The Strength that Jesus Gives
From the sermon: Strength from Jesus: How to Give Thanks in All Circumstances
Aaron Lee | November 24, 2024 | FCBCW Children’s Worship | Philippians 4:13
Physical power – to endure and serve God (1 Timothy 1:12)
Actual presence – God is with us (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Spiritual perception – the ability to see the riches of his glory (Ephesians 3:16)
Jesus gives us strength to give thanks in all circumstances. That really is the big idea of our message. My hope is that when you go home, when you leave church today, you'll have a different mindset. Yes, we thank God for our food, but we should also be able to thank God when we don't have food because we have Jesus.
Now, maybe you've never thought about that before. Maybe you've lived your life simply saying, "Thank you for what I have." But God tells us that we should not only give thanks for what we have; we should also be able to give thanks for what we don't have. That's difficult.
What Kind of Strength Does Jesus Give?
Let me show you more of what I learned as I studied this passage. This idea of strength can sound a little ambiguous, right? What strength exactly are we talking about? Where is this strength coming from? What is this strength referring to?
As I was studying this passage, I remembered what I told you earlier: you don't just look at one verse in the Bible. You certainly study that verse, but you also look at the rest of Scripture to understand what else God is saying.
This is the strength that Jesus gives us. As I studied this passage, I found other verses in the Bible that help explain it. What is this power that Jesus gives us so that we can give thanks in all circumstances?
1. Physical Strength to Endure and Serve
First, Jesus gives us physical power to endure and serve God. He actually gives us the strength to continue when we don't have everything we need. Even when we lack physical food, Jesus can give us the strength to carry on and do what He wants us to do. That is true. Jesus gives us the strength to accomplish His purposes.
2. The Strength of God's Presence
Second, Jesus gives us the presence of God. That, too, is a form of strength. When you're a Christian, God is actually with you. The Holy Spirit empowers you to live your life faithfully, no matter what happens. Even when you don't receive certain things, Jesus gives you His presence. He says, "Don't worry. I am with you. I will take care of you."
3. Spiritual Vision to See God's Glory
Finally, Jesus gives us spiritual perception to see the riches of His glory. What does that mean? It means that even when you don't have everything this world offers, God gives you the ability to see how good He is. Even when you don't have food, you can still say, "You know what? I have Jesus. I have God. I have the Holy Spirit." And that is enough because He is beautiful, worthy, and glorious.
Not only that, but God also gives us the ability to see the future glory that awaits us in heaven.
This world is temporary. This world is finite. This world will not last forever. But there is a new heaven and a new earth. If you are in Christ, you will inherit all the riches of glory that are found in Him.
You'll be able to see that even when we don't have what we want in this world right now, we will have everything we need in the world to come because we will have God, and He will be enough to satisfy us.
Conclusion
These are the different kinds of strength that Jesus gives us. He gives us the power to say, "Thank You, God," even when we don't have everything we want in this life.