That said, in the OT, His strength is demonstrated in both physical wars and spiritual battles. Scripture makes it clear that any power we have comes from Him:
1 Chronicles 29:11–12. “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all.”
Further, in Job 12:14–25, this man of God declares, “If he tears down, none can rebuild; if he shuts a man in, none can open. If he withholds the waters, they dry up; if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land. With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. He leads counselors away stripped, and judges he makes fools. He looses the bonds of kings and binds a waistcloth on their hips. He leads priests away stripped and overthrows the mighty. He deprives of speech those who are trusted and takes away the discernment of the elders. He pours contempt on princes and loosens the belt of the strong. He uncovers the deeps out of darkness and brings deep darkness to light. He makes nations great, and he destroys them; he enlarges nations, and leads them away. He takes away understanding from the chiefs of the people of the earth and makes them wander in a trackless waste. They grope in the dark without light, and he makes them stagger like a drunken man.”
God’s strength not only overpowers all opposition to Him, He also demonstrates His great strength by rescuing His people even as they rebelled against Him. In Psalm 106:8 the psalmist speaks of the exodus and their rebellion, then says, “Yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power.”
The NT also speaks of God’s strength. Significantly, the final book uses the same terms to describe both the Father and the Son, attesting to the deity of Jesus Christ:
Revelation 4:11. “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Revelation 5:12. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
This same Greek word is also used to describe God’s power at work in believers. Ephesians 1:18–20 says, “Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places.”
Another marvel of redemption is that God gives His Son and His power to believers and with that power begins to work in us. First, I am to love the Lord with all my “strength” yet that strength or ability is given by God. I cannot do it apart from Him. Ephesians 6:10 tells me to “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” then goes on to explain how His spiritual armor will give me that strength. This power is protection for the battle against evil yet also strength to serve the Lord and bring Him glory . . .
1 Peter 4:10–11. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
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