For Those Facing Something Tough Today

Often we are faced with challenges of various sorts. Spiritual. Mental. Emotional. Physical. Vocational. Hard choices. Some days it seems as if they come from every direction. Possibly, today you face a very hard challenge. Here is the good news: for those facing something tough today, as a follower of Jesus Christ, God empowers you in your inner man to do whatever it is that you need to do today to honor Him in the midst of your pressure-filled circumstances.

The Incredible and Sufficient Power God Provides

Whatever it is that challenges you today, in the midst of this difficulty, God empowers you in your inner man. Whatever kind of strength you need to make it today, God gives that to you. Discouraged? God empowers you. Tough choice? God empowers you. Need to forgive someone? God empowers you. Need to say what is right in love? God empowers you. Whatever and however you need to honor the Lord, God empowers you to do that specific thing.

Just as a side note, we are not talking about power to do those things the Bible does not talk about, like perform a miracle, run faster, run longer, pick up things heavy, win a football game or some other kind of support, etc. God provides us any ability we have to make it through a day as part of His general grace. However, the Bible never promises and God does not provide power for your body to do the supernatural; instead, God strengthens your inner man to enable you to do anything that God has asked you to do. Face a hard pressure – God helps. Get through grief – God helps. Respond to disappointment – God helps that too. Honor God in whatever – yes.

Notice how the Apostle Paul explains it:

¹⁴For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, ¹⁶that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— ¹⁹to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

²⁰Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:`14-21)

Catch three key points:

God strengthens your inner man through the power of His Spirit. He provides this strength according to the riches of His glory, which simply means that the power He provides is unlimited.
God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we ask or think, according to the power that works in us. Again, notice the nuance of the Bible text here. This text refers to the power that is at work in you. You can do those things God wants you to do because of the power of the Spirit that is at work in you.
God provides you power so that you can do those things in your tough circumstances that will bring Him glory.

The Source of the Power is the Holy Spirit.

Paul identifies the Holy Spirit as the source of power we enjoy. In order to understand how powerful the Holy Spirit is which works in you, you will need to read how Paul introduces this earlier in the book. Here are the key verses – and get ready to be blown away!

¹⁸… that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, ¹⁹and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power ²⁰which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, ²¹far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

²²And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, ²³which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1:18-23)

Paul describes the power of the Spirit that works in you as:

The power that raised Jesus from the grave – Resurrection Power;
The power that seated Jesus at God’s right hand in the heavenly places – Ascension Power;
The power that put all things under Jesus’ feet – Victorious Power;
The power that made Jesus the head over all things to the church – Ruling Power.

The resurrection, ascension, victorious, ruling power that worked in Jesus is the same power that works in you, me, and every person who follows Jesus.