Spiritual Strength

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4

A key area in prayer for me is to respond in praise when I encounter problems. I want to look to God for the answer, complaining doesn't accomplish anything.

Rejoicing is a key to victory in spiritual war. I want to use prayer to prepare myself. Areas of defeat or inaction may be strongholds in my life.

"Or how can anyone enter the strong man's house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house." Matthew 12:29

The strong man has to be bound to plunder his house. How do we bind the strong man?

Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God (Matt. 12:28), THEN the kingdom of God has come upon you. I am not saying all problems are demons. I feel the answer to our problems is not trying in our own efforts to solve the problem, but to solve the problem with God's help.

Some problems are solved simply. Other problems are chronic and need wisdom to overcome. These problems are solved spiritually by binding the strong man. How do we bind?

Binding comes by the Spirit of God. Jesus cast out demons by the Spirit of God. He didn't do it by Himself. So why am I trying to solve problems by myself? What allows the Spirit to flow through me so that I can bind?

Isaiah 30:15 "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength. But you were not willing,"

Spiritual strength comes from God's Spirit.

Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Zech 4:6

The steps to having the Spirit of God in my life are: 1) repentance; 2) rest; 3) quietness; 4) trust.


1) I repent of trying to solve the problems myself. I want to look to God for help in solving problems.


2) Rest - I have in the past tried to rest by serving and obeying. I will stop from my work and rest.


3) Quietness - Quietness allows me to still myself and listen. I will read the Bible and listen to God as He shows me the answers to the problems that I face. I will watch for God to make His wisdom known.


4) Trust - I will trust God to keep His word to me. I will walk in faith/obedience as God directs.

Jer 1:12

Isa 55:10,11

Rom 4:20,21

Power in Jesus

It is not what you are supposed to do but who you are
in Jesus that makes a difference.

When you know who you are in Jesus then you can obey
in faith.

Meditate, ponder, consider who you are in Jesus. This
will put you in the place for God to empower you.

Knowing what you are supposed to do won't empower you.

Jesus Expalined in Colossians

I wanted to start this blog with an introduction of Jesus. I went through Colossians and wrote down the passages that refered to Jesus. The references in parentheses are related passages.


1:1 Paul is Jesus’ apostle.

1:3 God is the Father of our lord Jesus Christ.

1:11 We are strengthened like Jesus for steadfastness and patience.

1:12 The Father has qualified us to share the inheritance of the saints in light. (Jesus is the light John 8:12)

1:13 We have been transferred into the kingdom of Jesus. (Matt. 3:17)

1:14 Our sins are forgiven by Jesus . (Eph 1:7)

1:15 Jesus is the image of the Father. (John 1:18)
Jesus is the first born of all creation. (Rom 8:29)

1:16 Jesus created all things. (Hebrews 1:2)

1:17 Jesus is befor all things. (John 1:1)
Jesus holds all things together. (Hebrews 1:3)


1:18 Jesus is the leader of the Church.(Eph. 1:22)
Jesus is the beginning . (John 1:1)
Jesus is the first born from the dead. (Acts 26:23)
Jesus has first place in everything.


1:19 All the fullness dwells in Jesus. (John 1:16; Eph. 1:22,23; 3:19)

1:20 Through Jesus all things are reconciled with the Father. (2 Cor 5:18)
Jesus made peace through the blood of the cross. (Eph. 2:14)

1:22 Jesus has reconciled us in His fleshly body through death.

1:27 Christ in us is the hope of glory. (Rom 5:2)

2:2 Christ is God’s mystery (1Cor. 16:25

2:3 In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Isa. 11:2)

2:5 Our faith is in Christ. ( Acts 16:31)

2:6 We are to walk with Jesus the same way that we received Him. (Gal 3:2)

2:8 Let Christ be the center of your teaching and not the world. ( Gal 1:8,9)

2:9 In Jesus all the fullness of God dwells. (John 10:30)

2:10 We are made complete in Christ. (John 1:16)
Jesus is the head of all rule and authority. (Eph,. 1:21,22)

2:11,12 We are now circumcised in Christ, which is water baptism.

2:13 Jesus made us alive. (Eph. 2:5)
Jesus forgave all our transgressions. (Rev. 1:5)

2:14 Jesus canceled the certificate of debt against us.. (Eph. 2:15)

2:15 Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities. (Heb. 2:14)

2:16,17 The Sabbath regulations are only a shadow of the reality who is Christ. (Heb. 8:5)

2:18,19 Don’t delight in regulations but in Christ. (Ps. 51:16,17)


2:20-23 Rules to regulate our actions won’t work. Dieing with Christ to the world will. (Gal. 3:2,3)

3:1 If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above. (Matt. 6:33; 16:23)

3:3 We have died with Christ. (Gal. 2:20)
Our lives are hidden with Christ in God. (Eph 2:6)

3:4 Christ is our life. (Phil 1:21)
We will be revealed with Christ in glory. (Phil. 3:21)

3:11 Christ is all.
Christ is in all. (Heb 1:3)

3:13 Christ has forgiven us. Follow that example. (Eph. 4:32)

3:15 Let Christ’s peace rule in your hearts. (John 14:27)

3:16 Let Christ’s word richly dwell in you. (Josh. 1:8)

3:17 Do everything in the name of Jesus. (1 Cor 10:31)

3:23 Do your work for Jesus not for man. (Eph. 6:7)

3:24 Jesus will give us the reward of the inheritance. (Eph. 6:8)
It is Jesus that we serve. (Gal 1:10)