Written by Pastor Jack Wellman“Outside of Christ, I am only a sinner, but in Christ, I am saved. Outside of Christ, I am empty; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already victorious. How meaningful are the words, in Christ.”
– Watchman Nee
Watchman Nee Strength in Christ Quote Commentary
How many times have you heard Christians say the verse ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’? Chances are, you have heard this verse from Philippians repeated quite a lot. It is, after all, one of the most popular Bible verses. However, many people who say it often use it as a some sort of ace in the hole or some sort of secret weapon that enables them to conquer their day and keep forging ahead. While it is true that this verse packs a lot of power, its power comes from a much deeper source. If we want our daily walk with Christ to truly have resonance that goes beyond using Bible verses as ‘power’ mantras that give us the will to push forward another day, we need to dig deep into our relationship with Christ.
Christ Gives Us Power Through Hope
We CAN do all things through Christ if we believe, and act, that he is our ONLY strength and our only salvation. If we insist on injecting ourselves in the equation, this dilutes his strength much like when Peter started to sink after he started walking on the water to meet Jesus. We can surmount many ‘impossible’ challenges in our lives if we remain focused on Christ. However, if we, like Peter start looking at our own strength and the enormity of our circumstances, we begin to sink. Watchman Nee’s quote above, highlights the sheer emptiness of life, hope, aspirations, dreams, and striving outside of Jesus. Jesus gives us hope because our own strength, wisdom, and power are never enough. With Jesus, we can seemingly run on ’empty.’
Christ Gives Us Power over Sin
A big part of the reason we have so much power through Jesus is because he gives us power over sin. Being saved is not just about being counted as righteous in the eyes of the Father. Accepting Jesus as our personal savior also means gaining his power to resist sin. This means resisting addictions, negativity, false pride, overcoming fear, and other strongholds of the Devil. By abiding in Christ and walking with Him daily, we gain power over sin. We are able to have self-discipline and self-control. These lead to greater peace, spiritual and material wealth, and fulfillment. Isn’t it time you stopped trying to go your own way? Isn’t it time you let Jesus into your life? Lose a life of constant frustration and striving and choose a life of constant victory in Jesus Christ today.
