The Great Source Of Energy Is Not Red Bull

"What are you doing for Jesus?" That's an interesting question. It's a wrong question but interesting. It is never "What am I doing" but "What is the Lord doing through me". There is a difference in those two things and too many people find it too much of a subtle difference to understand it. But it isn't subtle at all.

Look at how Paul words this to the Colossians:

To this end I labor,struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me. (Colossians 1:29)

There is no doubt that we work hard for the Lord and Paul says that he laboured, even referring to it as a struggle. Is there anyone who ever worked as hard as Apostle Paul did? But take note, underline it, circle it, highlight it with multiple colours as Paul writes "struggling with all his energy".

That's the point we miss. Whatever we do in the Kingdom did not originate with us, is not done with our wisdom, did not come from our mind and is not done with our energy. If it is, then it is not from the King and if it is not from the King it is pointless and we should leave it alone. We forget that we take direction from the King and when we do he provides everything we need including his energy.

Too many of us are struggling with our own limited energy. We pour ourselves into the task, whether it is of our own choosing or from the Lord. We can start off well but then slip into self-guided mood and self-reliance. When we do this we start consuming ourselves. I picture it like a pregnant woman.

Many people don't realize the nutritional needs of a pregnant woman. There are specific things that her body needs as God uses those things to knit that new life together in her. If she does not provide her body with those building blocks the body will start taking it directly from the woman's body, especially the calcium from her bones. To create this life the body is sacrificing itself and will leave the woman in poor condition and will effect her in future years.

If we are not "struggling with all his energy" to complete the tasks we have been given, we are consuming our own energy and we cannot do the King's work with our own energy. We just do not have enough of it. We end up dry, bitter, burnt out. We were well intentioned but ill equipped. We have not been called to just start a task but to complete the task as well.

Apostle Paul recognized the source he had to lean on no matter where the struggle took him, He relied on the energy of Jesus "which so powerfully works in me". And that is the truth of the matter. The King provides the energy, causing it to work powerfully in us, so we are able to complete the task. This energy is provided supernaturally by the Spirit in us. We renew that energy as we renew our relationship every day, through prayer, Bible reading, worship and service.

We are intelligent. We are capable. We have lots of energy and strength. We can accomplish a lot of things when we set our mind and heart upon it. But we cannot accomplish Kingdom things according to Jesus' specifications if we rely on our intelligence, capability and energy. The Kingdom work is beyond us, is greater than us, and needs resources not found in ourselves. Only through Jesus are we able to do all things. It is more than a nice verse to quote; it is at the foundation of our relationship with Jesus.


 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Learn the truth of this before you become weary in doing good and become another statistic in this epic struggle to bring light to this world.