Before we stepped into 2026, God told us the year would be characterised by wealth and warfare. A clear and urgent call to the Church amid current and impending shake-ups is “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” This is not a motivational slogan, nor is it a call to human optimism. It is a prophetic instruction rooted in Scripture and demanded by the times. Strength will be required this year, not the strength of personality, education, connections, or strategy, but the strength that flows from God Himself.
- Strength for spiritual warfare
- Strength through the supply of the Spirit
- The Apostle Paul captures this truth beautifully in Ephesians 3:14–16:
- Divine force for unusual results
- Faith that draws strength
- Corporate strength and spiritual alertness
- Taking what has been given
- Be discerning and walk closely with Jesus
This charge aligns precisely with the apostolic injunction in Ephesians 6:10–13, where the Apostle Paul admonishes believers to recognise the nature of the battles before them and to respond appropriately. The year ahead will not be run successfully on human wisdom. It will require spiritual stamina, discernment, and divine force.
The first instruction is deeply personal and introspective: Settle down and take stock of your life and find out what God wants to do with you this year. Strength in the Lord begins with alignment. Many believers expend spiritual energy pursuing ambitions that God has not authored, and such pursuits inevitably lead to frustration. Divine strength flows most freely where divine purpose is embraced. Before asking God for power, wisdom, or provision, the wise believer asks for clarity of assignment.
Strength for spiritual warfare
Paul’s words in Ephesians 6 are sobering. He reminds us that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. This year, the battles will be real, intensified, and unmistakably spiritual. This year, you will have to put on the whole armour of God. Let your strength in this year be in the Lord and not in yourself or in any other human. Let it be in the Lord.
Partial armour is insufficient. Occasional prayer, inconsistent devotion, or casual obedience will leave believers vulnerable. You cannot afford spiritual complacency. You cannot run 2026 with half-current electricity. You need the full forces that Heaven makes available. The challenges ahead demand full spiritual voltage, not a weak connection.
Strength through the supply of the Spirit
One of the great errors of Christianity today is the attempt to live out supernatural faith through natural energy. Scripture is clear: spiritual strength is supplied, not self-generated. David understood this principle when, in a moment of intense distress, David encouraged himself in the Lord. He did not look for sympathy, validation, or escape. He returned to the Source.
Ensure that you open yourself to the supply of the Spirit. As long as a believer opens himself to the supply of the Spirit, strength will be provided. That is how to be strong in the power of His might. Strength is not something you work up; it is supplied. This is why prayer, worship, fasting, and deliberate spiritual disciplines are non-negotiable this year.
The Apostle Paul captures this truth beautifully in Ephesians 3:14–16:
“For this reason, I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man.”
Notice where the strengthening occurs: the inner man. Many believers focus on external breakthroughs while neglecting internal fortification. Yet it is inner strength that sustains obedience, fuels perseverance, and resists temptation. This year, you need to yield yourself to the Lord so that you might be strengthened through His Spirit in your spirit.
Divine force for unusual results
The year 2026 is not designed for average outcomes. God is calling His people into unusual accomplishments, accelerated results, and visible impact. However, unusual results require unusual power. If you must achieve the unusual this year, you need divine force. The power that raised Jesus from the dead.
This is resurrection power—power that overcomes obstacles, defies limitations, and reverses impossibilities. There is a lot to learn from the women who went to Jesus’ tomb on the resurrection morning. The women proceeded with their marching order even when they had not figured out how to remove the obstacle in their way. Mary and the other women knew there was a massive stone blocking access to the tomb, yet they moved in obedience without having all the answers.
This is a prophetic pattern. Let obedience precede clarity. The fundamentals of the great things God wants you to do this year may still be unclear, and there might be obvious obstacles in your way. These should not make you give up or procrastinate. Be strong in faith, relying on God’s power.
Faith that draws strength
Romans 4:19–21 presents Abraham as a model of resilient faith. Despite his age and the deadness of Sarah’s womb, the Bible says he was “strong in faith, giving glory to God.” His strength did not come from physical ability or favourable circumstances. It came from his decision to repose his confidence entirely in God.
Like Abraham, you need to be strong in faith. Even Sarah received the strength to conceive Isaac by faith. When properly anchored, faith releases strength to accomplish God’s will.
This principle extends to every sphere of life, including provision and productivity. Scripture declares that it is God who gives power to get wealth. Wealth creation, influence, and impact are not merely economic processes; they are spiritual transactions requiring divine enablement.
Corporate strength and spiritual alertness
Another defining emphasis for 2026 is corporate victory. We need to be spiritually alert to discern what God has released to us and battle-ready to ward off the enemy’s attacks. However, wisdom demands that you don’t fight your battles alone.
This is the year where spiritual battles will be won corporately. Don’t be a loner. You will have quick results when you fight corporately. Strength multiplies in a godly community. Lone rangers are easy targets; aligned believers are formidable forces.
Taking what has been given
This is the year of assertive faith. Everything that has been given must be taken. Divine promises do not automatically manifest; they must be enforced. Jesus declared that the violent take the kingdom by force, not physical violence, but spiritual aggression, persistence, and refusal to accept defeat.
Don’t accept ‘no’ as an answer. Don’t concede grounds to Satan. Master the Lord’s instructions this year and see that you obey them. Deal with your appetites. Let no sin or weight hinder or slow you down. Strength in the Lord expresses itself in disciplined living, controlled desires, and prompt obedience.
Let prayer, especially praying in tongues, become habitual. Let your confidence rest not in your capacity, but in God’s faithfulness. Above all, remember: It’s not about you. All that is required of you is to respond to God and obey His instructions. When you do, you will face every situation with assurance, knowing that as far as God has spoken, He will back His word and His word will prevail in every circumstance.
Be discerning and walk closely with Jesus
The season ahead will demand heightened discernment. Not every opportunity is divine, and not every challenge is accidental.
There will also be internal purging and shake-ups. The church will be purged. It’s a refining process. God is cleaning His house to release greater authority. In such a season, personal holiness, accountability, and spiritual covering are critical. Take your personal walk with God more seriously, and whatever you do, stay under the covering.
Ultimately, seek to be strong in the Lord. The days of powerless Christianity should be in your past. God is willing to give you with power. Are you willing to receive it?
. Reverend Ukporhe is the Lead Pastor at Remnant Christian Network, Lagos. Raised in Sokoto, northern Nigeria, he was trained in peculiar firebrand evangelism and was ordained as a pastor in 2001. He has experienced countless and diverse workings of the faithfulness of God over two decades and has developed a passion to see God’s will for Nigeria become a reality. He can be reached at +2348060255604
