“I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” (Psalms 16:8)

The subject of Christian living is often given only cursory treatment, if any at all. It seems as though many would tell you how to be a Christian, but overlook the aspect of practical Christian living. It is not enough that we should know the Lord, but that we follow Him (John 12:26). We are to “…walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4); rendering our “…bodies a living sacrifice…” (Romans 12:1). But how is this accomplished in our daily walk? (This is the second in a three part series on Christian living. Please read the previous devotional before continuing with this one.)

II.   The Effect of Christian Living: Strength  

At length, we have seen the need and importance of viewing Christ as first in our everyday life in order to realize true Christian living. We identified the Effort of Christian living as the surrendering of self for Christ. Now we want to examine the Effect of that total surrender – strength to live a Christian life.

When we have truly surrendered to the Lord, we are in essence, ceasing to live for and of ourselves.  We now live for and of Christ, who lives in and through us (Galatians 2:20). Where once we said, “I cannot,” we now boldly say, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

The strength resulting from the Christian life manifests itself in a reliance upon the Lord to be our protection against all attack. Standing in the strength of a surrendered Christian life lets us see from whence our Help comes (Psalms 121:1-2), and so we rely on the Lord to fight our battles.

“…Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

“The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14)

It is not enough that we simply know the Lord as our Saviour, but that we should also trust in Him as such. This is the attitude of the surrendered Christian life. Those who trust in the Lord will not be afraid (Isaiah 12:2). They are able to realize the true strength of the Lord, while those who have not surrendered their own life, still want to rely on their own strength and do not rest in the Lord’s protection.

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” (Psalms 28:7)

When we surrender in our New Life, we see the Lord as our shield, offering His protective strength to enable us to stand against the spiritual attacks we encounter daily. By trusting in Him, we receive our help. He will not leave us disappointed. “Therefore,” the psalmist says, “my heart greatly rejoiceth.” It is fitting that we should feel such joy as we are filled with the strength of our Lord, and offer praises accordingly.

Complete surrender allows us to see that all of our power comes from the Lord. We are absent of any means to endure trials without Him, and we know it. All of those things we once placed confidence in, seem to melt away, and we see our true weakened state. It is then that we may be borne by God’s strength.

“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

This power to endure trials is available to the surrendered Christian who knows himself to be completely without power other than that given by Christ Himself. The child of God is able to tap into the power available, as has been stated, by the active surrender of their entire life and their complete reliance upon the Lord.

“For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall. (33) God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.” (2 Samuel 22:30, 33)

We come to the place of explicit reliance upon the Lord for the power we need to face each new challenge, to surmount every new obstacle, and overcome each new trial encountered on our Christian journey. By Him we may be overcomers because He is our strength and song and salvation (Psalms 118:14).

When the presence of God is real in our lives, when we look to Him in surrender, it is then that we can achieve true peace. Resting in the power of the Lord gives us the peace of heart and mind that is truly perfect both in nature and scope.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” (Isaiah 26:3)

There is then the promise that the Lord will keep us in perfect peace when we have so surrendered to Him, as our text points out:

“I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” (Psalms 16:8)

We shall not be moved because the Lord is at our right hand; He is our strength, our power, our protection, our peace. We have surrendered, setting the Lord “always” before ourselves and resting in His power to bring us a peace in the midst of life’s storms. We are able to see that the true source of our strength is also the true source of our peace.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)