Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Strength and Faith

Isaiah 51:9a "Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD;awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago."

Isaiah 52:1 "Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean."

1Kings 20:22 "Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, 'Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do, for in the spring the king of Syria will come up against you.'"

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through him who strengthens me."

2Timothy 2:1 "You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus"

Nehemiah 8:10 "Then he said to them, 'Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.'"

I could go on and on, but I think this should be clear. God wants us strengthened. He wants us strong. He says that in Christ there is strength. But I notice something else here which seems to be the reason we seldom access this strength or seem to have it as often as we need it.  He doesn't ever say that He will just make you strong. The Philippians verse comes close to that, but even there it requires something to be done. We have to DO. We have to "put on" strength. We have to get into His grace. We have to strengthen ourself and consider what we have to do. And we must choose to not be greived - to be in joy. Its all a matter of what we choose to do. The way we choose to live. Nothing happens by magic. Nothing happens just because it happens. There is a deliberate act that must be committed in order to get any promise of God. Strength is no different.
But don't despair, it is not impossible. If it was, God would never have asked us to do it. He does require deliberate faith though. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). The moment you step out in faith to do what it takes to get out of being miserable, to stop being greived; when you decide to be strong and strengthen yourself, His grace and power go into action on your behalf.
Side note: the way you strengthen yourself is to meditate on the Word, to let it change you in the way Romans 12:2 describes. Also, taking time to pray in tongues (Jude 20). And, spending time in worship (Psalm 16:11). Strengthening yourself is actually pretty easy... if you make the decision to just do it. (Nike)