#1498. Be Strong In God (20/4/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

Be strong in the Lord, not yourself. This devotional explores Ephesians 6:10 and how God’s strength equips us for life’s battles.

To watch this devotional, please select the link below:

I wonder - if we had the opportunity - what our final words would be to those we love? Imagine the moment: surrounded by family and friends, about to leave this world for glory - what would you say?

• Invest your money wisely?

• Protect the environment?

• Spend quality time with loved ones?

• Keep learning and growing?

There’s plenty of good advice we could give. But here, as Paul brings this letter to a close, he gives this:

‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.’

It echoes some of Jesus’ final words. In the Upper Room discourse, just before His death, He urged His disciples to depend on His strength. Using an agricultural picture, He said:

Similarly, in Philippians we read:

This principle - humbly drawing our strength from God - is some of the most important life advice we could ever receive and apply. We can pursue strength, success, and joy from many sources, but the strength that comes from God, by the Holy Spirit, must be our priority.

The phrase ‘be strong’ (endunamoó) means to be empowered, strengthened, and made strong. Importantly, it is a passive imperative - something God does in us, yet something we are commanded to receive.

It’s a bit like saying, “Be refreshed by drinking water.” The water does the refreshing—but we must drink.

If we are to be strong and joyful in life, we must not ultimately rely on habits, discipline, or psychology (helpful though they are). Rather, we are to rely on—and actively seek—the strength that God gives as we come to Him.

This week, as we reflect on the armour of God, we will explore how to be truly ‘strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.’

Response

Read and pray through the armour of God in Ephesians 6:10–17.

From the text, consider:

• Why do you need to be strong in the Lord and in His power?

• What is the nature of our struggle?

• What will the armour of God enable you to do?

We may feel weak and vulnerable. Perhaps our faith is being shaken—internally or externally. The battle can be fierce, but God wants to teach us how to stand firm and flourish in Him.

Community Group Study

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we resumed our series: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

We reflected on the vital truth that we are to seek to be strong in God by using the resources that He provides - The armour of God. 

Please read Ephesians 6:10-17 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection - From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• Why be strong in the Lord? - What does this passage say about the reasons we have to be strong in the Lord? 

• The armour  - The armour of God can be summarised: 

  • i. The belt of truth – Believing the truth of Scripture and living truthfully with others.

  • ii. The breastplate of righteousness – Trusting that we are made righteous by grace, and living righteously.

  • iii. The gospel shoes – Being ready to share the gospel of peace, standing firm in it when accused, and applying it in our relationships.

  • iv. The shield of faith – Holding firmly to the truths of the faith and actively trusting God in times of attack.

  • v. The helmet of salvation - Assurance of salvation - our hope.

  • vi. The sword of the Spirit - The ’Spirit-led' (prophetic) use of scripture to attack lies

What particular pieces of the armour resonate with you at this time in your life and why? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• Armour for mission -  What aspects of the armour ensure that, if put on, keep us effective in reaching our community for Jesus? 

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• General prayer: From our study, or from personal needs, how do people want prayer?