At one time in our life, we’ve all said, “I can’t do it!” And we’ve all probably encouraged been encouraged by a parent, spouse, friend, co-worker or supervisor with a heart-felt “Yes, you can! You’re smart, you’re strong…you can do this!” They are sincere in their encouragement. Sometimes the encouragement is all we need, and we accomplish the task.
Other times, we are right: we can’t do it! No amount of encouragement, willpower, effort or skill will help…we can’t do it. I’ll never be able to dunk a basketball. I might be encouraged by others, really want to do it, try really hard and practice all the time…but I’m 5’10” and 190 pounds…it isn’t going to happen. I can’t do it.
The same can be said of spiritual things. There are some things, many things, that we simply cannot do on our own. We can get by for a little while on effort and encouragement, but in the end we will fail. Thankfully, we have one more thing on our side: God.
It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NLT)
One thing many of us struggle to do is stand firm for Christ. To live lives that reflect Him and seek Him. To tell others about Him. To spend time seeking Him. To know and do His will. We can’t do it…but He can do it through us.
- He has identified us. We are His treasured possession and have been marked with the Holy Spirit. We are no longer our own…we are His! If we are saved, we are His!
- He has commissioned us. As our rightful owner, He has granted us authority for a special mission from Him and for Him. If we are His, He has work for us to do!
- He has enabled us. He does not call us to a mission without enabling us to complete it successfully. If He has work for us to do, He will enable us to do it!
We must ask Him to save us, seek His will for our lives, and pray for the Holy Spirit to enable our success.
We can do it, but only in Him!
