him, became th e leader of a nation of slaves, unarm ed, undisciplined, un taugh t, often un ru ly and unbelieving,— formed a nation. I t was th a t power given by God to David, th e shepherd boy, which eventuated in his becoming th e shep h erd king; bears, lions, Saul th e 'k in g , demons and h atin g enemies, were all swept before him in his onward march to honor and distinction on God’s roll of honor. The histo ry of th e early church is b u t th e chronicle of conquests by th e helpless Christians who lighted th e fires which bu rned th e ir way th rough heathen lands. By th is power we over come tem ptation,— say “ no” to the devil’s devices as he seeks to persuade us to tu rn stones in to bread, or fall down and worship him . This is the power by which we can gain and main-
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker