From Weakness to Power: The First Step in Spiritual Warfare

This verse is one of those power verses that I can’t read without a zing of encouragement running through my veins. Paul has just given each group of the Christian household things to keep in mind and carry out. But now he says, this list is for all Christians. This sentence begins one of the most powerful sections for understanding spiritual warfare. So if you find yourself in battle, you’re in good company. Let’s dive in!

One of the first things that I find so interesting and so important about this verse is the phrase “be strong.” When we look at the Greek we can see that this word is passive. Of course this doesn't mean that we are passive in spiritual warfare. But it does mean that we are not able to strengthen ourselves.

I think that one of the very first parts of spiritual warfare is recognizing how weak and vulnerable we are without the Lord. There have been many times that people (myself include) who out of pride, thought they could take on something more than they could. Only later they discover themselves in a bigger mess than where they started!

Perhaps that’s why one of my biggest joys and takeaways of this verse is simply recognizing that everything that we are able to do comes out of the abundance of God's strength and not our own. So when we begin to fight our battles yes, there is so much to keep in mind, but it all begins with recognizing from Whom our true strength and ability comes.