Praying for Strengthened Hearts

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Let's get to verse 13 of Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 3. He says "May he strengthen your hearts".

What a lovely prayer to be praying for the people in your community! Because you know that each of them is going to face challenges. Each of them is going to feel weakened, at some point this year. Will you be praying, like Paul did, for your people's strengthening and encouragement?

Here in South Africa, Afrikaans is a language that you hear a lot. And if somebody is struggling or going through a difficulty, it's common for people to say to them "sterkte", which means "strength" – or, more literally, "strongs", and so sometimes you even hear people here just saying "strongs" to another person who is going through something. It's a special tradition I think, in our culture here. Essentially what you're saying in that moment, is "may the Lord strengthen your heart".

The Strength Found in Knowing God

We need strength, don't we, to face the challenges that come our way? Let me share with you some words from a 1912 Nazarene magazine which I thought fitted so well here. The author wrote: "It is not the library that a man possesses that makes him strong intellectually. A man may have a large number of books and know but very little. We have known such. To be intellectually strong, a man must master something; he must get knowledge within himself. This is just as true in a spiritual sense. Theoretical knowledge is not enough. The strength of a Christian life is in knowing God. The heart must feel the pulsations of the Holy Spirit. A heart made clean by the blood of Jesus is in possession of a certainty. This is absolutely fundamental to unswerving loyalty and devotion. Herein is strength that will meet the swelling tides of tomorrow and triumph."

Such great words. The strength of the Christian life is in knowing God. When we pray, like Paul did, that God would strengthen the hearts of our people, we are really asking that they find a deeper knowledge of and faith in this God. He can sustain them, if they find their strength in Him.

Praying for Your Own Strengthening

I know that I am going to need strength this year. Life with twins will be very different to the life Shereen and I have known these past ten years. Would you consider praying for us here and there – for God to strengthen our hearts? We would very much appreciate that.

I pray daily for you who get these devotions, that God would use them to touch your hearts and bring you closer to Him. I will be praying too, this year, for strength for your hearts as you walk your Christian journey.

So I say to you, in the name of Jesus, 'strongs' for the year ahead! And I pray that many will be blessed by your fervent prayers for His strength in their lives.

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