Nougat 19

I pray that we are not too overwhelmed by all that is happening in our lives at this time. And if we are, might I commend to us today’s Holy Nougat

“A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Be Empowered by the Lord and in the Strength and Might of Him – that’s what the original text transliterates to. There’s a subtle difference in the nuancing; but it is close enough. I wish to focus on the transliteration.

To be empowered is to allow another’s influence and intervention transform our outlook and allow us to defend our rights; or to receive and utilize authority given to us. As empowered believers, this means that we recognize our Christ-purchased Authority AND that Jesus’ influence has transformed our lives to the extent that we will defend our rights.

‘What rights?’, you ask. That includes all the gifts, graces and status that comes from being heirs to God’s Kingdom. The Right to be called ‘Sons’ of God; as it was the son who had primary inheritance rights. And it’s also the Rights outlined in Matthew 5 (ie the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount). They intimate that although we have Rights, there are those who seek to challenge our authority. Thus we are downtrodden, humiliated, reviled and persecuted … but we withstand by faith; practicing mercy, humility, purity of heart despite; seeking after God’s way, because we KNOW what our Future holds and just Who holds our Future. And our ‘rights’ include all that we inherit and are called: Mercy, Comfort, Seeing God, Righteousness, being identified as God’s Children, and Access to Heaven.

It is in the knowledge of our status and our rights that we assume the grace to endure. That’s part of the Strength and Might in which we stand. For God’s might isn’t about dynamo only; God’s might included speaking a few words which disarmed the devil; as well as dying and rising from the dead for the forgiveness of sin. And God’s strength birthed God’s Created order; stilled storms (within us and without) and healed diseases. If then we are Christ’s, then we are authorized co-Creators with Him, stillers of storms and healers of the broken.

Like the apostle’s era, we are facing extremely challenging situations. Is it then time to walk as empowered people and in the strength and might of God?

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May all we seek be found in Christ