How is your strength renewed?
The writer of Lamentations said, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness,” (Lamentations 2:22-23).
David found hope for God’s people through the covenant relationship they enjoyed with the Lord. In Psalms 102, when David was overwhelmed and afflicted, he poured out his soul to God. At times, his prayer indicates a feeling of desperation, weakness and the abject wretched sense of being struck down, abandoned and withered like grass. His language depicts a person who has lost the ability to rise up. All strength was gone. After praying to God in his distresses, Psalm 103 is presented as a praise for the LORD’s help.
Psalm 103:2-3 NKJV Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases,
Psalm 103:4-5 NKJV Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
He found the help he needed in God’s compassion and mercy. Every aspect of his life that was overwhelmed with distress, desperation, and weakness was addressed by God’s compassions. In the LORD his God, David found forgiveness of sins, healing of sicknesses, deliverance from death, and enrichment for his life. God satisfied him with good things and crowned him with blessings so that he was renewed and strong. While David was considering the depth of his need and the weakness of his body and situation, he began considering the LORD’s covenant with His people. He remembered that God had been compassionate and gracious. He testified that the LORD had been slow to anger and that He abounds in covenant love and mercy.
When you are weak and in distress, you need to remind yourself of these facts.
The LORD our God is a covenant keeping God. He knows your frame and that you are totally dependent on His compassion, mercy and grace. David acknowledged the LORD’s dominion over all things and as a result he found the renewed strength he needed.
How is your strength renewed?
The prophet Isaiah appears to have been in a similar situation that David had found himself. God’s people had been in a 70—year time of war, trial, and great hardship. Seventy years is a long time to be cast down and weak. It appears that all of their strength was gone and their sins had taken them very low. In the first five verses of Isaiah 40, he referred to the wilderness and the desert. He spoke of the valley, mountains and hills. He said there were crooked and rough places. Isaiah was talking about the spiritual and physical experiences and situations that had come against them.
God called Isaiah to prophesy to God’s people and tell them that the time for their relief had come.
The LORD God almighty was going to address everything that had diminished them and made them weak. The LORD said, “Prepare a way for God to come in.” The valley would be exalted and the mountains and hills brought low. The crooked places would be made straight and the rough places smooth.
God’s glory is going to be revealed.
Isaiah 40:25 NKJV “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.
Maybe you need to take a moment and consider Who it is that has promised to come to your aid. He is the Author of life. He is the One Who possesses all power, might and dominion.
Isaiah 40:26 NKJV Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.
Isaiah 40:27 NKJV Why do you say… “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
Have you ever felt like that? Does God even know what you are going through? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Is He able to help you?
Isaiah 40:28 NKJV Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
The Author of all things is the Creator of the ends of the earth. He neither faints nor is weary. His ways are high above your ways.
Isaiah 40:29 NKJV He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.
You may lose your strength and become weak, but the LORD your God gives power and strength to the weary.
Isaiah 40:31 NKJV 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.
Hold on to that verse.
The Author of Life is going to do something in you that will renew your strength.
How is your strength renewed?
In Acts 3, Peter and John were on their way into the Temple to spend some time in prayer. On their way into the Temple, they encountered a man who was crippled from birth. His life had been so diminished and hopeless that all he could do was beg for someone to give him aide. When Peter and John came by, the man asked for some alms. Peter looked on the man and said, “Look at us.” Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but I have something I will freely give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” That man’s legs and feet had never had enough strength to walk. The Bible says, “Immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.” (verse 7) Although he had never had the strength to do it before, he began walking, leaping and praising God. The three of them went into the Temple and everyone began looking at the man and said, “Is not this the man who sat begging at the gate called beautiful?” Peter said, “Why does this surprise you? and Why do you stare at us as though by our own power or godliness we made this man to walk?” The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our father, has glorified His servant Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed. Then Peter said something that was astonishing.
Acts 3:15 NIV84 You killed the Author of life…
Don’t stop with that. If you stop there, your hope is gone. If you stop there, the crippled man does not have strength to stand. If you stop there, the mountains and valleys have the last word in your destiny. If you stop there, you will faint and grow weary.
Acts 3:15 NIV84 You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
Jesus Christ, the Author of life has been raised from the dead. When Jesus came out of the grave, He made it possible for you to stand up strong. He made it possible for your sickness and weakness to be conquered. He made it possible for your strength to be renewed. The same spirit that raised Christ from the dead is working in you. If the Spirit of God lives in you, He produces a totally different life. The Holy Spirit of God is the Spirit of Life.
Romans 8:11 NIV84 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.
Life and strength is coming into you. Strength and healing is coming into you. Healing and vitality is coming into you. The same Spirit that raised Christ’s dead body is going to raise you up. You should prepare yourself for a miracle. They may have killed the Author of life, but God has raised Him from the dead. There is hope.
You do not have to live in despair and be hopeless. Your valley will be exalted and your mountains and hills will be brought low. Those crooked places will be made straight and those rough will be made places smooth. The Author of Life is risen from the grave and the same Spirit that brought Him out is going to do something miraculous in you.
