What is a sign or indication of strength to you?
These are a few verses on what the Bible states about strength:
Psalm 73:26: “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Strength is not about what we in and of ourselves can work up, but it is a blessing from God. He is the One who makes us strong.
Isaiah 41:10 further drives home this truth: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” It is the presence of God in our lives that brings strength. After Jesus ascended to His Father, He sent His Holy Spirit in order to provide the strength we need. He, with the power of God in Him, indwells us.
1 Samuel 16:13 provides evidence of the power of God: “So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon David. Samuel then went to Ramah.”
Acts 1:8 provides further confirmation on the power we receive from His indwelling Holy Spirit: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
1 Chronicles 16:11 instructs us to seek God for strength: “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”
In Exodus 15:2, Moses and the people of Israel recognized God as the source of their strength:
“The Lord is my strength and my song.”
In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, the Apostle Paul made this statement regarding strength and weakness: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
What Paul is saying to us is that it is true strength comes in utter dependence upon God. When we rely upon the Lord, His Spirit works in us in such a way that what the world may see, what we may this is weakness, is truly strength. It is opposite of how we think in our humanness. But God wants to reveal Himself to us, and that is best accomplished when we put aside our bravado, and allow God to work in and through us.
The world will view this as foolish. The world wants us to be independent of God, but that is not true strength.
True strength admits we cannot handle life without the Lord.
True strength admits we are inadequate in and of ourselves.
True strength admits we need God.
True strength comes when we put aside our pride, and humbly seek God for everything.
True strength waits upon God to lead, guide, protect, and for all else we need.
Have you humbly sought God for His gift of eternal life? That is the first step to strength. If you have not yet submitted to God as your Lord and Savior, what is holding you back from this lifechanging, lifegiving work of God?
Once you take this step, and have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, you begin your journey of God helping you find true strength in Him, and not in yourself.
How might this look in our lives? We become people who are dependent upon God’s people, the Body of Christ. We interact with each other in ways that we edify one another in Christ. We allow people to really know us. We help others, and allow them to help us.
Do you know someone who has difficulty in accepting assistance? What do you think is at the root of that behavior? What do you think that person is missing out on from God?
Additionally, self-confidence and boasting are two more indicators that a person is missing out on knowing and experiencing God’s love and strength. They are further examples of pride. Pride is like poison. It destroys life. It is better to admit our inabilities than to continue in arrogant behavior.
I would like to hear from you about how God has strengthened you, as you humbly relied upon Him. Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2024 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.