by Linda Burleson

Created on: August 22, 2009   Last Updated: September 01, 2009

Have you ever wondered about the many heroes of the faith and just how they accomplished the deeds they did - the Apostles, St. Francis, Joan of Arc, Albert Schweitzer and countless others. In a world in which ethics and morals are ambiguous at best it is difficult to understand how people went far and above even the most committed Christians most of us have known personally. What made them different? Were they born with an innate sense of servanthood and goodness? No more than you or I were is the answer. The difference is that they were able to tap into the Spirit that dwelt within them in a tangible way.

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" is a very spiritual scripture, yet it deals not just with the big moments in one's life, but with every moment. So often we read into scripture what we want it to say. Take, for instance, "Ask and it shall be given; seek and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you... ". This does not mean that God is our personal Santa Claus and that everything we ask for we will receive, yet that is often at the root of much of the prosperity gospel that is preached in modern churches, although it is, as it were, what we sometimes wish it meant. This is what is referred to as ear tickling, telling people what they want to hear. The real message is that Christ strengthens through relationship building. This puts an onus of responsibility on the believer. What better example of that than the Apostle Paul. Once he made a profession of faith in Christ Jesus, he went off by himself to "get acquainted"" with Him.

Salvation comes by believing and accepting Christ as personal savior. The relationship comes through prayer, Bible study and meditation. It also develops through serving. Just as the physical body develops through excercise, nutrition and proper rest, the spiritual being needs strength training Scripture tells us that if we abide in Him, He will abide in us. As that process develops through the aforementioned strengthening, His will becomes primary and gives sensitivity to the indwelling Holy Spirit. The tapping into that Spirit that dwells within provides strength for the moment.

Many times I have heard the story about the rock climber who lost a contact. With her vision out of balance, she was afraid to ascend or descend. She calmly began to call upon the Lord for help with the strength of faith that gave her confidence. Sure enough, along came an ant with an unwieldy burden on its back. It was, of course, her contact. While that may seem a small thing to some, it was a large thing to her. The Holy Spirit deals with us where we are in our spiritual lives and gives the strength and wisdom necessary for the time and situation. Christians look to living in Heaven with the Lord as the ultimate blessing of their faith, but we are also promised abundant life on this earth. The strength referred to in Philippians 4:13 is a large part of that abundant life.

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