Do you know how to stand in the strength of God? Do you rely on your own strength, the strength of theology, or the strength of Jesus?
The Bible exhorts us to be strong in the Lord, yet many Christians have never learned how to stand in the strength of God.
Ephesians 6 says:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
(Eph. 6:10-18)
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. Our struggle is against rulers, powers, and forces of darkness. There are different kinds of devils just as there are different kinds of angels, but the devil doesn’t have anything new.
The same things he tricked Eve with are what he uses today. We must be wise enough to stand against the schemes of the devil and not each other.
We fight God when we fight each other, because we are fighting the same spirit that should be bearing witness with the Holy Spirit. When we stand in God’s strength, we are on alert for the Body of Christ.
Instead of helping the devil tear down the Body, we completely quench his flaming missiles with the light of God.
The strength of God is joy, and the joy of the Lord is your strength. If you are standing in the strength of God, joy should be evident in your life.
Some people attribute the growth of my ministry to my personality. They say, “You are an exciting individual. You know how to stir people up!”
They believe that my personality has opened up doors for me. The truth is that the Lord Jesus Christ opens up the doors as I stand in His strength.
I never stand in my own strength; I can’t handle it. Jesus said to His disciples, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matt. 26:41).
So I don’t stand in the realm of the flesh; I crucify it daily and stand in the strength of God.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Jesse Duplantis, minister of the Gospel, motivational speaker, television personality, and best-selling author, has been in full-time ministry since 1976 and is the founder of Jesse Duplantis Ministries, located in the Greater New Orleans area of south Louisiana in the United States of America. With over four decades of sharing his unique blend of humor and faith around the world, generations of believers have been inspired by his messages and countless numbers have come to know Jesus Christ as Savior through his ministry.
Known for his unflinching, status-quo-breaking messages and humorous take on experiences in the life of the believer, Jesse continues to draw large audiences of believers through social media, television, and meetings held around the world. With speaking engagements booked years in advance, Jesse Duplantis continues to keep an intense traveling schedule, flying throughout the United States and the world preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With no booking agents pursuing meetings for him and no set fees imposed upon churches for speaking engagements, Jesse chooses his outreach meetings based on the same two criteria he always has: invitations that come in and prayer over each one. This uncommon way of scheduling in today’s world means Jesse’s many followers may find him speaking in some of the largest churches and venues in America and the world, as well as a great many small and growing congregations, too. No church is too big or small for the Holy Spirit, as he says.
Side by side with his wife Cathy Duplantis, the co-founder and chief of staff of Jesse Duplantis Ministries and the senior pastor of Covenant Church in Destrehan, Louisiana, Jesse continues to fulfill his life’s calling by daily taking up the Great Commission of Jesus Christ: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). Through social media, television broadcasts, books, and other ministry products, as well as through many evangelistic meetings, the JDM website, the JDM app, and Voice of the Covenant magazine, Jesse Duplantis continues to see growth in his ministry and expand each year while maintaining his roots. Jesus is the center of his life. The salvation of lost people and the growth of believers is the purpose of his ministry. And for both he and his wife, every day is another day to “Reach People and Change Lives, One Soul at a Time.”