Need strength? I do! Every moment of every day, and sometimes I need strength way more than at other times. But all the time, I need strength. I seriously think I am the weakest woman in the world. And God has given me a pretty challenging life filled with seemingly relentless struggles for decades, He has called me onto the front lines of ministry whereby I am continually having people pour out their hearts and stories to me that are beyond belief difficult, and I face challenges being on the road for Jesus in this ministry work to which I am called that are hard, yucky, icky, dirty, scary, risky, etc. beyond imagination. Do I need strength? Beyond belief. And I am here to share with you the three greatest lessons I have learned about strength.
First, THE STRENGTH WE NEED IS FROM GOD ALMIGHTY.
Second, WE NEED TO HUMBLE OURSELVES AND ADMIT OUR WEAKNESS IN ORDER TO RECEIVE GOD’S STRENGTH.
Third, WE NEED TO TURN TO THE LORD AND SEEK AND RECEIVE THE LOVE AND STRENGTH AND ALL WE NEED FROM HIM.
Some people probably think I’m strong given all I have been through in my life and given I have been on the road full-time for Jesus and ministry for some years now with my special needs ministry dogs going places and dealing with people in very extreme, scary, hard, tragic, uncomfortable, and anything-but-easy ways. But truth is IT IS IN MY EXCEEDING WEAKNESS THAT I AM MADE STRONG BY GOD. What people see in me is GOD’S STRENGTH. And I give GOD the glory for HIS STRENGTH!
Please, friend, humble yourself before God almighty, realize your weakness and need for His strength, and cry out to Him for all you need in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! And be thankful for His almighty love, power, strength, mercy, grace, peace, hope, joy, and all His precious promises and blessings He bestows upon His followers who live for Him!
I LOVE how the following verses show the beauty of how God works in our weakness. Oh, let us yield ourselves to Him – and to His strength. Oh yes!
“And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 KJV
I also LOVE how the psalmist in this verse doesn’t just look to the Lord for strength, but considers the Lord his strength!
“Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:” Psalms 144:1 KJV
It is in God’s amazing LOVE for His children that He gives us the strength we need to LOVE and follow Him. I LOVE how the psalmist in this next verse expresses his LOVE to the Lord whom he refers to as his strength. How beautiful is the LOVE relationship between heavenly Father and His children, between Lord and His servants, between God almighty and His followers.
“I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.” Psalms 18:1 KJV
I so encourage you to meditate on the numerous verses referring to STRENGTH in the Bible which include these:
“The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Psalms 18:2 KJV
“But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.” Psalms 22:19 KJV
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalms 27:1 KJV
“The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.” Psalms 28:7 KJV
“Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.” Psalms 59:17 KJV
“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” Psalms 73:26
“The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.” Psalms 118:14
“In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” Psalms 138:3
Oh, God, help us to come humbly before you, and oh, Lord, give us strength! Thank you Lord, oh God, thank you Father, AMEN!