Day 6: Spirit of Might

Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might!
Ephesians 6:10

Used here, it seems to imply power-strenght-might-the stuff needed to overcome even the most powerful forces that can be thrown at us. Paul warns is in Ephesians about the spiritual battles all around us, and so do Peter, Jude and John. Not just spiritually, but we see the same word used to describe David’s ‘mighty men’ in the second book of Samuel. It wasn’t that they were physically strong-some undoubtably were-but their power-their strength-was manifested by God into something even stronger, bigger and far superior to the adversary. 

It also reflects in boldness: strength in proclaiming the truth of God. The power that goes out from speaking truth and His word isn’t from us, it is the mighty power of the word of God. Jesus very pointedly stated to Peter that just by his confession-his recognition that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah, the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world-that those words themselves are so infused with power that not even the gates of hell-absolutely NOTHING-can stop that mighty force. 

There has been a phenomenon taking place lately that is being called ‘a Word of Power from God’. I’m not sure why this is a ‘new phenomena’…God spoke and the world came into existence. That’s pretty powerful. That word of power was evident when Jesus healed the blind… the leper…most importantly when He cried out: “Father, forgive them…”

Yes, I know context is key and that phrase-spoken while He was on the cross-suggests that it was directed at the people who were doing the crucifying, namely the Roman centurions. EXCEPT that the context doesn’t actually limit itself to that situation. For in the realm of eternity it was you…and I…and every other sinner in the world-which is ALL of us-are guilty of nailing Him to that cross. Our sins are why, so we are just as responsible for welding the hammer as the Romans were. So Jesus spoke this wonderful mighty word of power ‘Forgive’. And that word, that mighty word, the power of that word the very Spirit of the Might of that word reverberated not only forward in time, but back through  history, echoing from the beginning of eternity to the end-‘Forgive’. 

Only Jesus-the Word-has the power-the strength-the might-to forgive us. And only Jesus-the Word-has  that Spirit of Might.

Matthew 16:17-18
And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father in Heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.