Strength

REVELATION 3 v 7-13

Do we just get crushed if we are not strong or do we rely on the Holy Spirit for our strength?

The church in Philadelphia was an unstable place to live, founded by some of Pergamum’s citizens it was built as a gateway to Asia Minor and stopped barbarians from coming in. The city itself was destroyed by a major earthquake in AD 17 so most of its people live outside of the city limits. They allowed in a lot of Greek culture.

It was an unstable place to be not just because of the earthquake but because of barbarian attack and Greek culture flowing.

•  John's writes that he knows they have little strength, which is ironic because this is the town which is supposed to protect the rest. The believers had little strength, but they had kept God's word and not denied him even in times of persecution.
• Verse 10 "I will also keep you from the hour of trial." There are three different understandings of this...

1. That this future time of tribulation we as believers will be spared.
2. The church will go through great times of tribulation but God will be our strength.
3. The churches great time of suffering and tribulation through the ages.

• Judges 7 v 7-8 - “7 The LORD said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” ⁸ So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others."
• Gideon obeyed God because didn't want the Israelites do boost saying they did it in their own strength, so God cut down the number of men Gideon had dramatically. SO now when they won they would worship God for only by His strength they won.
• I believe in our weakness God is strongest.
• The Philadelphian’s were of little strength but what little strength they had they used. We all have different gifts and abilities, and we are not all the same or act the same but what God does commend them for was their ability to be resourceful with what he had given them and to be obedient to Him.
• Parable of the Talents - Matthew 25 v 14-30. Jesus teaches us to be faithful with what God has given us. This is what the Philadelphian's were good at.
• Be resourceful with what we have.
• Play to what strengths we have.
• The strengths and gifts God has given us + the power of the Holy Spirit = building the Kingdom of God successfully.