How to Find Strength in the Strength of God

How can you accomplish an assignment with the help of someone else? What can you do to exert your determination to accomplish something in a manner that you are relying upon the strength of another person to achieve it?

Here are a few passages from the Bible which call this issue on us:

• "By the Spirit . . . To put to death the works that are committed by the human body" (Romans 8:13). Therefore, we are to kill sin and we have to perform it through the Holy Spirit. How?
• "Work for your own solution . . . because it is God who is working in you in both will and to accomplish his own good purpose" (Philippians 2:12-13). We must work. However, the willingness and work will be God's willingness as well as God's working. How can we experience this?
• "I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me" (1 Corinthians 15:10). Paul was able to put in a lot of effort. However, his efforts were at least was not his. How did he accomplish this?
• "I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me" (Colossians 1:29). We toil. We fight. We put in effort and energy. However, there's the way to accomplish this in a way that is the work of God's energies as well as God's doing. How can we accomplish this?
• "Whoever serves, [let him serve] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies" (1 Peter 4:11). We serve. We exert strength. There is a way to ensure that our service is a result of God's grace. How do we accomplish that?

"We don't just pray for help hour by hour; we trust specific promises hour by hour."

In 1983, I delivered my response in an sermon that I have not listened to till this day, I've never been able to make any improvements on these five steps , which are summarized by the abbreviation A.P.T.A.T. (rhymes that rhyme with Cap That).

In 1984 J.I. Packer wrote "Keep in step with the Holy Spirit," in 1984 and provided exactly the same instructions at pages 125-126. He refers to it as "Augustinian holiness teaching." It requires "intense activity" but this practice "is not in the least self-reliant in spirit." He says instead, "It follows this four-stage sequence":

As a person who would like to accomplish all that possible, look at what opportunities, tasks and responsibilities are in front of you. In the second, you pray to God for guidance in these situations in recognition you that that without Christ you are unable to do anything, nothing worthwhile, that's (John 15:5). Thirdly, you head for work wearing positive will and a heart of gold hoping to receive help by God in the manner you would like to be. Fourth, you praise God for the help you received and ask for forgiveness for your own shortcomings while working, and then ask assistance for the next job. Augustinian theology of holiness is laborious holy, built on repeated repetitions of this pattern.

My five steps do not include the first step ("note the tasks in your path"). I split the second step into two steps. Accept (his words, "acknowledge") that you cannot do anything. P. Prayer for God's assistance for the task that is at hand. Then, I break down his third step into two steps. He states "expect to get the help you asked for." And, in those same expectations, "go to work with a good will." I tell him, T. Trust in a specific promise of God's aid. And, with that trust, A. Act. Then, we both say T. Thanks God for the help we received.

A. Admit

P. Pray

T. Trust

A. Act

T. Thank

Trust God's Promises

I believe that the middle T is the most important. Trust a promise. This is the one I feel is missing from the majority of Christians trying living in the Christian life. This is my favorite frequent error.

The majority of us have to are faced with a daunting task, and we must remember to say "Help me God. I need your help." Then we go directly between P and A-- pray to take action. We pray, and then take action. This obstructs the power of a single step.

When we pray to God for assistance, we must recall the specific promise God is making. Keep our eyes on the promise. Put our faith in it. and pray to God, "I believe you and help me believe. Increase my belief in this assurance. I'm putting my trust in you, Lord. Here I am." Then do what you can to help me.

Paul states that Paul says that we "walk by faith" (2 Corinthians 5:7) and "live by faith" (Galatians 2:20). For the majority of us, this is unclear. Every hour, how can we accomplish this? We do this by making ourselves aware of specific, specific promises God has made and that Jesus has purchased through the blood of Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20). We don't simply seek help hour by hour, we believe in those promises, every hour.

When Peter states, "Whoever serves, [let him serve] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies" (1 Peter 4:11) This is what we do. We accomplish this not just by asking God for this supply, but also by believing in the promises to receive it when in particular circumstances. Paul declares that God provides his Spirit for you "by hearing with faith" (Galatians 3:5). In other words, we are told of a promise, we believe it to satisfy specific reasons and the Holy Spirit appears to assist us to fulfill that promise.

10 Promises to Memorize

"Act -- believing that God is acting in your acting!"

So, here's my suggestion on how to accomplish this. Make a list of statements that are universally applicable that they can help you in nearly every situation in which you're faced with an obligation to complete "by the strength that God supplies." And when the tasks arrive, admit you cannot do it by yourself. You must pray for the assistance you require. In the meantime, recall the promise you have memorized and put your trust in it. Put your trust in it. Next, act -and believe that God is in the process of doing! Then, when you're finished, thank him.

Here are ten of this promise to aid you to begin your journey. Of them my favorites, the one that I have the most frequently is the Isaiah 41:10 promise.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

"My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:8)

"'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So, we can confidently say, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?'" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

"The Lord God is a sun and shield. Lord bestows honor and favor. Nothing good does he refuse to give to those who live in a straight and upright manner." (Psalms 84:11)

"He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" (Romans 8:32)

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life." (Psalms 23:6)

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7)

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

"Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." (Psalms 50:15)

Do not forget to think about Paul's words "I am crucified in Christ. It's not me that lives and reigns, instead, it is Christ who lives within me. And the life that I am living in flesh I live through faith in Jesus Christ the Christ, the Son of God who was my Savior and loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).