Thoughts on Being Strong

Jesus says, “ . . . It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt 4.4).

Just like we need physical strength to get through the day, so we need Spiritual strength.  While the Lord does give us strength, He commands us to be strong too (Eph. 6.10) There are some things that we can do that give us strength, and that He commands us to do. 

Just like food, we need the Word of God in our lives. We need it,  and God has provided it. We wouldn’t be very strong if we didn’t eat.

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart . . .” (Jer. 15.16).

Psalm 1:2-3 tells us,“[H]is delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Psalm 1.2-3).

Jesus says in John 6:63, ” [T]he words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.“

Spending time in prayer also gives us strength.

Nehemiah 8:10 reads, “[F]or the joy of the Lord is your strength.”    Prayer holds us in God’s presence for a while, and Psalm 16:11 says, “[I]n thy presence is fulness of joy . . .”

 Neglecting prayer will not only cause us to lack strength, it will cause us to lack guidance and direction.

 Exercising what God has told us to do will make us stronger.

Jesus said in John 4:34, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.”  Doing what His Father said gave Jesus strength. Also interestingly we want to strengthen our bodies, and our muscles to be stronger we need to both eat more, and exercise. 

Doing the will of God will help strengthen each other. 

III John 4 says, “ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”  Of course to hear this we need to be in contact and around God’s people. The Lord commanded in Hebrews 10:25, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Also Hebrews 13:16 : “But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” 

The Lord commands us to rest too!

The will of God  also isn’t always to do something.  Martha was busy doing when she needed to listen (Luke 10.41-42). Sometimes it is the will of God that we just stay still or rest. (Ex 20. 10; Exodus 14:13). Psalm 37:7 says, “ Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Ps. 37.7). Sitting still and listening to the voice of God is one way we get strength. And fretting when the Lord told us to rest, surely won’t help us any.  

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless!

“And he said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.” Exodus 12:13

A Scripture for Today, June 27th, 2023

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

The LORD is my Strength, A Scripture for Today

These are just some verses  that encouraged me. They are all about the Lord being our strength. God bless.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer. “ Psalm 19:14

“ For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?

 God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.

He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet: and setteth me upon my high places.” II Samuel 22:32-34

“I will love thee, 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 buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Psalm 18:1-3

“ 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.

 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed.

 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.” Psalm 28:7-9

“But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.

 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.” Psalm 59:16-17

“ In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.” Psalm 62:7-8

“ Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:2-3

A Scripture for Today, November 28th, 2021

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:” Isaiah 26:3-4

What do you give your Strength to?

 Who do you give your strength to?

The Bible teaches us that we each give our strength to something, but it instructs  us to give our strength to the Lord.
“Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.” Psalm 29:1

 If we  don’t give our strength to the Lord, we will give it to someone or something else.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Bible warns us:

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…” Ecclesiastes 12:1

We only have a limited amount of days on this earth.  Will we give our strength to vanity or to the Lord ?

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” Ecclesiastes 12:1

While we are on this earth the Lord tells us to strengthen our brethren.

” Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
The Lord told Simon Peter that when his faith had been tried to do this.

” But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

Strengthening our brethren is also a way of giving our strength to the Lord.

” And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

Will we give our strength to the Lord and his people or will we strengthen ourselves in  wickedness?
” The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.” Psalm 52:6-7

” And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:19-20
Instead of spending our lives strengthening  God’s  people, will we strengthen the wicked?

” Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:   Ezekiel 13:22

” I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.” Jeremiah 23:14

” And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” II Chronicles 19:2

The way we live our lives matters!

Here are some things the Bible specifically says not to give our strength to.

” Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” Proverbs 31:3-4

Don’t give your strength to woman, (or men).

I guess one of the clearest pictures of this in the Bible is Samson and Delilah.

Staying with an ungodly woman, brought Samson lower and lower.   She took one by one every thing that set him apart for God , until he was no longer with the Lord.

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it come  to marriage. It is consistent throughout the Old and New Testaments.

” Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” II Corinthians 6:14

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it comes to alcohol either.

”Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1

Whoever is deceived by it, and thinks it does no hurt, is a fool.

” And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” Leviticus  10:8-11

It is not for kings to drink wine, and it is not for priests.

And it is not fit for any child of or servant of the most high God.

” And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6

Don’t give place to the Devil.

In II Samuel 23 Shammah, stood his ground when the Philistines came to take a field of lentils . Because, he stood his ground the Lord wrought a great victory through him.  It is the Lord’s ground. It is for Him. No matter how small we think it is ,  the enemy ought not to have any part, nor use any part of it!

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

We read in the end times how men who did not align themselves with the Lord, gave over their strength to Satan.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Revelation 17:12-13

When we don’t give our strength to the Lord, this usually what happens.
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Let us not give our strength to the Devil!

We too can stand for the Lord!

” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:10-18

The Lord gave us what we need to stand, and power is available if we ask.

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless.

Thoughts on “Who do you Give Your Strength to?”

Who do you give your strength to?

The Bible teaches us that we each give our strength to something, but it instructs  us to give our strength to the Lord.
“Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.” Psalm 29:1

 If we  don’t give our strength to the Lord, we will give it to someone or something else.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Bible warns us:

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…” Ecclesiastes 12:1

We only have a limited amount of days on this earth.  Will we give our strength to vanity or to the Lord ?

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” Ecclesiastes 12:1

While we are on this earth the Lord tells us to strengthen our brethren.

” Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
The Lord told Simon Peter that when his faith had been tried to do this.

” But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

Strengthening our brethren is also a way of giving our strength to the Lord.

” And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

Will we give our strength to the Lord and his people or will we strengthen ourselves in  wickedness?
” The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.” Psalm 52:6-7

” And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:19-20
Instead of spending our lives strengthening  God’s  people, will we strengthen the wicked?

” Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:  Ezekiel 13:22

” I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.” Jeremiah 23:14

” And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” II Chronicles 19:2

The way we live our lives matters!

Here are some things the Bible specifically says not to give our strength to.

” Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” Proverbs 31:3-4

Don’t give your strength to woman, (or men).

I guess one of the clearest pictures of this in the Bible is Samson and Delilah.

Staying with an ungodly woman, brought Samson lower and lower.   She took one by one every thing that set him apart for God , until he was no longer with the Lord.

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it come  to marriage. It is consistent throughout the Old and New Testaments.

” Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” II Corinthians 6:14

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it comes to alcohol either.

”Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1

Whoever is deceived by it, and thinks it does no hurt, is a fool.

” And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” Leviticus  10:8-11

It is not for kings to drink wine, and it is not for priests.

And it is not fit for any child of or servant of the most high God.

” And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6
Don’t give place to the Devil.

In II Samuel 23 Shammah, stood his ground when the Philistines came to take a field of lentils . Because, he stood his ground the Lord wrought a great victory through him.  It is the Lord’s ground. It is for Him. No matter how small we think it is ,  the enemy ought not to have any part, nor use any part of it!

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

We read in the end times how men who did not align themselves with the Lord, gave over their strength to Satan.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Revelation 17:12-13

When we don’t give our strength to the Lord,we often end up giving the enemy ground.

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Let us not give our strength to the Devil!

We too can stand for the Lord!

” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:10-18

The Lord gave us what we need to stand, and power is available if we ask.

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless.

How We Lose Our Strength

“And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.” Judges 16:6

Samson’s great strength did not lie in his hair.

” And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” I Samuel 15:29

Just like every child of God, his strength is from the LORD, and in walking in the Lord’s way.

“The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.” Proverbs 10:29

Proverbs 18 says of the fear of the Lord, ”   … I have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” (Vs. 13-16)

Samson was separated to God to be a Nazarite from his mother’s womb. (Judges 13)

The vow of the Nazarite, (Numbers 6) entailed not only refraining from the shaving the head, but abstaining from the fruit of the vine, and refraining from touching the dead.

One by one Samson found himself doing these things until there was no longer anything that set him apart for God, and it is then that he lost his strength.

The Bible says,”His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” Proverbs 5:22

Just as Samson was bound with cords, sin causes us to be bound as well.

”[M]ine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” Psalm 40:12

 Just as Samson’s eyes were put out, sin also causes us to lose our vision and lose our strength.

”Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:17 (also Matthew 7:3-5)

”Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me . . .for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

  Just like Samson our strength does not lie in our hair. We don’t have to be like Samson. Even if it is our natural strength or ability, the Lord gave it to us.

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive . . .” I Corinthians 4:7

The Lord made strong people. He also made people to be strong.  With God’s help young David defeated Goliath, the strongest soldier of the opposing Philistine army. Goliath didn’t use his ability to the glory of God, and young David overthrew him. Like the Philistine without God’s help and blessing our natural abilities strengths, no matter how great might be made to amount to nothing.

When God’s people forgot to seek him, they were driven back by the opposing armies in Joshua chapter seven.

Daniel 4:28-32  also  tells us that when King Nebuchadnezzar started thinking it was his own strength that got him to where he was and that made his nation great, that is when he fell.

And when we as God’s people forget where our strength really comes from, that is when we are ready to fall as well!

We need God’s help every day.

I Samuel 2:9  tells us, “ He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”

“Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” Deuteronomy 33:25

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:30-31

When Samson called upon the Lord, then the Lord wrought a great victory through him.

Proverbs 24:16 says, ”  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

 When Samson called on the Lord, He helped him, and his strength was restored.

Psalm 147:10-11 says,”He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” 

If we find that we have no strength, the best thing to do is to  humble down and call upon the Lord God who gives us strength.

As the Psalmist wrote: “My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.”

God bless.

Tell me, I pray thee, Wherein Thy Great Strength Lieth

“And Delilah said to Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee.” (Jdg. 16.6)

Samson’s great strength did not lie in his hair.

” And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.” (I Sam. 15.29)

Just like every child of God, Samson’s strength was in the LORD, and in walking in the Lord’s way.

“The way of the Lord is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.” (Pr. 10.29)

Proverbs 8 says of the fear of the Lord,   ^“…I  have strength. By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.” (14-16)
Samson was separated to God to be a Nazarite from his mother’s womb. (Jdg. 13)

The vow of the Nazarite, (Numbers 6) entailed not only refraining from the shaving the head, as is well known. It also included abstaining from the fruit of the vine, and refraining from touching the dead. But as we read in judges, we find Samson one by one doing these things, until there was no longer anything that set him apart for God. It is then he lost his strength.

Like Delilah,  the world  and the Devil continually seek to bind the children of God.

”They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.” (Ps. 62.4)

”[B]alak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the Lord hath not defied?” (Num. 23.7-8)

 

Just as sin caused Samson to be bound, sin is what binds the child of God.

”His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.” (Pr. 5.22)

”[M]ine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.” (Ps. 40.12)

Just as sin caused Samson’s eyes to be put out, sin may cause  us to lose our vision.

” Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” (Revelation 3.17)

It also causes us to lose our strength.

”Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (Jn. 15.4-5)
Samson didn’t know that the Lord departed from him.

“…And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that the Lord was departed from him.” (Jdg 16.20)
Samson went out to do as he did at other times before, and didn’t realize that the Lord had departed from him.  We can’t expect to get the victory, without the Lord. So many times in the Bible God’s children didn’t realize that they were out of fellowship with God. Soon after they met the enemy and faced disaster.

We need to realize where our Great Strength lies.

And we need to seek His face, before we head out of our houses, out of our “prayer closets” Or we might end up like Samson, rushing out thinking everything is as it was before.

Don’t Try to Claim God’s Promises Without Christ!

 

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

God wanted the children of Israel to go up and posses the Promised Land. He brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand and stretched out arm. He parted the Red Sea before them. He broke down barriers that stood in their way. In Joshua chapter 6, we read how God made the walls of Jericho fall down.

In confidence after the defeat of Jericho, the children of Israel saw the city of Ai, and sent spies into it. When they had found  it was a “little” one, and a “little” battle, they went up in their own strength. This time they were driven back and defeated.

Unbeknownst to Israel there was sin in her camp. In chapters seven we find that a man took of the cursed treasure of the city of Jericho, which the Lord commanded Israel not to take of, and because of this God couldn’t bless.

“Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you. Up, sanctify the people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to morrow: for thus saith the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee, O Israel: thou canst not stand before thine enemies, until ye take away the accursed thing from among you.” Joshua 7:12-13

Had they sought God’s face first, they might have succeeded. But until they got rid of the sin in their camp, God couldn’t bless. If we want to live a victorious life, we need to seek God’s face first and foremost. And we need to make sure their isn’t sin in our lives preventing us from claiming God’s promises.
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

 

What do you give your Strength to?

 Who do you give your strength to?

The Bible teaches us that we each give our strength to something, but it instructs  us to give our strength to the Lord.
“Give unto the Lord, O ye mighty, give unto the Lord glory and strength.” Psalm 29:1

 

 If we  don’t give our strength to the Lord, we will give it to someone or something else.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

The Bible warns us:

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…” Ecclesiastes 12:1

We only have a limited amount of days on this earth.  Will we give our strength to vanity or to the Lord ?

” Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;” Ecclesiastes 12:1

While we are on this earth the Lord tells us to strengthen our brethren.

” Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2
The Lord told Simon Peter that when his faith had been tried to do this.

” But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Luke 22:32

Strengthening our brethren is also a way of giving our strength to the Lord.

” And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

Will we give our strength to the Lord and his people or will we strengthen ourselves in  wickedness?
” The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.” Psalm 52:6-7

” And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” Luke 12:19-20
Instead of spending our lives strengthening  God’s  people, will we strengthen the wicked?

” Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:   Ezekiel 13:22

” I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness; they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah.” Jeremiah 23:14

” And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” II Chronicles 19:2

The way we live our lives matters!

Here are some things the Bible specifically says not to give our strength to.

” Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.

 It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” Proverbs 31:3-4

 

Don’t give your strength to woman, (or men).

I guess one of the clearest pictures of this in the Bible is Samson and Delilah.

Staying with an ungodly woman, brought Samson lower and lower.   She took one by one every thing that set him apart for God , until he was no longer with the Lord.

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it come  to marriage. It is consistent throughout the Old and New Testaments.

” Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” II Corinthians 6:14

The Bible doesn’t mix words when it comes to alcohol either.

”Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1

Whoever is deceived by it, and thinks it does no hurt, is a fool.

” And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying,

Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:

 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Lord hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” Leviticus  10:8-11

It is not for kings to drink wine, and it is not for priests.

And it is not fit for any child of or servant of the most high God.

” And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:6
Don’t give place to the Devil.

In II Samuel 23 Shammah, stood his ground when the Philistines came to take a field of lentils . Because, he stood his ground the Lord wrought a great victory through him.  It is the Lord’s ground. It is for Him. No matter how small we think it is ,  the enemy ought not to have any part, nor use any part of it!

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

We read in the end times how men who did not align themselves with the Lord, gave over their strength to Satan.

“And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.” Revelation 17:12-13

When we don’t give our strength to the Lord, this usually what happens.
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16

Let us not give our strength to the Devil!

We too can stand for the Lord!

” Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:10-18

The Lord gave us what we need to stand, and power is available if we ask.

These have been just a few thoughts.

God bless.