December 15

Surely they will say of Me, ‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’” All who rage against Him will come to Him and be put to shame. — Isa 45:24 BSB

The same Holy Spirit who shines into our conscience, making us feel the guilt of sin, the curse of the law, and our own miserable condition as transgressors, also teaches us that we have no strength. Have you ever felt utterly powerless? Have you wanted to believe, but couldn’t? Wanted to hope, but couldn’t? Wanted to love, but couldn’t? Wanted to keep God’s word, but found yourself unable? Wanted to obey His commandments, but couldn’t find the strength? Has the sense of your own weakness and helplessness ever weighed you down to the point of despair?

You knew there was faith, hope, love, blessing, and peace in the truth of God, a pardon and joy that you could see but couldn’t reach. You knew that if you could only believe, everything would be fine, but you found yourself unable to believe. Through this, you learned you had no strength of your own. As we learn this lesson, we also begin to learn in whom our strength lies. As we are granted access to Christ through a living faith, we receive strength from Him to meet our spiritual needs.

Despairing of all strength in ourselves, we turn to the Lord Jesus, seated at the right hand of the Father, to give us His strength. We lift up our prayers and supplications to Him, asking that He would strengthen our souls. When He answers, sending His Spirit and grace, we are “strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy” (Colossians 1:11). This is what it means to be "strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might," to be "strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner being" (Ephesians 6:10, 3:16).