“For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. Having therefore obtained help of God …” (Acts 26:21,22)
Paul got all the help he needed from God to be the witness he was called to be. Before Christ came into his life, he had a “form of godliness” without power. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom. 5:6)
Every new creature in Christ has new resources to face old patterns of behavior. What once drove us mad, can now be endured with wisdom, patience, and grace. We no longer have to fear facing the provocative actions of men which incite rage in us. Christ bore our griefs and carried our sorrows, that by His stripes we should be healed from a sinful response. His power can rest upon us. “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” (Heb. 13:6)
When we are strong in the Lord, we can stand in an evil day. When the Spirit of the Lord arises within us, we don’t need to rise up in our own strength to save the day. Unless the Lord is our help, we fight fire with fire. When we go to battle fueled by anger and fear we inevitably find that our wrath does not work the righteousness of God. When something needs to be done, the Lord needs to do it. We must call upon Him for help.
“Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?
Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.
When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.” (Psalm 94:16-18)
When we are sorely tempted, we need the Lord’s mercies to hold us up. If we would let Him, the Lord would show us a better way to deal with those who devise evil; one in which we are not overcome by their evil, but overcome evil with good.
We all need so much help. Be one who knows where to find it.
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)