Strength

The LORD is my rock and my fortress […]; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust…

Psalm 18:2*

King David never quite got over the experience of being a shepherd boy alone in the wilderness responsible for the lives of many sheep. As a young man in the desert, he faced wild animals that were stronger and faster than he. As sovereign of Israel, he was surrounded by enemies with bigger armies. Feeling weak served David well, because he ran to the LORD who armed him with strength and made his way perfect (Psalm 18:32).

The Prophet Daniel saw a vision of a Glorious Man who was “clothed in linen,” his face had “the appearance of lightening,” and “his eyes like torches of fire” (Daniel 10:5,6). Since the description is similar to Ezekiel’s view of the Glory of the LORD (Ezekiel 1:27,28) and the Apostle John’s encounter with the glorified Christ (Revelation 1:14,15), this vision is often interpreted as an appearance of the preincarnate Christ. Daniel describes a dialogue between the two of them: “And he said, ‘O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!’ So when he spoke to me I was strengthened, and said, ‘Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me’" (Daniel 10:19).

The Lord Jesus is not only the personification of Strength, He is the source of strength for all those who are weak “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

The Lord Jesus declares in 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.'"

The weakness of God is stronger than Mankind at his prime (1 Corinthians 1:25). When people are at their weakest, there is no strength to overcome the stressfulness of life. Only with God’s help can one truly have victory. The apostle Paul understood that he could rely on the Savior’s strength. “… For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

*see also Isaiah 12:2, 25:4, 40:29; Revelation 5:12,12:10