Strength in Christ: Embracing God's Sustaining Presence

We are so appreciative for all that he has done today uh and in our lives. We are indeed thankful and grateful people. Amen. And we believe and I I continue amen to reiterate if it had not been for the Lord who was on our side. Many of us share the testimony that we don't know where we would be. Amen. But I I'm so thankful that uh like the man that Amen was uh dealing with all of those spirits. Praise the Lord. We are sitting clothed and in our right mind. Amen. We are thankful that God has delivered us, that God has kept us, that God has healed us, that God has sustained us, that God has been faithful, amen, to those that have been faithful to him. [00:18:44]

The Bible says, "I can do all things which he has called me to do through him who strengthens me and empowers me to fulfill his purpose. I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency. I am ready for anything and equal to anything through him uh who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace." Amen. We are thankful that God is with us. [00:20:26]

Of course, um, you all I um I kind of struggled this week. Typically, it is our custom to uh whatever we are are teaching on Wednesday. We come back and uh try to pick up where we left off and move forward uh in that manner. This week, we did not uh have Bible study uh against all efforts. Praise the Lord. We were unable to this week. Uh but God is still good. Anyhow, uh there are several things that have happened this week and of course uh with that I try to uh do my best to keep uh our messages, our sermons, our series kind of relevant to uh what is going on. [00:21:14]

In a Christian context, may the force be with you, can be interpreted as a uh, wish for God's grace, strength, and guidance uh, to be with someone. Much like uh the Star Wars phrase, it only it is a way of wishing someone well and encouraging them with uh the belief in a higher power. Uh for more details or more of a breakdown uh as we are experiencing different things in our lives, uh we must understand that we need God's presence. Praise the Lord. [00:23:00]

The phrase can uh be seen as a way of expressing a desire for God's presence and believing and blessings in someone's life. It also can uh we can find this through the strength and the courage that comes from God. It is also represented as a wish for strength and courage especially in uh the face of challenges or difficult situations. uh we find uh uh these words that can encourage us both in hope and in faith. [00:23:33]

This refers to Paul's ability to be content in all things. Uh to achieve uh this contentment, he must uh and must rely on the strength that comes from Jesus Christ. In other words, this helps us to understand that we are not relying on our own strength, but we are relying on the help that comes from God. And this uh uh Christian contact may the force be with you again can be interpreted with uh the wishes for God's grace as you are moving forward in the things that God has called you to do. [00:25:28]

Unfortunately, many of us and then take this verse out of context uh in reference or try to uh reinforce it to a a triumph moment or a superch Christian uh moment, praise the Lord, or type of mentality instead of seeing it as that God's strength uh through Jesus Christ is in Paul's life and that it was evident in his ability. Praise the Lord. Amen. An ability to be content. Praise the Lord. as he suffered, as he went through, as he went through uh different countries and different nations and cities, uh he grew content in God and his ability to trust rely on the strength that only comes from God. [00:26:11]

We have to rely on the strength of God. As we move forward to do and to become who it is that God has instructed us to become. Amen. We have to make sure that we are relying on the force, the strength, the guidance that comes from God. Amen. We can't, amen, do it on our own ability. We can't do it based off of the knowledge that we have. But we have to trust in God no matter what. [00:27:18]

Looking back, amen, a few Sundays ago, and we talked about Jesus being in the garden. And many of us have to get in a position to where we're able to look at God and say, "Nevertheless, not my will, but thy will be done." Praise the Lord. We are relying on God's strength. Praise the Lord. Amen. As Paul has stated here, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Praise the Lord. Amen. Again, acknowledging that we are nothing without God. [00:27:44]

As we step into this next season, remember to take God with you. Take his strength. Take his power. Take his grace. Take his mercy. Take his guidance. As he is guiding you through this path, as he is guiding you through this journey, rely on him. Praise the Lord. And as we often state and quote the scriptures, looking unto Jesus, the author and the finisher of our faith. Praise the Lord. Looking to him that is able to keep us, sustain us. [00:28:40]

The many moments that we wanted to throw in the towel and give up and walk away. God kept us. Praise the Lord. When we wanted to walk away from him, he continued to draw near to us. Praise the Lord. And it didn't matter how far away we strayed away from him. Soon as we made a decision to turn back, he was there waiting with arms open, ready to receive us. Praise the Lord. And so we encourage you to take this God with you. This God that is Amen so wonderful. This God that is so mighty. This God that is so strong. Take him with you. [00:29:37]

Remind yourself and everybody around you that no matter how difficult I mean the situation may feel or seem or look or appear our God is stronger than anything that you could ever go through and with him you can accomplish everything I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. Take him with you. Take his spirit. Take his power. Take his authority. Take his anointing. Take the calling. Amen. Take it with you and remind the enemy that no weapon that's formed against you, it shall not be able to prosper. [00:30:16]

You have, Amen, power to speak life to every dead situation. You have the authority and the ability and to trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not to your own understanding, but in all of thy ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path. Take God with you. If you don't take your mother, take God with you. If you don't take your father, take God with you. You got to leave some friends. You got to leave some family. Amen. But take God with you. Praise the Lord. [00:30:56]

He's there to guide you. He's there to help you. He's there to strengthen you. He's there, Amen, to lift a standard and build a fence around you. He's there, amen, to guide you with grace, to guide you with mercy, and to guide you with power. Tell somebody, take God with you. Hallelujah. Amen. We serve an amazing God. Amen. that in spite of what we feel and in spite of all that we have gone through amen we are encouraged by amen these things that Paul amen has declared I can do all things praise the Lord amen it doesn't matter what we amen are going through doesn't matter amen what it is that God has called us to do amen we have to have the courage and the strength to believe in a higher power to believe in a higher force to believe in a higher calling to know that God is going to be there. [00:31:36]

His presence, amen, is promised. Amen. For he said it in his word that he would never leave us nor forsake us. Amen. He said that his strength and his courage would be there. Is in time of weakness that God's strength is made perfect. Amen. He told us in his word, Amen. that hope and faith was there. We are reminded according to the word of God that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Amen. We are drawing closer to him through prayer. Amen. Anybody that calls on the name of the Lord, Amen, they shall be saved. [00:32:31]

God didn't just do this with his words. Amen. But he promises us. Amen. That he would be there. Hallelujah. To help us. Amen. To shape us, to mold us, to build us. For God said it in his word, Amen. that he would be a very present help in the time of trouble. And with God on my side, I can do all things. Praise the Lord. With God, with Christ, amen, who strengthens me. Amen. I don't have to fear. Amen. I can be content. Amen. and knowing that this suffering of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory which shall be revealed in Christ Jesus. [00:33:11]

We have so many examples in the Bible. Hallelujah. Of God not forsaking us. Of God not abandoning us. Amen. The children of Israel. Amen. In the wilderness, God did not abandon them. Shadrach, Meack, and Abedneo. Amen. God did not abandon them. David, Amen, facing Goliath, God did not abandon him. Daniel in the lion's den, God did not abandon him. Jesus in the garden, Jesus on the journey, Jesus on the cross, God did not abandon him. Amen. Even Jesus while he was in the garden, I mean, those that were around him had fallen asleep. Amen. God saw fit. Amen. For Jesus not to be alone. Amen. He dispatched angels. Amen. To Jesus. Amen. To minister to him. Amen. [00:35:18]

He is the keeper of his promises. He promised not to leave us. He promised not to forsake us, but he'll be there helping us along the way and in this journey in this moment and in this hour. You have to take courage and knowing, hallelujah, that we serve a God who will always be there. He will always hold your hand. He will always wipe away your tears. He is a present helper in the time of trouble. He is our God, our solid rock, our strong foundation. Our unshakable faith is in God, a God that promised that he will never fail us. He won't fail you. God can do anything but fail. [00:36:22]