248. Become Mighty
2 Chronicles 27:6 So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.
This is an example of the kind of conditional promises common in the Bible. Jotham became mighty because he prepared his ways before the Lord. If you prepare your ways before God then you will become mighty. The promise is that you will become spiritually strong on the inside, able to overcome your spiritual enemies. Sin, Death, and the Devil must flee as they are weakened in front of the Strong Name of Jesus. The Jesus in us is stronger than the Sin in us. Sin will deceive us into believing that we are too weak to overcome its temptations. And we are. But we have a mighty overcomer, who has already overcome Sin. When we are willing we become mighty in spirit, that is, Jesus in us is strong to win the struggles of life for us.
The condition is: “prepare your ways before the Lord your God.” The word “prepare” can also mean order. Order your ways before the Lord. Keep your eyes and your heart on the Lord. Seek Him alone for help in time of need. To prepare or to order means to “set your mind.” We know how to prepare or to order a meal, how to prepare or order the house, and how to prepare or order many things in life. We can do the same thing with the mind, or the emotions, or even the will.
How do we do that? The same old answer is: repent and believe the gospel. When necessary, mentally go through all the things on your mind, repent if it is sinful, thank God if it is good, trust the Lord if it is a worry. Our minds become fragmented, scattered, busy, hectic, stressed, and disordered. “Prepare your ways” = “set your mind.” Colossians 3:2: “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” Things above = heaven (Jesus) in your heart. Things on earth = your fleshly soul (corrupted mind, will, and emotions). With your mind on the right place, or person, you become mighty. Col. 3:3 “Your life is hidden with Christ in God.”