Getting Stronger
Acts 18:23 NLT
After spending some time in Antioch, Paul went back through Galatia and Phrygia, visiting and strengthening all the believers.
So Paul went around the regions of Galatia and Phrygia and put the believers on an exercise regimen. Well, no, not exactly. So how could he have strengthened the believers? The answer lies in what kind of strength we are talking about.
There is physical strengthening. That will require intentionality in eating and some form of physical exertion, usually resistance training. But Paul was not going back to the churches he helped to start and doing CrossFit. He was strengthening the believers spiritually. Paul knew that for the believers to continue to walk with the Lord, it would require spiritual strength. And spiritual strength is something that was available to the believers in Paul’s day and is available to believers today.
Similar to becoming stronger physically, spiritual strength employs some of the same principles. Eating right and exercise are the two spiritual components that result in becoming stronger. Eating right will involve consuming the right things and rejecting the wrong things. Most of us know that to grow stronger physically, we have to eat protein and the right type of whole foods and vegetables. We have figured out by now that ice cream and Oreos taste great, but don’t promote the right kind of growth. Oh, we’ll grow, but it’s in pants size, not strength. We need the right foods, and the same applies spiritually. In Acts 20:32, Paul states, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” Paul was speaking to the church leaders from the area around Ephesus. God and the word of His grace are able to build you up. A relationship with God and receiving His Word will build us spiritually. And just as not eating will drain us physically, not eating or receiving God’s Word will cause us to weaken spiritually. Conversely, regular fellowship with God and regularly receiving His Word will build us and strengthen us spiritually. Paul was teaching and preaching to the believers and feeding them God’s Word, and that was causing strength to come.
And as a reminder, Paul told Timothy to avoid the things that were profane and godless myths. Paul was reminding Timothy that there was a lot of junk in the world that would not help or strengthen him. The same applies today. There are some things that are toxic to our spiritual strength and some that are just junk food with no value. I don’t have time to jump into all of that, but the internet contains good preaching and teaching and a plethora of junk and toxic material. And yes, I used the word plethora in a sentence.
Stronger spiritually will also include putting into practice what we have learned. I am sure Paul was not only encouraging the consuming of quality spiritual food, but also the practice of doing what God’s Word reveals. James says the ones who do the Word are blessed. It’s not a stretch to say the ones who do the Word grow stronger.
The bottom line takeaway for us is that we can grow stronger in the Lord and in our walk with Him. We can be spiritually stronger next year than we are right now. And that’s great news.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You that You have made it possible for me to become a stronger believer spiritually. I am not limited by my background or genetics. I have the spiritual potential for amazing growth.