'Voices From The Past' Vol. 1 — January 14

Having exhorted the saints at Ephesus to a holy resolution and courage in their warfare, the apostle leads them out of themselves unto his almighty strength. The strength of every saint lies in the Lord of hosts. God can overcome his enemies without our hands, but we cannot so much as defend ourselves without his arm. God was the strength of David's heart. Without him, David would be filled with fear at the words of the Philistine. He was the strength of his hands, and taught his fingers to fight. So he is the strength of all his saints in their war against sin and Satan (Phil. 2:13). To be strong in the power of the Lord's might implies two acts of faith. First, a settled firm persuasion that the Lord is almighty in power; and second, it implies a further act of faith that God is engaged for their defence to bear them up in the midst of all their trials and temptations. This is the apostle's purpose; to beat us off from leaning on our own strength, and to encourage the Christian to make use of God's almighty power as freely as if it were his own whenever assaulted by Satan. As a father gives his child his arm to steady him, so does God reach out his almighty power for his saints. God made himself known to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob for their support, by displaying this attribute, 'God Almighty' (Exod. 6:3). Abraham was fully persuaded that what God had promised he was also able to perform (Rom. 4:21). Yea, God often suffers a contrary power many times to arise, in that very juncture of time, when he intends to show his mercy to his people, that he may rear up the more magnificent pillar of remembrance to his own power.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Devotional Readings 'Voices From The Past Vol.1.'
William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, I:18-28
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