DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT - WEDNESDAY: God’s Desire For His People Today

No steam or gas ever drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows until it is focused, dedicated, disciplined. -- Harry Emerson Fosdick
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For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; -- Col 1:9-10 (KJV)

Paul’s letter to the Colossians was to instruct them in the ways of God. He desired for them that would be filled with the knowledge of His will, to walk worthy, being fruitful and increasing in the knowledge of God, and what Paul desired, is also what God desires for his people today…

TO BE STRONG IN HIS POWER
being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, -- Col 1:11. Wow! Is it not wonderful that God desires to strengthen us…? Wow! Is it not marvellous when He desires to give us this strength by His glorious power…? Wow! So that we may have great endurance and great patience! Wow! What a mighty God we serve!

Why do we need this?
In order to live a life that is worthy of the Lord, we must be strengthened by His power! This impartation of power is an ongoing experience of the receiving of the life of Christ in us! Absolutely nothing else but the power of God in us can equip us to overcome sin, Satan and the world…

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." -- Matt 28:18-20

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." -- Acts 1:8

We have to go and make disciples everywhere!
We begin in our families, in our workplaces, in our communities, in our Cities and in our Countries! And we do it with two of the gifts most desperately needed in our lives and Churches today…

Endurance… Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. -- Heb 12:1

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit. I want to run all the way with the flame of my torch still lit for Him. -- J. Stowell, Fan The Flame, Moody, 1986, p. 32.

Patience… Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. -- Col 3:12

"Patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. For if you put on more clothes as the cold increases it will have no power to hurt you. So in like manner you must grow in patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind." -- Leonardo da Vinci.

Our Father desires that we be strong in His power that we may have endurance and patience! Let His desire be our desire!

Loving Father, I thank you that your desire is to strengthen me with your glorious power! I want to use this power for your glory in the winning of souls and in discipling them! I thank you that I am equipped for this by your authority and that I will be enduring and patient to accomplish this! In Jesus Name I pray Amen!