Be Strengthened

But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 1 Peter 5:10 NKJV.

Happy New Year!

Our text for this Brief Word, the first for 2026, may not be that encouraging at first glance. But I want refresh us with God’s word for these days in the hope that you and I will be strengthened.

World events are escalating rapidly towards the fulfilment of God’s eternal plan for humanity and for the Earth. God wants to strengthen us; fortify, toughen, and vitalise us for these very days. In our spirit. In our emotions. In our mind, and yes in our body but mostly made stronger in the inner man.

Here’s just a couple of God’s promises about the future, the last days.

• But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving (or irreconcilable), slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV
• ⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you.⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows. Matthew 24:4-8 NKJV

Timothy says that, perilous times will come.

Here’s a few more words that tell us what perilous means.

Perilous – dangerous, hazardous, risky, serious, precarious, unsafe, treacherous, uncertain, deadly, bad, murderous, distressing, wicked, and evil. (www.merriam-webster.com).

That list is perfectly describing today. We see all of that on the evening news. It’s a pretty accurate assessment of the days we live in.

May I encourage you with God’s word, strengthen, and help to make you bigger and better on the inside, ready and able to face these days in which we live?

Our text for this Brief Word has some keys.

1. The Root – But may the God of all grace.

The source, the origin, the font and fountainhead of all power and ability and everything, we need, is God. It is His ability not ours. God is the source, the root, the origin of all knowledge, all power, all good things, of everything.

James says that, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (See James 1:17 NKJV).

Our LORD, our Master and our Saviour, is the God of all grace. In other words, every ability we have, and every ability we need, comes from Him. Whenever we need strength, He has it to give us. Whenever we need faith, He has it to give us. Whenever we need endurance, He has it to give us. Whenever we need joy, He has it to give us. Whenever we need insight, He has it to give us. Whenever we need revelation (about what’s really going on), He has it to give us. Whenever we need Divine power to suffer, He has it to give us. He is the source of it all.

Let’s start this year as we mean to continue. Which is to be deeply connected, deeply rooted into God and His word. Fixed and fastened to Him, the root, and the supply of all our needs.

Remember that God’s grace is simply His ability. God doing for us what we could not do, and making us what we could not become. That’s grace.

2. The Rational – Who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus.

The reason, the rationale of all that God does is that we are chosen and called to be with Him forever. Did you know this? You… are… called! Yes you are! What to? To be with Him in His eternal glory, forever.

Let’s be a little more heavenly minded. Let’s meditate and think about Heaven more than we do. As I get older and closer to the day when I shall graduate from this earthly realm, I think more about this. I will be transitioned out of this world and into His presence and glory because of what Jesus has done for me. And I’ll be there… forever!

That thought alone should inspire us and give us hope to live in these days with faith and endurance. This earth is not our home. We don’t belong here. We are from another world, and until we return there, we are living as best we can to be a witness for Him, and we want to take as many as possible with us to our wonderful forever-home.

3. The Ramifications – After you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.

The results, the outcome, of all power and ability in our lives, on earth, is (among many things), that, yes some will have, suffered a while. To live a full-on faithful, obedient, and God-honouring Bible believing and Biblical life, is increasingly becoming harder. There is much opposition to the Gospel and to Christians who willingly take a stand for God, for His word and for what is right.

But we are not without hope. God has promised His grace to, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. That’s what He will do. In these days of peril. Yes, He will.

His ability not ours will get things done. He is preparing you for, an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.  (See 2 Corinthians 4:17 ESV).

His grace will empower us to say the right things to the right people at the right time, when we are called to speak of the hope (which makes us different from the world) that is in us.

Remember these three words this year.

• Root – God is the source, the reservoir, the changer, the giver of all we need.
• Rationale – The reason behind what God does is simple – that we are to be with Him forever.
• Ramifications – The results and repercussions of this is that even in times when there is great pressure and pain because of our walk with Jesus, He is making us better, unshakeable, stronger and settled in Him (remember – He’s the Spirit of peace).

May the God of all grace and comfort, strengthen you and bless you and your loved ones in special ways this year.

Regards in Christ, Stephen