143. HOW TO OVERCOME THE POWER OF SIN IN MY CHURCH? – How do we protect Jesus’ life within our churches against Satan’s attacks? – “Be strong in the power of God’s might.”

In the current meditations we reflect on the question: is the full armour of God of which Paul talks in Ephesians 6:10-17 only meant for individual Christians or also for the local church as a whole? Does God’s armour only protect Christ’s life in us personally against Satan’s assaults? Does it equally protect Christ’s life within the local church which is the Body of Christ? So far we have seen that Jesus wants to manifest His life in our churches through our passionate love for God and for each other. We have realized that God’s Spirit is well able to produce this Christlike love in our hearts and in our congregations. However, the question remains: how do we protect Jesus’ life in our churches against Satan’s attacks? The apostle Paul encourages the church in Ephesus (Turkey) to “be (or: grow, become) strong in the Lord...” (Ephesians 6:10**). In the present meditations we ask ourselves: how does a church that wants to grow strong ‘in the Lord’ practically look like?

In the Meditations 134 to 142 we looked into the question: how does a church that wants to grow strong in the Lord look like? However, for standing firm against Satan’s powerful assaults, it is not enough for a church to grow strong in the Lord. The apostle Paul adds another indispensable requirement in the same verse:

“Be (or: become, grow) strong ... in the power of His might.”

( Ephesians 6:10***)

What does it mean for a church to grow strong in the power of God’s might? And here is a preceding question: What does “the power of God’s might” indicate?

a.) God’s power in the New Testament

The Bible uses various words to describe God’s power, but the word Paul chooses here in the original Greek New Testament is kratos. When this noun points to God, it speaks of His absolute sovereignty, His almighty power and His everlasting dominion.

Here are some examples:

-- The apostle Paul praises God with the words: “He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power (kratos). Amen.”

(1 Timothy 6:15-16***)

-- The apostle Peter acclaims: “To God be the glory and the dominion (kratos) forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 5:11***)

-- The apostle Jude glorifies God, saying: “To God our Saviour, Who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion (kratos) and power, both now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 1:25***)

-- The apostle John worships God, saying: “To Him be glory and dominion (kratos) forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:6***)

In the Bible, we find the word kratos also in the Greek designation pantokrator which means the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent (One). The New Testament uses this epithet for our Triune God. Here are some examples:

-- When God the Father speaks to His people: “I will be your Father, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18*)

-- When God the Son reveals Himself to the apostle John: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End," says the Lord, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."

(Revelation 1:8***)

-- When our Triune God is worshipped in heaven: “Each of these living beings had six wings, and their wings were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day after day and night after night they keep on saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty-- the One who always was, who is, and who is still to come.’" (Revelation 4:8*)

-- When those who had gotten the victory over the beast (see Re 13:17, 14:9,10) praise our Triune God, they sing “the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: ‘Great and marvelous are Your actions, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are Your ways, O King of the nations.’” (Revelation 15:3*)

In the Old Testament, we find the title pantokrator back in the often used Hebrew epithet ‘the LORD Almighty’ (Yahweh Tsebaoth).

When our Triune God speaks through the prophet Isaiah (8^th-century BC), He declares: “This is what the LORD says - Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty (Yahweh Tsebaoth): I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God.” (Isaiah 44:6**)

Let us return to Paul’s words to the church in Ephesus (Turkey): “Be (or: become, grow) strong ... in the power of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10***). We have understood that in the Old and New Testament, God’s almighty power designates His absolute sovereignty and everlasting dominion over His people and over the entire world.

b.) God’s might in Ephesians 6

For the word ‘might’ in Ephesians 6:10, the apostle Paul uses the Greek noun ischyos. This word speaks here of God’s ability to execute His power and strength to accomplish His will and purposes.

c.) Growing strong in the power of God’s might

So, what does it mean for a church to grow strong in the power (kratos) of God’s might (ischyos)? I think the apostle wants the church family to know that God’s almighty power is available to them  through the presence of God’s Spirit in their midst. He is able and willing to share God’s power with the church as far as they need it in a certain situation. In learning to make themselves dependent on God’s almighty power, they will learn to stand their ground against Satan’s powerful assaults.

Looking back over the Meditations 134 to 143, we come to the following conclusion: when Paul encourages the church to “be (become, grow) strong in the Lord and in the power of His might”, he means that the church should grow strong in a Christlike lifestyle and a defence strategy against Satan empowered by God’s Spirit.

Only to the extent my church grows in both aspects, it will be able “to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:11*) Besides, for remaining unwavering under God’s control in the face of Satan’s assaults, God gave the church a practical tool in the form of ‘His divine armour’. Paul writes to the Ephesian church: “Use every piece of God's armour to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.” (Ephesians 6:13*)

We have seen in the Meditations 120 until 130 how God wants us to use His divine armour in our individual lives. In the coming meditations we will see how His armour equally works for the church as a corporate personality, the Body of Christ.

Translations: * New Living Translation; ** New International Version; *** New King James Version

About “The Church as a ‘Corporate Personality’, see Meditation 63-65.

About “The Church as a new (messianic) community, consisting of all the followers of Jesus”, see Meditation 29.

About “Who is the Holy Spirit and what is His ministry”, see Meditations 27-34.

About “The two Tracks of Maturing in Christlikeness”, see Meditation 100.

About “God’s major project: transforming me and my church into the likeness of Christ”, see Meditations 44-48.

About “Personal, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see Meditations 56-62.

About “Corporate, Christlike love for God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ”, see meditations 63-99.

About “Satan and our rebellious lives”, see Meditations 19-21.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my life?”, see Meditations 101-130.

About “How to overcome the power of sin in my church?”, see Meditations 131-143.