2 Samuel 5:10
And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies was with him.
Perhaps you have heard of King David. Most famous for standing up to a giant when he wasn’t even old enough to be in the army. Long after the desert wanderings of Exodus, King David becomes ruler over God’s people (known as the nation of Israel). Today’s verse captures a theme that is evident throughout the Bible: there is power when God is Immanuel. Because God — called the Lord of Heaven’s Armies many times in the Old Testament — was with David, he became more and more powerful. The same is true today when the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
Here’s your freedom for today: God is your source of strength and power.
In America today, there are a whole lot of things that promise you strength and power. Drinks that will energize you. Shoes that will give you an extra spring in your step. Wonder drugs and products that promise impressive abs with no work. It’s all worthless — either because it is offering something impossible or in some cases because the power it gives you has no supernatural value. What kind of power would genuinely help you in your life? What kind of power would transform you as a person? It’s the power of Immanuel, but you won’t find it in commercials because it’s not for sale. This kind of power is no gimmick, and in fact it is so real that many are afraid of giving themselves over to it. What would you be willing to give for a power great enough to save your soul? Invite Immanuel to be your power this year and ask him what you can do to make room for his power in your life.