FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH IN DESTINY

“They go from STRENGTH to STRENGTH; every one of them appears before God in Zion” – Psalm 84:7

Another major manifestation of progress in life is to go FROM STRENGTH to STRENGTH IN DESTINY: ““They go from STRENGTH to STRENGTH; every one of them appears before God in Zion” (Psa.84:7). As they do, they turn “the valley of Baca” – the valley of weeping – into a spring of strength (v.6). There are various renderings of these words, but all of them contain the notion of Progress:

They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion (New International Version)

They will walk from strength to strength; each will appear before God in Zion (International Standard Version).

They grow stronger as they go; they will see the God of gods on Zion (Good News Translation)

They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each of them appears before God in Zion (Amplified Bible).

To go from strength to strength means to GROW STRONGER and STRONGER: “Yet the righteous will hold to his way, and he who has clean hands will be STRONGER and STRONGER” (Job 17:9). The natural tendency and expectation would be that when we walk, we go from strength to weakness – from vigour to weariness. It is usual to start fresh and in good strength for the journey, but by-and-by the road is rough, and the sun is hot, we stop and sit down by the wayside, and again painfully pursue the weary way. But the Christian pilgrim having obtained fresh supplies of grace is as vigorous after years of toilsome travel and strenuous struggle as when he first began. He may not be quite so upbeat and buoyant, nor perhaps quite so quick and swift in his zeal as he once was, but he is much stronger in all that constitutes real power, and moves, if more slowly, far more surely.

Some grey-haired veterans are as firm and sound in their grasp of truth, and as zealous in disseminating it, as they were in their younger days. But, alas, for many others it is otherwise, for iniquity abounds and the love of many waxes cold (Mt.24:12). Yet, God’s promise holds good: “He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 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” (Isa.40: 29-31). His promise is not that we’ll go from affliction to deeper affliction, from trouble to more trouble or from weakness to weariness, but from strength to strength!

David declared: “…The LORD is the STRENGTH of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psa.27:1b). This ought to be our confession always. Christ doesn’t merely have strength; He is Strength. To have Him is to have strength. To go with Him is to grow in strength! There’s no room for weakness in us. The Apostle Paul, with this understanding, made an astonishing claim: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor.12:10). He knew His strength was rooted in the indwelling Holy Spirit. No wonder He said, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phi.4:13). The Holy Spirit is the Source of all strength, and He lives in us: “…the Spirit also helps our weaknesses…” (Rom.8:26). His strength is available to us, and takes over when we think we’re at our weakest.

Beloved, never confess weakness; but declare: “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” (Psa.18:1-2). As you increase in the knowledge of God and consciously declare Him as your Strength, you’re “strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph.3:15b). “…The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Dan.11:32b).