God
created every human being in His likeness: as a Trinity of spirit, body, and
soul - our mind, will and emotions (Genesis
1:27; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). He supplies us with a personality
temperament, as well as genes from our ancestors. All humans are born with the
instinct of self-preservation.
Sadly,
our spirit is dead in sin, which we inherited from Adam and Eve. Without coming
to Christ to receive forgiveness of our sins - both those we inherit and those willful
on our part - we are hell-bound and we struggle through life in our own
strength and resources (John 15:5).
We
make our plans, have our goals, and we are following our own passion; yet, we
want God to keep us from burning out and to bless all of our endeavors. Yet,
this is not what this verse implies.
When
we do humble our self and ask Christ to forgive us, He moves into our Born
Again spirit, and we access His wisdom, strength, protection and blessings
(Matthew 19:26; James 1:22).
Our Heavenly Father showers us with every good and
perfect gift throughout our life (James 1:17; 1 Peter 3:18). In
our union with Christ in us, we walk in His presence and follow the leading of His
Spirit.
He accomplishes through us everything that He created us to do
(Ephesians 2:8-10). We experience trials, but He is there in us and with us
through every moment of them (Philippians 4:12; 2 Corinthians 11:24-27).
Most
of us attempt to use Philippians 4:13 as a guarantee that God will bless all of
our plans. We insist that He give us His strength, even when we are walking in
the flesh and totally out of His will for our life.
We
can do everything that God calls us to do (Ephesians 2:10), because Christ
abides within us by His Spirit (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 2:10). We can
overcome all of life's challenges, when we remember to access the power of
Christ, who dwells in us.
Prayer:
Father
God, we can live through our trials with You abiding in us, more victoriously
than people who do not have You in their life (James 1:2-4). Thank You for
giving us Your strength for daily living, regardless of the trials or triumphs
that we experience. You supply all of our needs in our body, soul and spirit
through Your glorious riches (Philippians 4:19-20).
You
use our tribulation to remind us to run under the shelter of Your wings (Psalm
91:4). You supply us with Your armor to enable us to stand strong through any
tribulation (Ephesians 6:13; 1 Corinthians 15:57). Thank You for giving us Your
Spirit to guide us in Your will through every moment of our day so that we can
walk in Your love, joy and peace (John 16:33; 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Thought
for the Day:
In
Christ, we stop focusing on things pertaining to this world, and instead, we
look at life through spiritual eyes with spiritual desires and motives that
replace the carnal issues on which we once focused; our Godly contentment
allows us to further God's Kingdom in the earth by serving as an example of the
difference that Christ makes in one's life.
-
Matthew 6:32-33; 1 Timothy 6:6-7
