Episode 1: Staying Strong in the Spirit Amidst Life’s Struggles
Episode 1: Staying Strong in the Spirit Amidst Life’s Struggles
Today’s episode stems from a key verse found in both Matthew 26 and Romans 7: “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This verse has been so powerful in my life as a reminder of the battle between our spiritual and physical selves. We know our flesh is sinful in nature, often leading to stress and trouble. So, how can we strengthen our spirit to overcome our weak flesh?
The Story of Matthew 26
In Matthew 26, Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before He is arrested. Knowing what’s about to happen, He tells His disciples to stay alert and pray while He goes off to ask God if it’s possible to take the cup from Him. He returns to find His disciples asleep—not once, but three times. Despite their best intentions, they were overtaken by weakness, and Jesus reminds them, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
This story always resonates with me, especially in moments when I’ve felt my own weaknesses overpower my desire to stay strong in faith. We all want to follow God’s will, but our human nature can often get in the way. This is something we see even more clearly when Peter, who swore he would never deny Jesus, falls into fear and denies Him three times before the rooster crows.
What a powerful reminder of how fear can make us weak, and how important it is to stay spiritually strong.
Connecting the Story to Romans 7
There is a powerful connection from Romans 7, where Paul talks about the struggle between wanting to do what’s right but still being pulled by the flesh. He says, “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” This is so relatable!
While Romans 7 describes this struggle, Romans 8 gives us the key to overcoming it. The Holy Spirit empowers us to rise above our flesh. As believers, we are no longer slaves to sin, because through Christ, we have already been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The Holy Spirit dwells within us, enabling us to walk in newness of life.
How Do We Strengthen Our Spirit?
One of the most frequent questions I get is, “How do I strengthen my spirit in such a broken world?” Here are some powerful thoughts on this:
Realizing We Already Have the Holy Spirit: We are blessed with every spiritual blessing, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. It's not about making the Spirit stronger—it’s about believing in the power of the Spirit within us. This means understanding that no matter what temptation or hardship we face, we already have the strength to overcome it.
Capturing Every Thought: Our mind is incredibly powerful. It's essential to filter our thoughts and align them with God’s Word. The Bible tells us to hold every thought captive and ask, "Is this from the Lord?"—a practice that helps keep us focused on truth.
Staying in the Word: The world is filled with deception, and in these times, it’s more crucial than ever to stay grounded in scripture. With false prophets and even alterations to newer Bible translations, knowing God’s Word is the best defense against confusion and spiritual attack.
Faith is so important in moments of weakness. We may feel like giving in to temptation or despair, but by leaning on the truth of scripture and believing in the power of the Holy Spirit, we can stand firm in our faith.
Final Thoughts
In today's world, it may feel like good has been flipped upside down, and evil is celebrated as good. But this is something Jesus warned us about in the Bible. We should not be surprised by persecution or confusion but be equipped to stand strong in our faith.
The key to staying strong isn’t about making ourselves spiritually stronger—it’s about recognizing that we are already blessed with every spiritual gift we need. The Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us. By relying on the Spirit, capturing our thoughts, and staying in the Word, we can resist the pull of our weak flesh and walk confidently in the Spirit.
Let’s continue this journey together, supporting each other as we grow stronger in our faith, physically fit, and thriving in every aspect of our lives.
Aloha & God bless,
Alè
