By Bailey Jarnagin
CLEVELAND, Ga (TMNews) – Jeff Struecker, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Columbus, Georgia, and former U.S. Army Ranger, shared with Truett-McConnell College on April 14 in the weekly chapel service about how to maintain a crystal clear focus for King Jesus in the midst of spiritual warfare.
Stand strong on God’s Word
“When you have the Holy Spirit of the Living God dwelling inside of you,” Struecker began, “When He has inspired you to know exactly what God is calling you to do with the rest of your life, you can hang on and you can endure anything. Nothing and no one should be able to throw you off your trail.”
Struecker encouraged students to open up their Bibles to Psalm 138 and dig deeply into what the inspired passage offers. The first challenge that Struecker pointed out is to stand strong on God’s Word: “Risk it all. Bet it all on the Word of God, and you will not be let down.”
David, the author of Psalm 138, is thanking God for all that has been done in his life. As a result of God’s goodness, David dedicates himself to pursuing the call God has placed on his life. “David says, ‘I exist to bring God glory. My purpose is to show the world that my God is the only God,’” Struecker added.
Struecker explained that David’s loyalty to God stemmed from David’s understanding that God was his unwavering rock who gave him the strength to persevere. “He strengthened me on the inside. He strengthened my core. He strengthened my soul,” stated Struecker.
“What most great athletes know is that if your core is not strong, it doesn’t matter what the rest of your body can do. If the core is weak, everything is weak, but if your core is strong, everything else can get stronger. David said, ‘Because God strengthened me at the core, I am strong,’” analogized Struecker.
Walk in the way of God
The second challenge Struecker presented in Psalm 138 out is to walk in God’s ways. “The world that we live in is spiraling out of control,” stated Struecker, “but God is still sovereign. God is challenging His people, ‘Walk in my ways. Follow me passionately. Pursue me with this single-minded focus, and the world will stand up, and the world will take notice.’”
Standing in God’s Word and walking in God’s ways are too important to be put on the backburner. Struecker urged TM not to wait another day before committing to follow the Lord wholeheartedly.
“When you’re able to stand on the Word of God, no matter what the culture around you does, when you’re able to walk in God’s ways when it looks like everyone else is headed in the opposite direction, then – and only then – are you able to say, ‘I am right now, right slap in the will of God,’” shared Struecker.
“David knows his purpose,” Struecker indicates, “And he knows his purpose is God’s purpose for his life.”
Struecker added, “When you can say, ‘I know God’s purpose for me, and I’m passionately pursuing it,’ what can the world do to you as they rage against you when you know that you’re right in the palm of God’s hands?”
In conclusion, he challenged: “What can the world throw at you that God cannot give you the strength to endure?”
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Bailey is a senior English major and a freelance writer for the college.
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