Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

The word “them” in the above passage can be many things that come into our lives to bring fear. If fear can take root then the effectiveness of our Christian walk is diminished and our ability to help others in marriage ministry is weakened. There is physical strength, mental strength and the kind of strength that comes from the Lord. The root word of “strong” in Hebrew has the following meanings: be established, be constant, withstand and prevail. Let’s look at these.

Be Established – We are called to be rooted and established in the Word. Colossians 2:6-10 “As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”

Be Constant – As you establish your relationship with Jesus there will be many “things” that will try to distract your being consistent in growing your root system. We can look back at this week and think of examples. Matthew 13:21 amp “Yet it has no real root in himself, but is temporary-inconsistent, lasts but a little while and when affliction or trouble or persecution comes on account of the Word,…” Consistently seek the Lord and His will for you and your marriage.

Withstand – Sometimes it’s not easy standing for what is right. Marriages are a good example. There are many reasons why couples divorce. Maybe it’s a family member or a good friend. There is hurt and pain in their lives. Our job is to withstand feelings and stand for what the Word of God says is true. Ephesians 6:13 “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” If we are rooted we can stand.

Prevail – As we have taken the time to be rooted in the Word, as we have chosen to stay in fellowship with the Lord. As we withstand temptations and feelings, we can prevail in any situation that arises. Webster defines prevail as to gain ascendancy through strength. Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble.” We can ascend above situations through strength from Jesus Christ.