March 30

Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness.—Colossians 1:11.

II. WHENCE this good is expected and obtained; from the glorious power of God.

According to his glorious power. In these words the apostle shows, whence the strengthening and might of the godly comes, namely from the glorious power of God. Three things are to be considered: What this strengthening power is; Why it is called glorious power; How it comes to us and whence it is derived.

As to the first: The strengthening power is the Holy Spirit himself with his gifts; who breathes wonderful might into our infirm minds. For so Christ himself speaks, Tarry ye, said he to the apostles, in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high; that is, until the Holy Spirit enters into you from heaven. For so Paul when writing to the Ephesians; May God grant you, that ye may be strengthened mightily by his Spirit in the inner man. We are here taught,

1. That no one ought to confide in his own strength, as though by his own power he could resist temptations, or endure griefs and afflictions for Christ; but he should seek strengthening from this Spirit. Piously and wisely spake Augustine, "A presumption of stability keeps back many from stability: no one will be strong by God, but he who perceives his weakness in himself."

2. That when temptations are overcome, it behooves us to ascribe the glory to God, not to ourselves, or to our own power. Not unto us, not unto us, but to thy name give the glory. For it is a species of pride when any one would seem to have that form himself which he borrowed from another.

Thus it appears whence this strengthening might comes. Let us inquire why it is called glorious. The apostle could have said, we are strengthened by God, or by his power; but he adds this epithet, glorious power, or glorious might:

1. That we may place the greater confidence in his divine power. Because this word contains in itself an earnest, or rather a promise of victory and triumph: for this could not be glorious power, if it might be overcome by an evil spirit and sin. In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who hath loved us.

2. It is called glorious power on account of the admirable mode of conquering the devil, the world, and the flesh. For the Spirit of God not immediately, by his absolute power, beats off these enemies of our salvation; but by inspiring us with strength causes even ourselves to trample them under. Moreover, that power must necessarily be very admirable and glorious, which makes feeble man, clothed with sinful flesh, to overcome the insults and wiles of devils, the alarms and solicitations of the flesh, the hatred, snares, and injuries of the whole world. Of this glorious power God himself speaks, My strength is made perfect in weakness.

Only one thing now remains to be explained: How this glorious power of the Holy Spirit comes to us. It is derived unto us by the gracious mediation and intercession of Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father. Concerning the gift or sending of his Spirit into the hearts of believers, we have the promise of Christ, It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go away, I will send the Comforter unto you. Christ, therefore, as God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, gives this glorious power of the Holy Spirit to his people. God alone gives God. Christ, as man, intercedes with the Father, and by his intercession obtains this spirit of fortitude for all the elect: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

Hence we gather that Christ, although seated in heaven, is yet the living head of, and really united to, the church which is on earth. For as the natural head diffuses sense and motion through its body; so Christ, the spiritual head of the church, communicates the vital power of his Spirit to all his members.

Here we see the real practical use of that article, He sitteth at the right hand of the Father: For we do not believe as we ought the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the Father, unless we believe that he so reigns in heaven, as far more effectually to protect and strengthen his people by this his glorious power, than if he continued to be yet present upon the earth in the body, and stood by each one of us.