STRENGTHENED & EQUIPPED
Now may the God of peace [who is the author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed and ratified]the everlasting (covenant, Testament).
Strengthen ( complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while he himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ ( the Messiah); to whom be the glory forever and ever, Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 AMPC
In today’s Bible study I want us to break down verse 21 in depth.
1. The God of peace will strengthen us and make us what we ought to be.
How are we strengthened?
We are strengthened from within.
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16
Out of His rich treasuries, we are to be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in our inner being. Strength for the believer doesn’t come from the outside, it comes from the inside. It comes to us through the Holy Spirit in power. We are strengthened with power to be able to do the things God has called us to do. We don’t accomplish them by our strength or gifting, but through the power of His Spirit at work within us.
We are strengthened to be able to endure anything
We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy. Colossians 1:11
Berean Study Bible says… so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully.
Amplified says… to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy.
We need to be strengthened so we can be able to endure, and not just to endure, but to endure patiently with joy. Joy is the X factor in a believer’s life; they can be able to go through difficult things patiently, without losing their joy.
We are strengthened for good words and work.
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well-founded hope through [His] grace.
Comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [ make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word. 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 AMPC
God strengthens our hearts with comfort and encouragement and makes our hearts steadfast and unswerving in good work and words. We are strengthened so we can be what we ought to be.
2. God will equip us with everything good that we may be able to carry out His will.
How are we equipped?
We are equipped by His grace
And God is able to make all grace[ every favor and earthly blessing] come in abundance to you, so that you may always have an abundance [ under all circumstances, regardless of the need] have complete sufficiency in everything [ being completely sufficient in Him], and have an abundance for every good work and act of charity. 2 Corinthians 9:8
The grace of God has a purpose, it is to make us overflow and be sufficient to be able to accomplish what God has called us to do. We are equipped with every favor and blessing so we can meet other people’s needs and overflow in good works.
We are equipped as we grow in grace and the knowledge of God.
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Peter1:3
We grow in grace and in the knowledge of God; as we do, we receive everything we need for life and godliness which Peter says comes through our knowledge of Him.
As we get to know Him more and more; we are increasing in grace and are continually being equipped to do everything we need to do in this life.
3. God Himself works in us and accomplishes that is pleasing to Him.
It’s God working in us, not us.
For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Philippians 2:13
NLT says… giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
We need God’s help to be able to accomplish what He desires. We are told it’s not in our own strength, but He gives us the will and the ability to act and do what pleases Him. He first helps us want to do what He wants done, and then He gives us the ability to do it well.
He fills us with the knowledge of His will.
We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of the Lord. Colossians 1:9-10
Paul’s prayer was that they will be filled with the knowledge of his will, because if they did then they will have the ability to live a life that bears fruit and is pleasing to the Lord.
Without the knowledge of His will, we don’t know how He wants us to live. We don’t know what we should be doing and how to accomplish it. So, God works in us by revealing His will to us, and by knowing His will, we can do what He wants to be done.
My prayer is that God will strengthen you and equip you for everything that He wants to accomplish in your life.
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