(THE KIMBERLY JOY SHOW: God Will Empower You With Inner Strength)
GOD WILL EMPOWER YOU WITH INNER STRENGTH
The above words are part of a prayer the apostle Paul prayed on behalf of the Gentiles in Ephesians 3:16 (New Living Translation). In the beginning of the chapter, Paul informed them that God had chosen him to minister to them.
Who were the Gentiles? A gentile was any person who was not a Jew. According to Biblical history, the Jews were identified as God’s chosen people. As a result, the Jewish nation viewed the Gentiles as inferior and called them heathens. Fortunately, Jesus changed all that! In Ephesians 3:6 (NLT) Paul said:
“And this is God’s plan: Both Gentiles and Jews who believe the Good News share equally in the riches inherited by God’s children. Both are part of the same body, and both enjoy the promise of blessings because they belong to Christ Jesus.”
WHO IS SALVATION FOR?
Paul revealed to the Gentiles what wasn’t revealed before. Salvation (from sin, death, and hell) and all the blessings attached to it are not only for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. John 3:16 (King James Version) declares:
“For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Our Heavenly Father sent His beloved Son out of love for ALL humanity, not just a select few.
As Paul continued in the third chapter of Ephesians, he encouraged the Gentiles to not worry about him because of his sufferings. The apostle Paul endured much suffering and persecution for preaching about Jesus and, now, for preaching to the Gentiles.
Like Paul, what have YOU gone through or are going through now as a result of taking a stand for Christ? What type of persecution have you faced or are facing for telling others about Jesus?
What have you suffered or are yet suffering because you’ve chosen to live holy before God? What have you sacrificed by interceding for others? Whatever it is, don’t lose heart! Don’t give up! Instead, I pray you are strengthened!
Paul didn’t allow his suffering and persecution to deter him because he was INSIDE STRONG. In other words, he was strong mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Paul lived by faith in God. He knew he was called to be a servant of Jesus Christ, and he was, wholeheartedly, committed to his calling.
As you embark upon this new year, God says you must be INSIDE STRONG. God wants to do something new in your life. He wants to reveal more of His will to you. Although you may say you’re blessed now, God wants to bless you in an even greater way. More importantly, God wants to use you to reach more souls for His Kingdom. However, none of that will be accomplished if you’re not mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared.
HOW DO YOU BECOME INSIDE STRONG?
Again, let’s consider the apostle Paul. He boldly declared:
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13, New King James Version).
He was letting every believer know that our strength comes from the Lord. Needless to say, in order to be made INSIDE STRONG we must first repent of our sins and accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Jesus must be our LORD as much as He is our Savior. There are those who want Jesus to save their souls from eternal damnation, but don’t want Him to be Lord over their lives. However, it doesn’t work that way. Praying the prayer of salvation is only the beginning. We must build a strong relationship with God through worship, prayer, and His Word.
To say that we must live by the Word of God may sound like a cliche, but it is anything but that! James 1:22-25 say:
“22 But don’t just listen to God’s Word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the Word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect Law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.”
I challenge you, as I challenge myself, to stop focusing so much on the outer man, what the public can see. Do not concern yourself with what people think about you. Instead, be more concerned about God’s view. Take this time to focus on the inner man—your mind, your emotions, and your spirit. As you are strengthened on the inside, the outside will fall in line.
THE PRAYER OF SALVATION
If you haven’t accepted Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, you can do so right now. I then encourage you to find a good Bible-believing church that will help you grow in your relationship with the Lord.
Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Please pray the following prayer:
Dear Jesus, I come to You confessing I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe You shed Your blood on the cross and died for my sins, were buried and rose again so I could be free! Please forgive me for my sins and the life I have lived. I confess You Jesus as Lord and accept You as my own personal Savior. According to the Word of God, I am now saved! Hallelujah! I AM FREE!
WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF GOD!!!!!
If you find value in this article, please share.
To subscribe to The Kimberly Joy Blog and receive new articles by email, please leave your email address in the box marked SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL provided at the end of the article.
If you would like to make a donation to help with my mission of spreading spiritual inspiration, you may donate to The Kimberly Joy Show via Cash App, Venmo or paypal.me/thekimberlyjoyshow.
Please follow The Kimberly Joy Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.