God encourages His people to be strong in the Lord.
Ephesians 6:10:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Often one’s strength isn’t obvious until challenges arise, but we can be strong in the Lord anytime by faithfully believing God’s Word and carrying it out.
Throughout the Bible, God has provided examples of men who were strong in the Lord that we can learn from and emulate. These men may or may not have been physically dominant, but they were definitely spiritually dominant because they believed God and obeyed His Word. They were able to face difficult circumstances and overcome situations that would have caused weak men to crumble. Let’s look at a few Biblical examples of men who were strong in the Lord.
JOSHUA WAS STRONG IN THE LORD.
Joshua 1:7:
Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.
God told Joshua to be strong and very courageous as he carried out what God called him to do, and Joshua was. It took strength and courage for Joshua to lead God’s people into the Promised Land and take it. He had the strength to do it because he believed God and obeyed His Word. Joshua 11:23 tells us, “So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the Lord said unto Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. And the land rested from war.”
DAVID WAS STRONG IN THE LORD.
Psalms 18:1,32:
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
David was a powerful warrior and king. He knew that his strength came from God. Shortly before he died, he exhorted his son Solomon to also be strong in the Lord by keeping God’s Word.
I Kings 2:2,3:
I go the way of all the earth: be thou strong therefore, and shew thyself a man;
And keep the charge of the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.
JESUS CHRIST WAS STRONG IN THE LORD.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of strength. He was strong enough to prevail in every situation and over every attack of the Devil because he trusted God and relied on His Word. He knew that believing and obeying God’s Word gave him the strength to endure and overcome.
Luke 4:4:
And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS STRONG IN THE LORD.
Philippians 4:13:
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul is a wonderful New Testament example of a man who was strong in the Lord. He overcame much opposition and hardship, and the result was a mighty ministry to God’s people and a mighty movement of God’s Word. He was able to accomplish this because he believed God and obeyed His Word—and God provided the necessary strength.
II Timothy 4:17:
Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
Men are strong in the Lord when they believe God and obey His Word like Joshua, David, Jesus Christ, Paul, and others. Today, God and His people still need men who are strong in the Lord to fulfill mighty ministries. Let’s continue to strengthen ourselves in the Lord by believing and obeying His Word!