Be Strong

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”- Ephesians 6:10-11
There is a dramatic difference between my power and the Lords power. Mine seems to give out at the exact time that it is really needed! In today's reading from the Bible we are told to be strong. Not in our power: strong IN THE LORD. How do we do that? By staying IN HIS mighty power.
Several years ago I wrote a little mini-book on the armor of God called "Fatal Affliction". In it I refer to this scripture where we are asked to put on the FULL armor. If you are like me(and I bet you are!), you run out of the house sometimes without the essentials...a jacket...an umbrella....a hat....you know what I mean. My kids never want to wear their coats so they are not FULLY clothed and prepared for the possibility of bad weather. Why is that important? Because in Oklahoma it can be 72 degrees one day and 27 degrees the next!
Paul is warning us to dress properly...to put on ALL of the armor of God. We can't afford to run out the door half-dressed. We cannot afford to wear the wrong attire to work. We need to take a stand...a stand against the schemes and plans of our enemy.
The enemy has strategies for your demise. But God gives you a mind that is wise. You can thrive in the midst of tough times. You can find some joy when there seems to be nothing to smile about. You can secure peace right in the middle of chaos. Be strong. Be strong IN THE LORD. And utilize His mighty power by putting on ALL of the armor that is available!