Empowered Living: Serving in God's Strength

Devotional

Day 1: Living by Divine Empowerment

The Christian life is distinct because it is lived by the strength that God supplies, not merely by human effort. This divine empowerment is a mystery and a miracle that allows us to glorify God in all we do. The essence of this life is not found in our own abilities but in the strength that God provides. This strength is not just a theological concept but a practical reality that transforms our daily actions and decisions. By relying on God's power, we can accomplish tasks that seem beyond our natural capabilities, and in doing so, we bring glory to God. [01:31]

"For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (Colossians 1:29, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to rely more on God's strength rather than your own? How can you begin to make this shift today?

Day 2: The Synergy of Effort and Grace

Serving in God's strength involves a dynamic interplay between our efforts and God's grace. Scriptures like Philippians 2:12-13 and Colossians 1:29 highlight this synergy, where our toil is infused with divine energy. This relationship between human effort and divine grace is not a contradiction but a harmonious partnership. As we work diligently, we must also recognize that it is God's grace that enables and sustains us. This understanding encourages us to approach our tasks with humility and gratitude, knowing that our success is not solely dependent on our efforts but on God's empowering presence. [03:18]

"Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." (Philippians 2:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: How can you consciously invite God's grace into your daily tasks and responsibilities? What practical steps can you take to acknowledge His presence in your work?

Day 3: Trusting in God's Promises

J.I. Packer's framework for living in God's strength involves recognizing tasks, praying for help, working with hope, and thanking God. This aligns with the APTAT acronym, emphasizing the importance of trusting specific promises. Trusting in God's promises is crucial for living by faith. This involves actively recalling and relying on specific scriptural promises as we face life's challenges, transforming our walk into a journey of faith. By holding onto these promises, we can navigate difficulties with confidence, knowing that God is faithful to fulfill His word. [05:19]

"Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23, ESV)

Reflection: What specific promise from God can you hold onto today as you face a particular challenge? How can this promise shape your response to the situation?

Day 4: Walking by Faith

Trusting in God's promises is not just a vague notion but a concrete practice of faith. It requires us to remind ourselves of specific promises from scripture, such as Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:19, and Romans 8:32, and to act on them with confidence. This practice transforms our daily walk into a journey of faith, where we live not by our strength but by the strength that God supplies. By internalizing these promises, we cultivate a mindset of trust and reliance on God, which empowers us to face life's uncertainties with courage and hope. [07:47]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you make the practice of recalling and relying on God's promises a regular part of your daily routine? What difference might this make in your life?

Day 5: Equipping with God's Promises

Memorizing and meditating on God's promises, such as Isaiah 41:10 and Romans 8:32, equips us to face tasks with confidence, knowing that God is with us and will supply our needs. This practice strengthens our faith and reliance on God. By embedding these promises in our hearts, we are better prepared to confront challenges and uncertainties with a sense of peace and assurance. This spiritual discipline not only fortifies our faith but also deepens our relationship with God, as we learn to trust Him more fully in every aspect of our lives. [12:11]

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one promise from God that you can commit to memorizing this week? How can this promise serve as a source of strength and encouragement in your current circumstances?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we delve into the profound question of what distinguishes the Christian life from that of a non-Christian. This inquiry is rooted in the desire to live a life that is not merely human effort but is empowered by the divine strength of God. The key scripture guiding this exploration is 1 Peter 4:10-11, which emphasizes serving by the strength that God supplies. This is not just a theological concept but a practical guide for living a life that glorifies God through Jesus Christ.

The essence of living a distinctively Christian life lies in understanding how to serve and work in God's strength. This involves a mysterious yet miraculous process where our efforts are infused with divine energy. The Apostle Paul provides several insights into this dynamic in scriptures like Romans 8:13, Philippians 2:12-13, and Colossians 1:29, where he speaks of working hard yet acknowledging that it is God's grace and energy at work within him.

J.I. Packer's approach to this question, as outlined in his book "Keep in Step with the Spirit," offers a practical framework. It involves recognizing the tasks before us, praying for divine assistance, working with a hopeful heart, and thanking God for His help. This aligns closely with the APTAT acronym I developed, which stands for Admit, Pray, Trust, Act, and Thank. The critical step here is Trust, which involves holding onto specific promises from God as we face life's challenges.

Trusting in God's promises is not just a vague notion but a concrete practice of faith. It requires us to remind ourselves of specific promises from scripture, such as Isaiah 41:10, Philippians 4:19, and Romans 8:32, and to act on them with confidence. This practice transforms our daily walk into a journey of faith, where we live not by our strength but by the strength that God supplies.

Key Takeaways

1. The Christian life is distinct because it is lived by the strength that God supplies, not merely by human effort. This divine empowerment is a mystery and a miracle that allows us to glorify God in all we do. [01:31]
2. Serving in God's strength involves a dynamic interplay between our efforts and God's grace. Scriptures like Philippians 2:12-13 and Colossians 1:29 highlight this synergy, where our toil is infused with divine energy. [03:18]
3. J.I. Packer's framework for living in God's strength involves recognizing tasks, praying for help, working with hope, and thanking God. This aligns with the APTAT acronym, emphasizing the importance of trusting specific promises. [05:19]
4. Trusting in God's promises is crucial for living by faith. This involves actively recalling and relying on specific scriptural promises as we face life's challenges, transforming our walk into a journey of faith. [07:47]
5. Memorizing and meditating on God's promises, such as Isaiah 41:10 and Romans 8:32, equips us to face tasks with confidence, knowing that God is with us and will supply our needs. This practice strengthens our faith and reliance on God. [12:11]
** [12:11]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:12] - Distinctive Christian Life
[00:25] - Serving in God's Strength
[00:55] - Glorifying God Through Service
[01:31] - Living by Christ's Life
[02:05] - The Mystery of Divine Strength
[02:42] - Scriptural Insights on Divine Strength
[03:40] - The Heart of Christian Living
[04:13] - J.I. Packer's Framework
[05:19] - APTAT: A Practical Guide
[06:32] - The Importance of Trust
[07:47] - Trusting Specific Promises
[09:00] - Walking by Faith
[10:36] - Practical Suggestions for Daily Living
[12:11] - Go-To Promises for Strength

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Peter 4:10-11
Philippians 2:12-13
Isaiah 41:10

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Observation Questions:

According to 1 Peter 4:10-11, how are we instructed to use the gifts we have received? What is the ultimate purpose of serving by the strength that God supplies? [00:25]
In Philippians 2:12-13, what does it mean to "work out your own salvation," and how does this relate to God's role in our efforts? [02:42]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between our efforts and God's grace, particularly in the context of Colossians 1:29? [03:18]
What is the significance of the APTAT acronym mentioned in the sermon, and how does it relate to living a life empowered by God's strength? [05:19]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of serving by God's strength challenge the common understanding of self-reliance in our culture? What might this look like in practical terms? [01:12]
The sermon mentions the importance of trusting specific promises from God. How does this practice transform the way a Christian faces daily challenges? [07:47]
J.I. Packer's framework for living in God's strength includes recognizing tasks and praying for help. How does this approach differ from simply relying on one's own abilities? [04:13]
In what ways does memorizing and meditating on God's promises, such as Isaiah 41:10, equip believers to face life's tasks with confidence? [12:11]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent situation where you relied solely on your own strength. How might the outcome have been different if you had applied the principles of APTAT? [05:19]
Identify a specific promise from scripture that you can hold onto this week. How will you remind yourself of this promise in moments of doubt or challenge? [09:00]
Consider a task or responsibility you currently find overwhelming. How can you incorporate prayer and trust in God's strength to approach it differently? [04:42]
How can you make the practice of memorizing scripture a regular part of your spiritual routine? What steps will you take to start this habit? [12:11]
Think about a time when you felt God's strength working through you. What were the circumstances, and how did it impact your faith journey? [03:18]
How can you encourage others in your small group or community to live by the strength that God supplies? What practical steps can you take to support each other in this journey? [00:55]
Reflect on the role of gratitude in your spiritual life. How can thanking God for His help become a more integral part of your daily routine? [05:02]

Sermon Clips

I think this is just about the most fundamental question you can ask about how to live the distinctively Christian Life how do you live so that it is not you who live but Christ who lives in you how do you exert yourself and make resolutions in such a way that you are not relying on your exertions and your resolutions but on the supernatural work of the spirit of God in you. [00:01:18]

Romans 8:13 by the spirit put to death the Deeds of the body so we are to do the sin killing but we are to do it by the spirit how Philippians 2:12 work out your own salvation because it is God who works in you to Will and to work for his good pleasure so we are to work but the willing and the working is God's willing and working how how do we experience that First Corinthians 15:10 I worked harder than any of them though it was not I but the grace of God that was with me. [00:02:29]

J.I. Packer's framework for living in God's strength involves recognizing tasks, praying for help, working with hope, and thanking God. This aligns with the APTAT acronym, emphasizing the importance of trusting specific promises. Trusting in God's promises is crucial for living by faith. This involves actively recalling and relying on specific scriptural promises as we face life's challenges, transforming our walk into a journey of faith. [00:03:36]

The difference between my aptat and Packers paragraph is is this he barely mentions my middle t, trust a specific promise about your situation that you're about to walk into you can hear that he he means it he believes it of course he does you can hear it in his third point but it's almost lost he says he says it this way third you go to work with a good will and a high heart and then he says expecting to be helped I said yes yes yes exactly that's Faith expecting to be helped according to your request for help. [00:06:22]

Most of us face a difficult task that makes us anxious and we remember to say help me help God I need you so we more or less reflexively Express the first two steps a p ask or admit admit helplessness and ask for a pray for help but then we move straight from pray and admit to we pray and then we Act but this robs us of a very powerful step in walking by the spirit walking in the strength that God supplies. [00:08:09]

After we pray for God's help this is tea now we should remind ourselves of a specific promise that God has made and fix our minds on it and put our faith in it how many times and I wish I did it absolutely consistently because it's so precious when you can when you consistently do it how many times have I said I believe you I caught myself a promise like the promise of I will help you John Piper I will strengthen you I'll uphold you and I say I believe you I believe you right now. [00:09:02]

We need to do this we do it by reminding ourselves of specific concrete promises that God has made and Jesus has bought with his blood second Corinthians 1:20 all the promises of God are yes in Jesus and we consciously trust the promises that we have and we act on them so here's my suggestion practically to Jacob for how to put this into practice read the Bible every day every day always on the lookout for specific promises God may want to give you for that very day. [00:10:36]

Memorize a few promises that are so universally applicable to every situation that they will serve you when you face a task to be done in the strength that God supplies then as those tasks come go through aptet admit you can do this on your own not fruitfully not with any Eternal significance pray for the help you need then call to mind one of your memorized promises and trust it put your faith in it then act believing that God is acting in you through you according to his promise and then thank him. [00:11:25]

Fear not for I am with you be not dismayed I'm your God I will strengthen you in the next half hour I will help you in the next hour I will hold you up with my righteous right hand in the next day I will do you believe me John Piper Do You Believe Me Oh What A Difference it makes when you have a concrete word from God from the scriptures and you believe it as you walk into a difficult trying situation or Philippians 4:19 my God Will Supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory. [00:12:19]

Hebrews 13:5-6 I will never leave you I will never forsake you so we can confidently say the Lord is my helper I will not fear what can man do to me man can't do anything to me but what God at my side omnipotently permits him to do because he loves me foundational for every one of those I've got goodness I don't know how many of these promises written down but here's the last one I'll mention Romans 8:32 he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all so that's the foundation of absolutely everything. [00:13:10]

Never cease to ponder Paul's words in Galatians 2:20. I have been crucified with Christ it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me there's that switch no longer I but Christ and then he explains it and the life that I now live oh yes you do live a life In the Flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me so not I yet I by faith and I'm simply saying make it specific by faith in a particular precious promise. [00:14:04]

This episode reminds me of one other episode that featured this Trio of texts First Corinthians 15:10 and Colossians 1:29 and first Peter 4:11. it was uh back in our first year I think it was apj 143 and it's titled work like an Armenian sleep like a calvinist question mark work like an armydia and sleep like a calvinist a great episode to compliment this one check it out thank you for joining us today ask a question of your own search for apj 143 in the archive or subscribe to the podcast. [00:14:47]

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Empowered Living: Serving in God's Strength

Devotional

Day 1: Living by Divine Empowerment

Day 2: The Synergy of Effort and Grace

Day 3: Trusting in God's Promises

Day 4: Walking by Faith

Day 5: Equipping with God's Promises

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Empowered Living: Serving in God's Strength

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