When To Help Bear Someone Else’s Burden

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
— Galatians 6:2

Not so long ago, a precious woman in our congregation came to church looking sad and depressed. It was unusual to see her this way, because she was normally cheerful and full of faith. She sat in her chair, dropped her head, and began to weep. I wanted to go to her right then, but she had come into the service late, and I was on stage getting ready to step up to the pulpit to preach.

As I delivered my message, I kept glancing in her direction to see if she was still crying. Her head remained clutched in her hands, and I could see that she was sobbing about something that was greatly burdening her heart. When the service concluded, I went with my pastoral staff into the foyer to shake hands with people who were leaving the service. Soon she appeared in the line with heavy red eyes and a countenance that told me she was heartbroken over something.

I pulled her out of the line and called for my precious wife. Soon the two of them were sitting alone at the far end of the foyer where they could talk without anyone overhearing the conversation. The woman told Denise that her husband, who had been delivered from alcoholism, had started to drink again. That weekend he had been violent toward her and verbally abusive toward the children, acting like the old man he used to be. The woman’s heart was simply crushed, but by the time she and Denise were finished talking and praying together, her face had lightened up, her countenance had changed, and it was evident that God had stirred hope in her heart for her family.

I often think of how many church members come to church burdened by the cares of life. Perhaps the burdens they carry are due to finances, marriage, friendships, a problem at work, a child who is rebellious or who is running from God, a death in the family — the list of potential problems people face goes on and on.

It saddens me to think of the vast number of churchgoers who come into their church services feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. These people wish that someone would help them or pray with them, but no one ever asks how they are doing. Never having an opportunity to tell anyone what is happening in their lives, they frequently leave a service just as burdened as they were when they first walked through the church doors.

Have you ever been so burdened by the cares of life that you thought you might be crushed by the weight of it all? Did you wish someone would crawl under that load and help you carry it? Perhaps you can remember times when you cried out to God, Please send someone to help me with these things that I’m dealing with in my life right now!

In Galatians 6:2, the apostle Paul tells us, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Answer this question: When are we supposed to help bear someone else’s burden?

The word “burden” in this verse comes from the Greek word baros. It refers to a weight that is heavy or crushing. In fact, the word baros describes such a crushing weight that Paul used this same word in Second Corinthians 1:8 when he wrote about the terrible problems he and his traveling companions underwent in Asia. Paul wrote that these difficulties were of such a stressful nature that the men literally felt as if they were “pressed out of measure.” In Second Corinthians 5:4, he used the word baros once more when he said, “…[We] do groan, being burdened….” Again, this word refers to a load so heavy that it causes a person to feel that he is burdened or weighed down.

The word baros could refer to either a physical or a spiritual problem. For instance, this type of pressing burden could be a habitual sin that has plagued you and weighed you down year after year. Satan may try to use these kinds of weaknesses and faults to hinder or completely abort God’s plan for your life. That’s why it’s so important that these “burdens” be dealt with and defeated. If you are unable to do it alone, you need to seek the help of others to pull you through to a place of victory.

The point Paul is making here is that when a fellow believer is under a crushing weight — when he is under so much pressure that he feels like he’ll break if someone doesn’t get under that load and help him carry it — it is our Christian responsibility to help bear his burden, “…and so fulfil the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

In Galatians 6:2, the Greek expresses the following:

“When someone is burdened by crushing cares and difficult events in life that are too much for one person to carry all by himself, crawl up under that burden and help that person carry it, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

I want to encourage you today to be sensitive to the needs of others who are around you. When you go to church, go to work, or even spend time with your family and friends, ask the Holy Spirit to help you see when people are carrying too much by themselves. If you discern that they are burdened, go to them and ask, How can I pray for you today? What is happening in your life?

God may use you to bring real relief and freedom into someone’s situation. Perhaps just providing a listening ear is all that is needed to help that person get through his or her dilemma.

On the other hand, if an overwhelming problem, weakness, habit, or sin is pressing down on your life, you need to be humble enough to say, Hey, I need someone to pray with me! This is too much for me to do completely by myself! It may be difficult for you to open your heart and reveal your need, but it will be far more difficult for you to carry it alone until you eventually become emotionally devastated by that burden.

As brothers and sisters in the Lord, we need to do everything we can to step deeply into people’s lives in order to encourage and refresh them spiritually and to help them get through their problems. When we see someone struggling, we must be bold enough to ask that person how we can help! When we work together as a Body in this way, every need will be addressed and met!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am asking You to help me be sensitive to the needs of other people. Help me to stop being so self-consumed with my own concerns that I am negligent in recognizing the needs of people around me who need help and prayer. Holy Spirit, help me see through the masks people tend to wear to cover up what is really happening in their lives. Give me the wisdom to know how to approach people who need strength and encouragement.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am sensitive to the needs of people who are around me. I see when they hurt; I recognize the times when they’re struggling; and I am a blessing to them in their time of need. God’s Spirit is helping me to become a better minister and servant to help meet the needs in other people’s lives. I am attentive, caring, and Christ-like in the way I deal with others. What Jesus does for me is what I am becoming to other people.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have there been situations in your life when you thought you might break under the weight you were trying to carry by yourself? When that happened, did anyone come to you and ask how he or she might help or pray for your needs?

2. Have you ever gone to others to see how you could help them through the situations they were enduring? Or have you been too self-consumed to remember that other people have needs too?

3. Do you know of individuals you should check on today to see what you can do to help them through a situation they are facing? In what ways can you be a strength or an encouragement to them?

…put on the new man….
— Ephesians 4:24

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, I taught about “purging the closet” — essentially, ridding your life of anything that is incompatible with whom you have become in Christ Jesus. Today I want to switch gears and teach you how to put on new things that are compatible with living a holy, consecrated life! But before I delve into the Word, I want to relate an experience from my life that happened soon after I had finished writing yesterday’s Gem.

After crafting the finishing lines of that Gem, my wife Denise and I embarked on a trip to Rome that we had been planning for quite some time. When we arrived, Denise asked if she could go shopping “just to look” and see what was in the clothing stores. Of course, I know that looking leads to buying, so I was mystified that she wanted to purchase more clothes since she had just purged her closet the prior week. In fact, when we left for Rome, a huge pile of her clothes was still stacked on top of our guestroom bed, waiting to be zipped up in suitcases and sent to our church where they would be donated for other women to enjoy.

But now Denise wanted to go window-shopping — which I knew would result in buying more clothes. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. After that multi-day closet purge, her closet was finally free of those old clothes, and now Denise was going to start filling it up again!

As Denise browsed through one particular shop for two hours, I sat at a coffee shop down the street and waited. The longer I sat there, the more frustrated I became. I wondered, Why is she trying to find new clothes when she just got rid of so many clothes? So finally I got up from my table and went to the store to confront her with my question. I asked, “Denise, you just spent days cleaning out the closet and getting rid of your old clothes. Can you explain to me why you are now trying to refill the closet with new clothes?”

She looked at me and responded, “It’s about having clothes that fit who I am now. Those old clothes don’t reflect who I am anymore. I need clothes that reflect what’s going on inside my life right now!”

I walked out of the store, returned to the very same coffee shop, and continued waiting. As I sat there over a fresh cup of coffee, I really pondered what my wife had said. Finally, I called her on her mobile phone and asked, “Are we close to finishing at this shop?” She answered, “Please come here. I want to show you what I’ve found.” Over the next 40 minutes, we had a fashion show as she tried on every piece of clothing for me that she had picked out — and I have to be honest, those clothes were totally different from anything she had in her “giveaway” pile at home. This deliberate stylistic shift attested to a deeper change in Denise. She is a unique, evolving individual, and the clothes she chose beautifully reflected the changes taking place in her. I finally got it!

This experience brought my mind right back to yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, where we saw that the apostle Paul exhorted us to rid ourselves of attitudes that are incompatible with a godly lifestyle. However, this was not the totality of Paul’s message. After he exhorted us to “put off the old man” in verse 22, Paul continued in Ephesians 4:24 by saying, “And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” After telling us what to take off, Paul proceeded to tell us what to put on — that we need to acquire new spiritual clothes!

What exactly do these new spiritual clothes look like? Paul provided more detail in Colossians 3:12,13 when he said, “Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another….”

The phrase “put on” is a translation of the Greek word enduo, which was often used in ancient literature to denote a person putting on a new set of clothes. Thus, when it comes to spiritual matters, Paul was telling us it is not enough to simply remove residual hang-ups, bad habits, and fleshly tendencies that block the true expression of your identity in Christ. We must make a conscious effort to “put on” new attitudes and characteristics that are compatible with our new life in Jesus Christ.

And do you know what I’ve discovered from my own personal spiritual journey? The longer I walk with the Lord and the closer I become to Him, the higher He calls me and the more He encourages me to change my lifestyle in order to more closely reflect His character.

As I watched Denise try on all those new clothes in that shop in Rome, I thought of these verses. Inwardly I surmised, Well, Denise “put off” a bunch of clothes that no longer matched her style, and now she is going to “put on” a whole new set of clothes that better fits her evolving style. When I went to pay her bill, I looked at her and jokingly told her she was being scriptural. She liked that response!

Take a moment today to meditate on Ephesians 4:24 and Colossians 3:12,13 and see what God wants you personally to put on. The Holy Spirit wants to dress you in a new and better style, and He is the best Designer on planet Earth! He knows you; He knows Jesus; and He knows how to make you reflect the work Jesus has done inside your heart and life!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, You are an amazing Designer! You have decorated and adorned all Your creation in stunning array! But nothing compares with the way You adorned Your children when You clothed us with Your own righteousness to showcase the beauty of Your holiness in a glorious display. I honor You, Father, by putting on the garments that Jesus died to provide for me. And I thank You that because of what Jesus has done, when I put on Christ, people will see and recognize Your goodness each time they look at me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. I have laid aside the old clothes of my former way of thinking and acting, and I have put on the new wardrobe prepared for me as a partaker of God’s own nature. For my permanent new set of clothing, I put on mercy, kindness, humility of mind, gentleness, patience, and forgiveness. This new wardrobe will never wear out, and it will always be in style with God’s best. Thank You, Lord, for clothing me with dignity and strength, and for making my way perfect as I put on your character like a garment of glory.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What kinds of changes do you sense the Holy Spirit is seeking to work outwardly in your life so that you become a greater reflection of His work inside your heart?
2. When you came to Jesus, He called you to repent and lay aside dead works, but He also called you to take on the character of Christ. Can you say that you demonstrate the character of Christ in your lifestyle? In what ways do you need to conform to Christ more?
3. When you look at the list of Christ-like garments that we are supposed to wear listed in Colossians 3:12 and 13, which ones do you think need the most attention in your life specifically?

That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man….
— Ephesians 4:22

From time to time, Denise will go through a “clean out the closet” phase — a very involved process in which she tries on everything she owns and then decides which articles of clothing she’ll keep and which ones she’ll give to someone else. It’s a long process that finally ends with clothes stacked on our bed and all over our bedroom in piles, often with name tags of the women to whom she wishes to give each article of clothing. It is such a huge process that she usually invites a friend to help her do it, and it becomes a kind of “give away clothes” party.

I usually find out how deep the process is when it’s time to go to bed and I can’t get into bed because its covered with the clothes Denise is planning to give away — or I discover it when I get to church on Sunday and see a number of women in our church walking through our church auditorium wearing her clothes. I’m always so proud of Denise when she goes through such a phase because her process is very involved, very deliberate, and very sacrificial.

Sometimes it makes me think about all the personal “stuff” people have in their hearts and attitudes that no longer fit who they are. Maybe these attitudes and mindsets fit who they were at one time, but now after the grace of God has done such a work in them, some of these don’t fit who they are anymore. Some attitudes are simply out of date with what God is now doing in their lives. Some are just no longer desired. And to be truthful, some attitudes should have never been in their lives in the first place.

There are a multitude of sources from which attitudes end up in our personal lives as Christians. But eventually God calls on us to unload those old ways of thinking that are no longer fitting to who we are in Christ so that we can be fully free.

To be honest, many believers come right to the edge of real change, only to turn away at the last minute in defeat. They think they’re ready to tackle their wrong thought patterns, wrong believing, and wrong attitudes. But just when they are on the verge of victory, they draw back in fear at the thought of what it will cost them to experience true transformation. The devil strikes them with an attack that sends them reeling emotionally and, as a result, they lose their grip on the Word and slip back into those old attitudes — putting them back into the closet to keep just a little longer. You see, these satanic attacks are purposefully designed to prevent believers from achieving victory in their lives. The devil wants to shake them up so badly that they’ll never regain the momentum to start back on the path to permanent freedom.

The first step to instituting permanent change and getting free is by identifying what needs to go! I advise you to allow the Holy Spirit to bring conviction to your heart about the areas inside you that need to change. I’m talking about attitudes that are deadly to your victory, such as selfishness, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, gossip, fear, insecurity, and remorse over the past. As you start this process of identification, it is also very important for you to make a faith declaration that you are going to walk free of these things and that you will not turn back!

Once you have identified the areas in your life that need to go and have declared by faith that you’re going for total freedom, the next step is to make a decision to change regardless of the cost or pain involved. You must decide to lay aside your residual hang-ups, bad habits, and fleshly tendencies that block the true expression of your identity in Christ. In Paul’s epistles, he admonished us, “But now put off put off all these…” (see Colossians 3:8).

This phrase “put off” is the Greek word apotithemi, a compound of the words apo and tithemi. The word apo means away, and the word tithemi means to place or to lay something down. When the two words are compounded, the new word gives the picture of someone who is laying something down while at the same time pushing it far away from himself. It means to lay something down and to push it far away and beyond reach. Thus, the word describes removal of something and putting so much distance between you and that old thing that you cannot easily reach out to pick it up again.

In Denise’s case, that physical act of apotithemi entails putting those extra clothes she no longer needs into a suitcase, placing the suitcase in the car, and sending it to church to be given away to other women. Once those steps have been put into process, retrieval would be too painful so her process can’t be undone. That’s what we need to do with the old attitudes that are no longer fitting for the new creations we have become in Jesus Christ.

Paul specifically said, “But now put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth, lie not one to another, see that ye have put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:8,9). These are things that are simply not compatible with the new creature you have become in Jesus Christ.

We must deliberately decide to change — to remove, to lay aside, and to put away attitudes and actions that don’t please God and adversely affect our walk of faith or that have become out of line with what God is presently doing in our lives. We must choose to put so much space between us and those old things that retrieval is too painful — we’ll never reach back to put them back into our “closet” or to wear them again.

I don’t know about you, but this discussion makes me want to follow Denise’s example regarding my spiritual closet!

Let’s decide to do a serious inventory of what’s going on in our spiritual lives to see what needs to stay and what needs to go. If there’s anything in our lives that no longer fits who we’ve become in Jesus, it’s time to determine whether it should be a part of our lives any longer.

It’s the season to “declutter”! So why don’t you start evaluating your life today, item by item if necessary, for the purpose of eliminating all those attitudes that are out of character with who you are in Jesus Christ? The Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart, and as you allow Him to work in you, He will help you get rid of residual hang-ups, bad habits, and fleshly tendencies that block the true expression of your identity in Christ!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, as I conduct an inventory of my spiritual wardrobe, I realize that I’ve not always walked about clothed in Christ. I’ve worn mismatched attitudes that are too small because they have nothing to do with my identity in Christ and do not reflect Your greatness in any way. Lord, I repent for the times I’ve displayed myself haughtily in garments of self-righteousness, which are equal to filthy rags before You. Your work in my life has also exposed attitudes and beliefs that are out-of-date because You’ve opened my understanding. Reveal to me trait by trait what needs to stay and what needs to go. I open wide the door of my heart, and I ask You, Holy Spirit, to direct my attention to remove the attitudes or actions I’ve held on to that no longer fit who I have become in Jesus. I submit to Your work in my life, and I put on Christ so that every part of me is practically and effectively hidden in Christ in God.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. I have put off the old attributes of the flesh — anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication — and I put on the new attributes that are compatible with who I have become in Jesus Christ. Clothed in Christ, I wear peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control as my garments. I regularly inspect my spiritual wardrobe to verify that I am no longer holding on to attitudes and actions that do not serve God’s purposes in my life. I will not fall short of the grace of God by clinging to old patterns and mindsets that keep me dangling on the verge of victory but not moving into lasting change. I will strip off, lay aside, and discard anything that is a hindrance to my walking in all God has planned for me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What is an area of your life that doesn’t reflect who you have become in Jesus Christ? Maybe it’s inappropriate language, a wrong attitude, or an area of unforgiveness. What are those areas that need to go? What are you going to do about it, starting today?
2. Do you have any old habits or attitudes that you walked away from in the past but didn’t put enough distance between you and that old way of doing or thinking? Did you find yourself retrieving it and putting it back into your life again? What is that area of your life that needs to be dealt with all over again?
3. Do you have physical clothes in your closet that you never wear that would be a blessing to someone else? How long has it been since you’ve done a purge on your closet and ended up blessing others who have been praying for new clothes?

Learn To Be Quiet When Others Are Speaking

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
— James 1:19

One of the biggest lessons to learn in life is to know when you need to be quiet and when you need to speak up. For instance, if someone over you in authority is trying to tell you something, that’s a time for you to be quiet and listen to what the authority is attempting to tell you. In order to really hear what he or she is trying to communicate, you have to stop talking! Listening and talking at the same time almost always guarantees that you are going to miss important facts and details.

In James 1:19, the Bible says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” The word “swift” in this verse is the Greek word tachus. It can be used to depict a runner who runs as fast as he can so he can reach the finish line before his competitors. Because this runner fiercely wants to win the race, he puts everything else out of his mind, focuses on the finish line, and then presses forward to obtain the first-place prize.

Because of the word tachus, the first part of James 1:19 could be rendered:

“Wherefore, my beloved brethren, set your focus on becoming a good listener — and do it with all your might, as if you are in a competition to win the race of being the best listener.…”

James is telling us that we should desire to win “first place” when it comes to listening! Because the word tachus depicts a runner that is totally focused on reaching the finish line, James lets us know that it takes effort to slow our minds down so we can hear what other people are trying to communicate to us. I am referring to that moment when we deliberately quiet our minds and shut our mouths in order to intentionally listen to and digest what someone else is endeavoring to tell us. This is a challenge for any of us who have busy minds and a lot of details in our lives to think about.

Take me, for example. If I don’t make the choice to slow down and really focus on what someone is telling me, I know I will miss much of what he or she is trying to communicate. My mind is busy all the time. I have a church to pastor, a ministry to oversee, and television programs to film. I go on ministry trips that take me all over the world. I am constantly writing books. Besides all that, I am a husband and father. I rarely have a moment when I don’t have some important matter pressing heavily on my mind.

I’ve learned that I must discipline myself to listen to what people are saying to me. Otherwise, they’ll think I’m listening when, in reality, I’m about a million miles away in my thoughts. Just because I’m looking into their eyes doesn’t mean I’m really listening. If I’m going to hear what they’re communicating, I have to push everything else out of my mind and deliberately focus on what they’re saying. This is a matter of discipline that I’ve had to work at developing in my life.

I made a decision years ago that if a person believes he has something important enough to say to me, the least I can do is give him the courtesy of listening. Even if I don’t agree with what he’s saying or want to do what he’s asking, I should respect him enough to hear him out. To pretend I’m listening when I’m not is simply rude.

Through the years I’ve had to train myself to be a listener. To make sure I’ve really heard the point being made to me, I often stop and repeat the conversation to the person speaking to me. I ask the person:

•  “Is this what you’re trying to tell me?”
•  “Is this the point you’re making to me today?”
•  “Is this what you want me to get from this conversation?”
•  “Is this what you want me to do after we’re done talking?”
•  “Is this how I need to respond?”
•  “Is there anything else I need to know about this?”

If I’ve missed anything important in the conversation or misunderstood what that person was attempting to tell me, I discover it by asking these kinds of questions. At the same time, the person speaking to me is assured that he has had my complete and total attention. When my conversation with that person is finished, I should understand exactly what he was communicating because I focused on him and listened to what he was telling me.

Those who cultivate and develop the skill of listening make good team players because they’re better able to understand other people’s opinions and positions. These people have a good foundation for success because listening is the first step of communication.

If you realize that you need to become a better listener, I urge you to make the decision to cultivate and develop this discipline in your life. You can be a first-place runner when it comes to listening to others. Remember, listening is the first step of communication, and communication is a prerequisite for success in your dealings with both God and man!

So make it a top priority to become a superb listener. Learn how to digest the information other people are trying so desperately to communicate to you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, it is true that I need to learn how to be a better listener. Forgive me for the times I’ve inconvenienced others and messed up their plans because I didn’t carefully listen to the instructions that everyone else obviously understood. I recognize that this is a flaw in my life. Starting today, I want to discipline myself to become a top-notch listener. For me to do this, I know I’ll have to break the habit of thinking about other things when people are trying to talk to me. So I’m turning to You to help me silence my mind, listen to others, digest what they are saying, and become a better team player!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am quick to hear what others are trying to tell me, and I don’t interrupt them when they are speaking. I am a first-place runner when it comes to listening to others. Because God’s Spirit is helping me, I am getting better and better in this area of my life. As a result, I am an effective team player, and others enjoy working with me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Have you ever tried to talk to someone who you knew wasn’t really listening to you? How did it make you feel? Did you think that person really cared about what you were saying to him or her?

2. Are you a good listener? Are you able to remember what others have told you? If your answer is no, what are you going to do to develop better listening skills?

3. Can you think of someone at work, at church, or in your family who constantly makes mistakes because he doesn’t clearly listen to the instructions that are given to him? What kind of inconvenience does this create for everyone?

The ‘Ischuos’ Power of God!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
— Ephesians 6:10

In yesterday’s Sparkling Gem, we began looking at the kinds of power that God has made available to every believer. As noted yesterday, He has provided two kinds of power for every Christian. The first is kratos power, which is a demonstrative, eruptive, manifested power. But today we will look at a second word in Ephesians 6:10 that describes a second kind of power made available to the believer.

In Ephesians 6:10, Paul says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” The word “might” is taken from the word ischuos, and it conveys the picture of a very, very strong man, such as a bodybuilder or a mighty man with great muscular capabilities. Now Paul applies this picture of a strong, muscular man, not to himself, but to God. Paul pictures God as One who is able, mighty, and muscular.

Let me ask you — is there anyone more powerful than God? Is there any force in the universe equal to the muscular ability of God? Consider this:

• With one stroke of the hand, God’s mighty arm released so much creative power that the entire universe was flung into being.
• With one stroke of the hand, God’s mighty arm discharged such incredible force that the civilized world of Noah’s day was flooded and an entire period of civilization was wiped out.
• With one stroke of God’s mighty arm, Egypt’s rebellion against Him was crushed beyond recognition, and the children of Israel were set free.
• With one stroke of God’s mighty arm, the wicked powers of the heavenlies were forcibly shoved aside, and although it was physically and medically impossible, Jesus was conceived and miraculously born from a virgin’s womb.
• With one stroke of God’s mighty arm, His power surged into the throes of hell itself, where it ripped Jesus out of the pangs of death, stripped demonic principalities and powers naked, and made a public display of their embarrassing defeat.
• When the mighty arm of God moved on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came as a “rushing mighty wind” and filled the Upper Room with His awesome power, supernaturally enabling the disciples to preach the Word with signs and wonders following.

Where is this powerful, mighty ability of God working today? In you and me! Paul says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Remember, the word kratos is the demonstrated, outwardly manifested, eruptive power of God, which now operates in every believer. But the ischuos we have looked at today is the force that works behind the kratos power! Why is kratos power so strong and demonstrative (as in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead)? Because God’s muscles (ischuos) are backing it up!

These words in Ephesians 6:10 are so powerful that they convey this idea:

“Be strong in the Lord and in the powerful, outwardly demonstrated ability that works in you as a result of God’s great muscular ability that is working behind the scenes.”

All that God is, all the power He possesses, and all the energy of His muscular, mighty ability now energizes the kratos power that is at work within you. With this power at your disposal today, you can confront the unseen demonic spirits that come to wage war against your flesh and your soul — and you can win every time! Since this power is available to you today, you are ready to lay hands on the sick, pray with power and authority, speak the word of faith in every situation, and see mountains move on your behalf!

So the next time you run into a problem that seems a little overwhelming, remind yourself that “…greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You have no need to be afraid and no need to shrink back in timidity, for there’s enough power at work in you to resist any force that comes against you and to supernaturally remedy anything that needs to be changed!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I am so thankful that Your muscles are the backup for the power that operates in my life! Just as Your mighty arm created the universe, divided the Red Sea, destroyed the Egyptians, ripped Jesus from the throes of hell, and raised Him from the dead, I know that now this mighty power also works in me. Help me learn how to flow with this power and allow it to be released through my life so I can be a bigger blessing to people who are around me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I boldly confess that all that God is, all the power He possesses, and all the energy of His muscular, mighty ability now energizes me! With this power at my disposal, I confront every spirit that comes to wage war against me. I lay hands on the sick and see them recover; I pray with power and authority; I speak the word of faith to every situation I face. Therefore, mountains move on my behalf! Greater is He who is in me than he that is in the world. I have no need to be afraid, and I don’t shrink back in timidity, because there’s enough power at work in me to resist any force that comes against me and to supernaturally remedy anything that is out of God’s order in my life!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Can you name a time in your life when you suddenly felt so energized and quickened by the Spirit of God that it was as if a river of power flowed through you to help you get something important accomplished? When did that happen, and what triggered the release of that power?

2. Do you deliberately pray for God’s power to operate in your life? If so, do you expect your prayer to be answered? If you don’t pray for God’s power to be operative in your life, why not?

3. Why don’t you take a few minutes to remember the miracles you have personally witnessed in your life?

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
— Philippians 1:6

When God calls you, He will equip and prepare you to effectively complete your assignment on time. He will use every aspect of who you are and where you came from to bring about His will in your life. He factors in your background, your level of education, your past occupations, and everything else you’ve accumulated from your life experiences. Many times He will also lead you into new territory where you are surrounded by unfamiliar faces in order to teach you lessons that you couldn’t learn any other way. Perhaps no example of this is clearer than the life of the apostle Paul.

Paul played a major role in the founding of the Early Church. God used him to write almost two-thirds of the New Testament, and his inspired epistles have guided the Body of Christ for nearly 2,000 years. However, when Paul first came to the Lord, he was very inexperienced in the arena of ministry. In order for him to accurately understand God’s vision of the Church, he had to be adequately equipped and prepared. This period of training would not happen in the way Paul planned. He would have to go somewhere entirely unexpected.

Soon after his life-changing conversion on the road to Damascus, Paul traveled to Jerusalem, eager to connect with the disciples who resided there and begin his ministry. Given his background as a former rabbi who spoke fluent Hebrew, Jerusalem seemed to him like the natural choice to focus his efforts, since he was so intimately acquainted with the Jewish culture, tradition, and religious thought that permeated that city. However, God had called him to bring the Gospel to the Gentile world first and foremost, and Jerusalem’s predominately Jewish environment could not adequately prepare him for this ministry.

Paul’s stay in Jerusalem didn’t last long. The Gospel message he had boldly proclaimed in the synagogues soon after his arrival enraged the local Jewish leadership, and they conspired to kill him. When the local believers learned of this plot against Paul’s life, they helped him covertly leave the city and then sent him off to his hometown of Tarsus. There Paul remained until God was ready to usher him into the next phase of his calling, where the sure foundations of his ministry would be laid and his Christian walk would be strengthened by leaps and bounds.

The proving ground for Paul would be the city of Antioch, a major city located approximately 300 miles north of Jerusalem in modern-day Syria. Antioch was the third largest city in the Roman Empire during early New Testament times, with only Rome and Alexandria exceeding it in size. Situated on a crossroads between East and West, it was a thriving commercial center and a true melting pot of cultures and peoples. The city’s population was also composed primarily of Gentiles — a very important factor for Paul, given the nature of his calling.

The multiplicity of cultures found within the thriving urban environment of Antioch naturally resulted in a colorful and diverse Christian community. When the Gospel was first brought to Antioch in the wake of Stephen’s martyrdom, it was warmly received and the city experienced a revival as pagans and Jews alike left their old lives behind and accepted Jesus into their hearts. Before long, a thriving church was established as believers in Antioch began to actively evangelize their city and the surrounding region. During Paul’s time with this congregation, he regularly ministered alongside Gentiles and learned to communicate effectively with them. These experiences would do much to equip him for the epic apostolic journeys that he would later embark upon across the Roman Empire.

From its onset, the church of Antioch had grown rapidly until it was second in size only to the church of Jerusalem. However, despite the distinction of these churches having the two largest congregations in the mid-First Century, the two works were very different. Many of the believers in Antioch were Gentiles who came from pagan backgrounds, whereas the believers in Jerusalem were nearly all of Jewish ancestry.

Antioch’s rich, diverse environment was the “right place” God chose to equip and prepare the apostle Paul for ministry. A brand-new move of the Spirit was taking place in that city, and by following God’s calling to move there, Paul put himself in a position to receive an entirely fresh perspective of the Body of Christ. During his time in Antioch, he learned important lessons from what he saw and experienced that he could have never learned if he had stayed in Jerusalem. Following God’s call led Paul to a place he would have never anticipated, but it was an essential step to equip him for the rest of his ministry.

Never forget the promise that Paul himself wrote to us in Philippians 1:6. It says, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul was certainly speaking from personal experience when he wrote this verse. According to Paul, God will begin a good work in us and will “perform” it until the day of Jesus’ return for the Church. The word “perform” is the Greek word epiteleo, a compound of epi and teleo. The word epi adds force to the word. The word teleo means to finish, complete, or conclude. When the two words are compounded, the new word epiteleo shows that God is forcefully moving His plans for us in the right direction until we are finally complete! Paul started that verse with the word “confident” — the Greek word peitho. It means you can be sure, convinced, and ever certain of these things!

Likewise, God knows exactly where you need to be and who you need to be with in order to equip you for your life assignment — and He is working to get you exactly where you need to be! As He did in the life of Paul, God will use every aspect of who you are and where you came from to bring about His will in your life. He will use your background, your level of education, your past occupations, and everything else you’ve accumulated from your life experiences. And He may also lead you into places where you are surrounded by unfamiliar faces to teach you lessons that you couldn’t learn any other way. One thing is certain: If God has called you, He will equip you for the task! You can be sure of it!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I am so thankful that since You have called me, You will also equip me for the task in front of me. You never call anyone that You do not also equip to do the job. Help me have an open heart so I’ll know where and with whom I need to be in order to be in the environment that will prepare me for the next phase of my life. Help me see where I am right now with spiritual eyes and to hear with spiritual ears so I can receive the maximum preparation You want to provide for me. I know that Your hand is guiding me. And even if You lead me to places with unfamiliar faces, I know You are doing what is necessary to get me ready for the next God-ordained phase of my life.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I respond to God’s call on my life and I cooperate with how He is equipping me for the task ahead of me. I know that God never calls anyone whom He does not also equip to do the job. My heart is open to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. God’s hand is guiding me, and He is doing what is necessary to get me ready for the path that lies ahead! Therefore, I will be at the right place, at the right time, with the right people, in an environment that will prepare me for the next phase of my life. My spiritual eyes and spiritual ears are attuned to the Spirit so I can receive the maximum preparation that God wants to provide for me.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you look at your life, can you see how God has used your life experiences to prepare you for what you are doing right now?
2. What has God used from your life experiences to prepare you for what you are doing? Consider your background, your education, and your past occupations. What else has He used to equip you for what He has called you to do in the future?
3. Has God led you to places where you were surrounded by unfamiliar faces to teach you lessons that you couldn’t learn any other way? When was that experience and what did you gain from it?

For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift….
— Romans 1:11

Have you ever been with someone whose mere presence positively affected you, changed you, or took you to a higher level in the Lord? Do you know if your presence has ever affected anyone in that way?

When I think about this question, one particular minister immediately comes to mind. He is a precious and dear friend who has walked with God for decades, and I have known him closely for many years. When I am honored with the opportunity to spend time with him, I always walk away feeling spiritually richer and touched by Jesus. Being in his presence leaves me with the feeling that something spiritual has rubbed off on me and has been imparted to my life.

Similarly, Paul felt this way about the First Century believers in Rome. Even though he had never met the Roman congregation face-to-face, he was sure that if he could spend time with them, he would rub off on them too. In Romans 1:10, he wrote, “Making request, if by any means now at length, I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you.” Then in Romans 1:11, he told them, “For I long to see you, that I may impart unto some spiritual gift….”

Notice that Paul said, “For I long to see you….” This word “long” tells us how deeply Paul wanted to meet these believers. In Greek, it is the word epipotheo, which has the root potheo, meaning desire. However, it also has the prefix epi attached to it, which gives an extra force to the word, portraying a person who wanted something so much that he intensely longed for it. Very often this word depicts an insatiable appetite or a craving — and in the New Testament it is often translated as the word lust. The fact that Paul used this word to depict his longing to come see the believers in Rome tells us that he was intensely yearning to see them.

In verse 11, Paul provided at least one reason why he wanted to see them. He wrote, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you….” Paul believed he had something spiritual to impart to his brothers and sisters in Rome. The word “impart” comes from the word metadidomi, which means to impart or to transfer something from one to another. Paul believed that if he could see the Romans, spend time with them, or perhaps lay hands on them, there would be an impartation of something spiritual to them. In the same way that I walk away spiritually richer after being in the presence of the man I told you about earlier, Paul was convinced that if he could spend time with the Roman believers, something powerful would be imparted to them. As a result, they would come away from that encounter feeling richer, fuller, and touched by Jesus.

These words of Paul in Romans 1:11 tell me that he was convinced God would use him as a channel to touch these believers in a way they had never been touched before. Paul was so confident about it, he actually wrote that he longed to see them, specifically stating that he wanted to impart something spiritual to them. What did he want to impart? That’s a topic we will look at tomorrow.

But for today, I want to ask you: Who has had this kind of profound influence in your life? Has being in anyone’s mere presence made you feel touched by Jesus? Who was that person? Perhaps the more important question is this: Have you ever made anyone else feel that way? How do you affect people when you are with them? In what condition do you leave them when it’s time for you to say farewell?

There’s no doubt that God wants to use us to positively impact people. Just as the apostle Paul was confident that God would use him to impart something rich and spiritual to the Romans, we need to spend time with the Father and allow Him to pour His presence into our personal lives so that when we are with others, there will be an overflow that rubs off on them and takes them to a higher place in the Lord!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I ask You to flood me to overflowing with Your Spirit. When people are in my presence, I pray that they will become more deeply aware of You and Your nearness. Let Your life and kindness be expressed through me in such a way that people receive a supernatural impartation and spiritual blessing that will cover and penetrate their hearts and lives with Your wisdom, goodness, and love.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I confess that I walk in communion with the Holy Spirit daily. When people are in my presence, they are enveloped by the life of God that flows through me by His Spirit within me. The fragrance of Heaven overflows through my life so that when I am with others, the peace and love of God rests upon them and takes them to a higher place in Him.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. What plan do you have to personally enhance the lives of those around you?
2. Recall a time when you knew something was spiritually imparted to you by being with someone. Was it a conversation that person had with you that deeply impacted you, or was it transferred by prayer and the laying on of hands?
3. Has anyone ever told you that you affected him or her that way? If so, when was it, and what was the event that caused that other person to feel so positively and spiritually impacted?

The ‘Kratos’ Power of God!

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
— Ephesians 6:10

In Ephesians 6:10, the apostle Paul gives us some very important insight into the kind of power God has made available to every believer — including you! This is really important for you to understand because it describes the kind of power that God wants to operate through you, so be sure to carefully read every word of this Sparkling Gem.

First, let me remind you that Ephesians 6:10 is a verse about the supernatural power God has made available for our fight with unseen, demonic powers that come to war against the soul. The word “strong” used at the first of this verse is taken from the word endunamao, which describes a power whose purpose is to infuse a believer with an excessive dose of inward strength. This particular type of endunamao power is so strong that it can withstand any attack and successfully oppose any kind of force (see January 12).

A historical study of this word proves its supernatural nature. It was used by early writers from the Greek classical periods to denote special individuals, like Hercules, who had been handpicked by the gods and supernaturally invested with superhuman strength in order to accomplish a superhuman task. Now Paul uses this word endunamao to tell us that God has made this kind of supernatural strength available to believers in Jesus Christ!

Let’s see what else Paul tells us about this power. In Ephesians 6:10, he says, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” Especially notice the words “power” and “might.” Today we will look at the word “power,” and tomorrow we will look at the word “might.”

The word “power” is taken from the Greek word kratos, and it describes what I have come to call demonstrated power. In other words, kratos power is not a power that one merely adheres to and believes in intellectually. Rather, this kratos power is a power that is demonstrative, eruptive, and tangible. It almost always comes with some type of external, outward manifestation that one can actually see with his or her eyes. This means that kratos power is not a hypothetical power; this is real power!

Ephesians 1:19,20 declares that when God raised Jesus from the dead, He used this very same kratos power to do the job! It says, “And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power [kratos], which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.…”

The King James Version is a bit reversed from the original Greek. The Greek says, “…according to the power of his might.…” Why is this difference so important? Because the phrase “the power of his might” is the same identical phrase used in Ephesians 6:10 to denote the power that is working behind the scenes to energize us! This power that God used when He raised Jesus from the dead is the same, exact, identical power that is now at work in us. That means we have resurrection power working in our lives!

Kratos power is so overwhelming that the Roman soldiers who guarded Jesus’ tomb on that resurrection morning fainted and crumbled to the ground beneath the full load of this divine force. And the soldiers continued to lie prostrate on the ground, paralyzed and unable to move, until the resurrection was complete.

This kratos power was indomitable, overpowering, and irresistible on that day long ago. Flooding the grave where Jesus’ dead body lay, this conquering power permeated every dead cell and fiber of His body with divine life until it was impossible for death to hold Him any longer!

God’s kratos power was so overwhelming that, had we been present at the resurrection, we would have felt the ground trembling as this electrifying force entered the tomb where Jesus’ body lay. The power that raised Jesus from the dead was an eruptive power, a demonstrated power, an outwardly visible power. It was the strongest kind of power known to God or man.

And now Paul uses this very word to describe the power that is available for our use! With this empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we can expect the very same power that raised Jesus from the dead to operate in us! Remember, this is a demonstrated or outwardly manifested kind of power, so when this power begins to operate in us, it immediately seeks an avenue of release so it can demonstrate itself.

So turn up your level of expectation! Start anticipating that this mighty power of God will begin to flow through you!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I thank You for making such power available to me. Now I see that I have no excuse to ever complain that I am weak, for You have placed at my disposal the very power of the resurrection itself. Teach me how to tap into that power so it can be released in my life. I know that this power is the answer for many people’s needs and that You want it to flow through me. Holy Spirit, as my Great Teacher, please teach me how to open my heart wide so the river of Your divine goodness can flow through me.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that God’s indomitable, overpowering, conquering, and irresistible power flows through me! The very power that raised Jesus from the dead resides and operates in my life. It is an eruptive power; it is a demonstrated power; and it is an outwardly visible power — the strongest kind of power known to God or man. With this empowering Presence of the Holy Spirit working in me, I expect the power that raised Jesus from the dead to operate in my life. I deliberately turn up my level of expectation and anticipate this mighty power of God to begin to flow through me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. If you were asked to give a personal testimony regarding a time in your life when you actually experienced a special touch of God’s supernatural power, what experience would you talk about? Could you relate more than one experience?

2. What do you imagine it was like for the soldiers on resurrection morning? What do you think they felt, saw, or heard as the power of God surged into that tomb and raised Jesus from the dead?

3. If you could choose to witness any kind of miracle, what kind would you want to see?

Is Jesus Testing You?

When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
— John 6:5,6

After ministering to multitudes for numerous days, Jesus and His disciples privately retreated to the top of a mountainside just outside Jerusalem. It was the time of the feast, and before He and the twelve entered the city, “…Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples” (John 6:3).

The word “sat” is the Greek word kathemai, implying that they reclined on the slopes of the mountainside. Certainly they must have been tired, because they had been ministering to multitudes of people who were following them for many days. So before Jesus and His men entered Jerusalem to resume their ministry activities, they took a break on top of a mountain apart from the crowd, where they could enjoy a cool, refreshing breeze and a welcome rest.

Suddenly, “…Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him…” (John 6:5). The word “saw” is from the word theaomai, our word for a theater. It means to really look, like a patron who attends a play and carefully watches every act, listening attentively to every word because he doesn’t want to miss anything important in the play. By using this word, John lets us know that Jesus carefully looked out at this crowd in amazement — observing the entire scene, analyzing the size of the crowd, and determining what needed to be done for them.

The words “great company” in Greek are the words polus ochlos. These are exactly the same words used to describe the massive number of soldiers who came to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (see April 4). This was a massive crowd of people.

As that vast crowd marched toward Jesus on the mountainside, Jesus turned to Philip and asked, “…Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” (John 6:5). The word “buy” is the Greek word agoradzo, from the word agora, which describes a marketplace. When it becomes the word agoradzo, as it appears in this verse, it means to purchase something at the marketplace. But this was a strange question for Jesus to put to Philip, because they were seated on top of a remote mountain where there were no markets!

In fact, Mark 6:36 tells us the disciples were worried about where to buy food for this crowd. In fact, they pleaded with Jesus, “Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread.…”

There was simply no place nearby to purchase bread for the people on that mountaintop. Even if there had been a local shop nearby, it wouldn’t have been possible to purchase enough bread to feed a crowd that size — a crowd of “five thousand men” (John 6:10), plus “women and children” (Matthew 14:21). Yet in spite of the huge crowd and the impossibility of the situation, Jesus asked Philip, “…Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”

John 6:6 goes on to tell us the reason Jesus asked this question: “And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.” The word “prove” is the word peiradzo, which means to put to the test, to test in order to prove, or to test in order to expose the truth about the quality of a substance. An example of this is how the word peiradzo was used to describe the purifying fires placed under molten metal. The metal may have looked strong, but only a blazing fire could expose all the hidden defects. Once the defects were exposed, they could be scraped off and removed, but without the test of fire they would remain undetectable. This test wasn’t just done for the sake of testing, but to assure that the metal would be purer, finer, and stronger. In other words, the purpose of the test was to make the item better.

Jesus asked Philip this question to expose any deficiency in His disciple’s faith. You see, these disciples had lived in the presence of Jesus and had seen Him perform every kind of creative miracle, including turning water into wine, cleansing lepers, and even raising the dead. Miracles were nothing novel to them. But at this moment, they were being confronted with a problem that was totally different from anything they had faced before — they needed food to feed a multitude!

It is amazing to me that after seeing Jesus perform possibly thousands of miracles, the disciples didn’t immediately say, “Lord, we trust that You can provide for all these people!” Instead, they went on a food search and frantically tried to solve this problem by themselves.

Philip certainly didn’t consider a supernatural solution. In verse 7, he and the other disciples began to “grasp at straws” as they went looking for a way to solve this problem through natural means. Philip told Jesus, “…Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little” (v. 7). Philip didn’t realize God’s stores of supernatural provision are always more than enough!

It is simply a fact that new challenges often expose a deficiency in our faith and accentuate any weak area in our lives. Jesus knew exactly how He was going to meet the need, but He asked Philip the question so Philip’s lack of faith would be exposed — and so the disciples would see that there was still room for improvement in regard to the level of their faith!

Don’t be surprised if Jesus asks you to do something that seems impossible to your natural mind. When He tells you that He expects you to take a leap of faith and accomplish what others say can’t be done, His request may expose the fact that you need to work a little more on your faith! What a blessing that Jesus would ask us to do things that reveal who we really are — for only then will we really discover the areas of our faith that need improvement!

So the next time Jesus gives you a fabulous, impossible-looking job to do, rejoice if it reveals a little shakiness in your ability to believe. Now you know that you have a deficiency in your faith walk — and you can start today to do something about it!

My Prayer for Today

Lord, I want to thank You for allowing me to be a part of Your great plans. You could use someone else, but You have chosen to use me. For this, I am so thankful to You. If there is any faith deficiency in me, please expose it NOW so I can get it fixed and be prepared for any assignment You give to me in the future!

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

My Confession for Today

I confess that I am ready for God to use me! My faith is growing. It’s getting stronger, and the deficiency in my faith is being reduced day by day. There was a time when I was weak, but now God’s Word is making me stronger. There was a time when I would have doubted and feared, but now I am filled with faith. In fact, I’m excited about taking on ANY assignment Jesus Christ wants to give me!

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

Questions to Answer

1. Has Jesus ever asked you to do something that seemed impossible? How did you first react to the Lord when He put the big question to you and asked you to do something that seemed so impossible to do?

2. When you stepped out to do what He asked, what happened? Did you see His miraculous power at work and learn that God can do the impossible?

3. What should you be doing right now to improve the level of your faith so you have no deficiency the next time Jesus asks you to do something that is impossible in the natural?

Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another….
— 1 Thessalonians 5:11

We all experience hardships from time to time. These hardships may be financial stress, strained relationships, poor health, a job that seems overwhelming, or another personal disappointment of some type. The list of things that cause difficult moments is endless. But at some point, everyone comes face-to-face with a moment when he or she wonders if they will “make it” through the event they are experiencing in life.

To be honest, I’ve felt those emotions many times. Over the course of our ministry, God has called my family to live in difficult environments and to do things that were far outside of our comfort zone. In fact, sometimes the task at hand was so difficult and challenging that it seemed utterly impossible in the natural realm. Although the Holy Spirit lives within me and I am very aware of this marvelous truth, the fact is that there were times when I needed a tender touch of encouragement to bolster my confidence and to reassure me that I was capable of fulfilling my divine assignment. Personally, no one in my life is more effective at this than my precious wife Denise.

Although others may not see it at the time, Denise knows when I am struggling inwardly to overcome a monumental task even as I keep doing all I can to press forward in faith. I couldn’t begin to count the times Denise has tenderly placed her arm around me, touched my hand, or peered deep into my eyes and offered encouragement when I have felt challenged. Often the greatest comfort she gives is simply her silent, supportive presence. Words are wonderful, but words do not always bring comfort — especially if we already know all the answers but still feel frail and weak. How I thank God for Denise’s love and accepting presence and the comfort she brings to my heart. In those moments when I have felt overwhelmed and so very alone, she was at my side, and simply knowing she was “there” brought strength to my soul.

All of this comes to my mind when I read Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica. Paul wrote them at a time when the congregation needed comfort in order to overcome the adversities that were buffeting them from every side. If anyone had ever faced trouble and trials, it was this church, and they really needed to be comforted and strengthened. Paul wasn’t personally there to do it, so he urged them to do it for one another. He said, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together…” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Because of their newfound faith in Christ, they were going through many different types of hardships. Many were experiencing financial stress because they lost their jobs when they came to Christ. Many others were being physically beaten or imprisoned and lived with the understanding that they might eventually lose their lives. Paul knew they were undergoing great hardship, so in this verse, he wrote and told them to “comfort” one another.

What does Paul mean when he says they were to “comfort” one another? The Greek word for “comfort” is parakaleo. Its primary meaning is to comfort, to encourage, or to speak consoling words, especially in times of difficulty or bereavement. It could also be used in a militaristic sense to describe a commanding officer exhorting his troops before going into battle. Knowing that a serious conflict lies ahead of them, the commanding officer speaks words that stir and strengthen the troops before they march off into the fray. In the Old Testament Septuagint, the word parakaleo was used similarly to mean to comfort, to show compassion, to encourage, to support, or to strengthen. In total, this particular Greek word is used 109 times in the New Testament, mostly by Paul, and it encompasses all of the above meanings.

So when Paul told the Thessalonians to “comfort” one another — and thereby instructs us to do the same — he was telling them (and us) that we need to give encouragement to those around us who need it. Those who are in the middle of a battle especially need our strengthening words or supportive presence. Paul urges us to hearten them, to cheer them up, or to give some kind of boost that will help them make it further along the way. Sometimes that “comfort” may be speaking words that stir or impart strength, as a military officer does to strengthen the resolve of his troops. Or it could simply mean a silent, strengthening presence like my wife Denise gives me in my most difficult moments. We must never forget that often the mere presence of a friend or companion can bring great comfort to our hearts.

But that’s not all that Paul told us to do. In First Thessalonians 5:11, he went on to say, “Wherefore comfort yourselves, and edify one another….” What does the word “edify” mean? This word is not common in today’s vernacular, so what specifically was Paul telling us to do?

The word “edify” is a translation of the Greek word oikodomeo — which is a compound of oikos and demoo. The word oikos is the word for a house, and demoo is the word for construction. When they are compounded, the new word describes the enlarging of a house, as well as all that is entailed in the building process. To add to a house or building, one must plan ahead, implement ideas, use instruments, and make a sizable investment. Basically, this word describes a deliberate decision, as enlarging a house doesn’t normally occur accidentally. Have you ever seen a house that was added to without a plan? It usually looks like a house that was built with no foresight!

Therefore, when Paul exhorted us to “edify one another” in First Thessalonians 5:1, he was telling us to be very deliberate about how we encourage others. Our actions and words should encourage and build people up — that is, add to them, advance them, augment them, enhance them, or improve them in some way. We should put great effort into making other people’s lives richer, fuller, and better. Accidental edification is appreciated when it occurs. But Paul was not asking for occasional, accidental, haphazard edification; he was requesting a well thought-out plan that occurs with great deliberation.

You should view this task of edifying people who are feeling overwhelmed and challenged as a personal construction project. What plan do you have to personally help enhance the lives of those around you? Are you sticking with a plan that the Holy Spirit gave you, or are you just hoping for accidental encouragement and growth?

At the beginning of today’s Sparkling Gem, I spoke of Denise’s strengthening and encouraging presence in my life. I can testify that she has been very deliberate in her encouragement of me and very intentional in her efforts to be an instrument God can use to enhance my life. I have learned so much about this subject by watching Denise. Today I want to ask you:

• Has anyone ever comforted you during a difficult time?
• What was it like to experience that comfort? What did that comfort do for you personally?
• Can you describe a time when someone comforted you with spoken words or by putting an arm around your shoulder or by tenderly touching your hand?
• Can you recall when someone gave you strength to make it through another day simply being “there” for you?

The Thessalonians were facing great trials and tribulations, so Paul told them, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another….” He was asking them to be intentional in the way they helped each other.

So keep alert today, because the Lord may very well want to use you to bring your intentional encouragement and support to someone who needs it. It’s a great day to bolster others’ strength for the battle and make their lives richer, fuller, and eternally better through the strategic help of the Comforter Himself who lives within!

MY PRAYER FOR TODAY

Father, I thank You for the way You have often comforted me through encouragement from people you placed in my life at just the right time. Lord, You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. I ask You to speak words of life and strength through me to the weary who come across my path. Holy Spirit, You are the Comforter. I yield to Your power and presence within me to bring deliberate and specific support to those who are in the middle of a battle or great trial. You know what they need — whether comforting words or silent support. I make myself available to You, Holy Spirit. Let my words be Your words — so full of wisdom and grace that they minister grace to people in their times of need. Make me an instrument of Your peace and comfort, that I may comfort others the way You faithfully comforted me when I needed it the most.

I pray this in Jesus’ name!

 

MY CONFESSION FOR TODAY

I declare that my actions and words encourage and build people up. What I say and the way I live will advance, enhance, and improve the lives of others in some way. I put deliberate, well-thought-out effort into making other people’s lives richer, fuller, and better. I look for ways to cheer them up or give them some kind of boost. I appreciate when I can accidentally be a blessing, but I purpose to deliberately and consistently be a blessing to every life I have the privilege to reach to the glory of God.

I declare this by faith in Jesus’ name!

 

QUESTIONS FOR YOU TO CONSIDER

1. As you review your life, can you name a person who has been a special strength to you? If yes, have you ever taken time to express your gratitude to that person for the role he or she has played in your life?
2. Can you think of someone who needs your intentional help right now? What steps can you take to be encouraging to that person, perhaps even today? Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the steps you can take or the words you can speak that will enlarge that person’s confidence and strengthen his or her hope.
3. If you are troubled by events happening in your life, have you asked anyone to pray with you or have you opened your heart so they will know that they need to be especially encouraging to you? To whom could you speak about the things you are facing right now?