God, Our Renewal of Strength

Have you ever wondered where to find strength? Have you ever felt weary, without relief? Join us as we uncover where the source of our strength is meant to come from and how the Word backs this up! Discover how, when we know where strength comes from and speak it out, our strength is renewed!

Strength in the Word:

Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” This is truth, and confirmation that all that is in God’s Word is without end. Further, Isaiah 55:11 promises that what God speaks does not return void; while Numbers 23:19 says that God is not a man that He should lie and that ALL He has said WILL come to pass. Therefore, when God says something, when we read it or speak it forth, it must be true!

Yet, what is strength in the Word? Why is it important?

Well, firstly, it is important to realize that we find the word, “strength” and its counterparts, such as “strengthen,” and “strengthened,” 303 times in the New King James version of the Word. 303 times! And it is found from Genesis to Revelation!

Strength is obviously important in both the Old and New Testaments, but why is that?

Let’s start with the first use of the word, strength, in the Word—the “law of first mention” giving it a unique importance…

After Adam and Eve were cast out of Eden, and Cain murdered his brother Abel, we hear God speaking to Cain, and casting His punishment upon him, along with the kindness of a promise…

“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’

“… ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’

“… ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.’

“… ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.’

“… ‘…whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.”—Genesis 4:9-15 (emphasis added)

The ground was a source of strength to mankind, yet, due to the punishment rendered, it became a mere fraction of what it once was to Cain. However, just as God gave favor and blessing to Cain even as he was being punished, so God has given favor and blessing to all of mankind. For the Lord, far better than the ground or indeed even anything we might know on Earth, became our strength.

Now, the term strength is not found in the Word again until the time when Jacob, then known as Israel, strengthened himself upon seeing Joseph again, after which, the next two uses of strength regard his sons, Reuben and Joseph—two of the twelve tribes. 

Yet, it is after these first four uses of the word that we then find “strength” used explicitly as belonging to God. Specifically, the strong hand of God AND that it is God who is our strength and gives it—these mentions of strength beginning in Exodus after He brought the Israelites out of Egypt. 

Just as God gave Cain grace—unmerited favor—after he sinned, God, in the fifth mention of strength—five equaling grace—is shown as our strength. The strength which brought us out of bondage through His grace, though none deserved it…

“…by strength of hand the Lord brought you out of this place. …”—Exodus 13:3

This does not mean that God was not a giver of strength, a God of strength, or our strength before that point in Exodus, however, it does provide a fuller understanding of God and strength itself.

“The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.”—Exodus 15:2

Throughout the Word, as written by prophets and men of God at the direction of God Himself, we are told over and over again that God is our strength, and that He gives it to us:

• “God is my strength and power, and He makes my way perfect.”—2 Samuel 22:33
• “I will love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”—Psalm 18:1-2
• “The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace.”—Psalm 29:11
• “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.”—Isaiah 40:29
• And MANY other Scriptures!

Now, a gift is freely given. It is not something that can be bought. We did nothing to deserve the strength of God resting upon us, just as we did nothing to earn our salvation—both being gifts of unmerited favor from the price Jesus paid on the cross. Yet, through that gift we can walk in the strength of God in all things, and He, through His strong right hand, will see us through. 

Still, it is a choice. We do not have to accept any gift God wishes to bestow upon us. Yet, why would we choose to reject the gifts of God?

Unfortunately, we sometimes do. For instance, when we think or say we cannot do something God is asking us to do—be it to move, to speak His words to someone, or perhaps to do something new—then we are rejecting many gifts. We are rejecting the gift of walking as He does. We are rejecting the gift of God leading us. We are rejecting the gift of His strength.

We have to be open to God, be willing to move forward and higher, if we are to accept the gifts He wants to bestow on us as His sons and daughters; co-heirs with Christ as king priests.

God wants to give us His strength. He wants to help us in every situation. Still, we need to learn to be willing vessels… to wait upon the Lord.

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”—Isaiah 40:31

Take-Away:

“Strength,” mentioned hundreds of times in the Word, yet, it is only through God that we find the truest strength. 

God is strong, and He wants to impart His strength in us. However, we have to be willing vessels. We need to open our hearts to God; to wait upon the Lord. To discover relationship…

Because God is full of goodness, mercy, and grace, He blesses us though we do not deserve it. He gives, though we have no way to repay. Therefore, let us praise the Lord for His goodness. Let us thank Him for His mercies. Let us accept His grace with thanksgiving as we rest in Him and walk in His strength!

The Lord desires to bless us with His strength, yet, have you ever wondered what other blessings He has bestowed upon YOU to do His good work on Earth? Would you like to discover your Godly strengths? Then join us HERE to learn your Godly strengths and what they mean for YOUR Kingdom purpose!