Might (κράτος) expresses the ability of resident strength, the quality of being able.
When the exorcists of the ruling religious party attempted to rebuke a malignantly evil spirit by using Jesus’ name, for they had seen the Apostles doing this, the spirit responded by first stating that he has an intuitive knowledge of Paul but not of them. He then proceeded to strip them naked and sent them running. This caused great fear in the city of Ephesus, and the Word of the Lord grew in the region.
thus, according to the might of the Lord, the Word increased and became strong – Acts 19:20.
As Christians, our eyes are opened to the truth so that we may know the hope of His calling, the riches of the proper opinion of His inheritance among the saints, and the exceeding greatness of his inherent ability towards us according to the working of the might of His strength, Ephesians 1:18-19. Wicked hands crucified Christ. In response to such malignantly evil work, God the Father raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand. He is now over all authorities and is the head of the Church, which is the new creation God made in raising Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:17. This was a display of the resident strength of His inherent ability.
When it comes to battling Satan, we are not called to rebuke demons or to exercise authority over them; instead, we are instructed to stand firm against them by the strength we have in the Lord. For it is in the might of His strength that we have victory, Ephesians 6:10. Our battle is not physical – of flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle against malignantly evil spirits in the heavens. Therefore, they seek to influence our minds to persuade us to follow Satan’s ways and reject God. When we put on the armor of God, it directly relates to the ability of His strength, reminding us of the truth in what God has done so that we overcome all the methodologies of the devil to get us to act independently from God.
As we govern our lives in this wicked world, we are to walk in a worthy manner of our Lord so that we are being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the full experiential knowledge of God being able in all inherent ability according to the might (resident strength) of His proper opinion in all patience and long-suffering, Colossians 1:11.
Through Christ’s death, He rendered ineffective Satan’s might over death, for throughout the life of those under law, they were in bondage, fearing death. Therefore, in all things, He was made like His brethren so that He is a merciful and faithful High Priest of the things facing God and inherently able to help those who are tempted, Hebrews 2:14-18.
Might expresses the resident strength of God to do what He says He will do. Through His might, He caused a young virgin to be with child, fulfilling His promise to David and Israel, Luke 1:52. Through the working of the might of His strength, He raised Christ from the dead so that He can die no more, answering His supplication to save Him from death. In Christ, we are able to have victory over Satan because through the might of Christ’s strength, He has overcome, and since we are in Christ, we are also victorious. Therefore, in understanding such incredible displays of the might of God’s strength, for He can do what He says He will do, let us properly manage our lives, bearing fruit in righteousness and growing in our experience with God.
