“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” — Ephesians 6:10

Physical strength is not as prevalent in our modern-day society.
We clearly have grasped the principle of working smarter and not harder. The human intellect has provided us with a number of tools to assist us with our day-to-day living, which gives us the option of working to build our strength or taking the easy way out. Yes, we have those who work hard to strengthen their bodies through exercise and weights, but when will all that muscle be needed? We no longer have to manually shift our cars, physically mow our grass or plow a garden by hand. We truly can live the easy life.
But when it comes to the things of the spirit, Apostle Paul had to encourage the Ephesians to “be strong in the Lord.” Whether we like it or not, we find ourselves in a spiritual battle. When we desire to do good, we recognize that evil always is present.
Knowing this, Paul reminds us that our weak areas can be strengthened in the Lord. In other words, if you can’t handle it, God can. If you can’t bear the burden, God can. If you can’t fix the situation, God can.  
Saints of God, we don’t wrestle against flesh and blood. We wrestle with things of the spirit. Therefore, our faith leads us to use the tools that are at our disposal — the spiritual strength of a living God.
We may not always understand what we are going through. We may feel unfit for the task, but we should never fear the road set before us. Paul told Timothy, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”(2 Timothy 1:7).
Fear is not of God because we have been given power to make it, love to overcome it and a sound mind to learn from it. He knows our situation. Where we are weak, He simply instructs us to be strong in the Lord.

Hayes is pastor of New Day Community Church and president of the United Ministerial Alliance.