Strength is not a feeling, it’s your identity.
— Key Scripture in this episode:
Transcript
Today, we are going to take a “Posture of Peace” by believing strong.
Posture is a short, audible fist bump to remind you God is with you in everything. Together, we’re going to be emboldened to take a daily Posture of perfect peace.
Philippians 4:12-13. Now, before I jump in, let’s just all take a deep breath because we are about to take in some life-changing truth, okay? Don’t miss this, I’m about to read it. Philippians 4:12-13, it says, “I know what it means to lack, and I know what it means to experience overwhelming abundance. For I’m trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether in fullness or in hunger.” That’s interesting because that means it has nothing to do with what type of circumstance you might find yourself in right now. That’s good news. “And I find that the strength of Christ’s explosive power infuses me to conquer every difficulty.” All things, every difficulty, whether in fullness or in hunger. Now this is The Passion Translation, which I love. You may be familiar with Philippians 4:13 from other translations that says, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
Now, have you ever felt pressure to be strong or to be the strong one or to be the one who can just keep it all together? If so, I have very good news for you today. Ephesians 6:10 actually tells us to be strong, but listen to this, it says, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” So take note of the language here in both Philippians 4 and Ephesians 6, it’s talking about through Christ and in Christ. 1 John 4:4 says, “You are of God and have overcome because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
Strength is not a feeling, it’s your identity in Christ. It’s who you are today right now at this very moment, whether you’re in hunger or in fullness, you are strong because it’s who He is. And He is in you right now, and you are in Him. You are one with Jesus. You know, Jesus prayed for this oneness in John 17. He desired oneness with you. Let me read what He prayed in John 17, verse, we’ll start in 22. Jesus prayed, He said, “The glory that you have given me I have given them.” He’s talking to the Father. So we have the glory that has been given Jesus. “That they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and loved them even as you have loved me.” You know, the answer to Jesus’ prayer is what we find in 1 John 4:17, when it says, “As He is, so are we in this world.” Strength is not a feeling, it’s your identity. You know, Jesus is not depleted by whatever hard circumstance or anxious thoughts you may be wrestling with today. And if Jesus has not depleted by them, you don’t have to be depleted by them either.
Your identity in Christ is nothing that you earned, like everything in the kingdom, it can only be received. And how do you receive it? You believe. You receive by believing. Let me read over you 1 John 5:4-5. It says, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is the truth about you today. You are an overcomer, you are victorious, you are strong, why? Let this blow your mind today. You are all these things in Christ because you are loved by Christ. Romans 8:37 says, “In all things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Jesus loved you so He gave Himself up for you so that you could be raised as Him. So that as He is, so are you in this world. So just bask in the glory of this truth today. Soak in this truth. Let’s all practice being strong today by believing strong.