WHERE DOES MY STRENGTH COME FROM?

At the Cross, I surrender my all. I am in awe of you. Where your love ran red, and my sin was washed white. I owe ALL to you.

Love ran red ~ Chris Tomlin

A. FIRST THINGS FIRST… 😌

It’s been a rough couple of weeks.

Consciously or subconsciously, I constantly find myself gravitating towards the Psalms and am struck by the mindset (and life) of David.

I always wonder what criteria the Lord uses to consider a man His friend, or His favourite. I believe now that one of the key traits is their mindset.

Walk with me. (This feels like a podcast)

B. THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH

David was a man of war.

While tending to his father’s sheep, he fought (and killed) lions and bears. From the onset of his journey to being king until the end of his life, he fought and led armies.

More often than not, he triumphed over his enemies. On occasions where he seemed to have lost, the Lord always redeemed him. He constantly strengthened himself in the Lord.

Ordinarily, this is a man that would eventually start to boast in his own strength.

[ I personally would struggle to talk to ordinary people again if I killed a lion with my bare hands. 🫠] It actually sounds like a scene straight out of a movie.

Not David though. Throughout the Psalms, he refers to the Lord as his Strength. His Rock. His Fortress.

He was fully aware that all his sufficiency as a man of war came from the Father. The Spirit constantly imbued him with the Father’s strength. I imagine that day by day he willfully set aside his own (perceived) strength and picked up that of his Maker.

This was his mindset. That posture of humility is what (among other things) positioned him for greatness as king and even forefather of Jesus Christ.

C. PSALM 144:1

“Blessed be the Lord my Strength and my Rock. Who trains my hands for battle and my fingers for war.”

I find myself picking a lesson from David. On multiple occasions, we might wake up at 1% of our own (feeble) strength. In His mercy, God’s Spirit may bring a verse to remembrance. I am in some seasons, constantly reminded and reciting this verse:

“They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength…”

The Word is 100% Living and Active. What this memory verse does is ignite what I know to be an added measure of strength that is not my own. I have the will to press on.

I have found myself constantly looking to the Cross. There, He gave me access to the immeasurable grandeur of His strength so I would not have to look for my empty one.

I believe this is why the Word says that His Strength is made perfect in our weakness. In our weakness, we are constantly reminded that we can do absolutely nothing without Him. Thankfully so, because what life would that be? May we always know with utmost conviction that we can do all things through Christ who gives us (His) Strength.

Finally, this blog is really just my testimony and proof of my gratitude to the Fourth Man who walks with me (and us) in the fire.