GOD’S WORD OF STRENGTH AND POWER

“The God of Israel is He who GIVES STRENGTH and POWER to His people. Blessed be God” – Psalm 68:35b

Immeasurable blessings abound in meditating on GOD’S WORDS of STRENGTH and POWER: “O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who GIVES STRENGTH and POWER to His people. Blessed be God” (Psa.68:35). Elsewhere, David proclaimed: “The LORD will GIVE STRENGTH to His people; the LORD will bless His people with peace” (Psa.29:11). Even as babies in the Spirit, the Lord ordains Strength in our mouth to silence the adversary and avenger: “Out of the mouth of babes and infants You have ordained strength, because of Your enemies, that You may silence the enemy and the avenger” (Psa.8:2). God ordains strength in us to nullify every machination of evil that may be arraigned against us. The Lord teaches our hands for war and our fingers for battle (Psa.144:1).

God’s All-surpassing Strength is a dominant dimension of His Unlimited Power; and He delights to display His Power and show His Strength in the direction of and through His people: “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself STRONG in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chr.16:9a). God doesn’t display His Power only through spectacular manifestations such as rearranging the galaxies to dazzle the rest of creation, changing the colour of the sun at a whim, or freezing a lightning bolt as a trophy to His strength. Instead, in His love and compassion for needy humanity, chooses to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him!

God’s scriptural pattern is to display His Power and demonstrate His Strength to bless, protect and preserve His people. When He poured plagues on Egypt, divided the Red Sea, rained manna and worked wonders in the wilderness, performed diverse healings and miracles through the ministry of Jesus, manifested the power of the resurrection, and demonstrated the Power of His Spirit through the apostles, all were in the direction of His people and for their benefit. God delights in showing Himself strong and mighty in meeting human needs and expending His Power on the challenges of our lives.

God is the Universal Source and Sole Supplier of Strength: “Ascribe Strength to God; His excellence is over Israel, and His Strength is in the clouds” (v.34). There is no strength outside of Him! God’s Strength is a key part of our equipment for life’s battles. The Lord girds us with STRENGTH for every battle of life: “It is God who girds me with strength, and makes my way perfect” (Psa.18:32). He arms and equips us with STRENGTH for life’s challenges (Psa.18:39). That’s why we have no reason to faint in the day of battle (Pro.24:10). David was established in these truths; hence, he declared: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the STRENGTH of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psa.27:1).

In the New Testament, Paul prayed: “That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be STRENGTHENED with MIGHT by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16). More than most people that ever lived, the apostle Paul knew the Lord as His Strength. His encounters with the eternal Source of Strength spurred him to pray for the believers: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be STRENGTHENED with might by His Spirit in the inner man” (Eph. 3:16). With God’s strength behind us and His arms beneath us, we can face whatever challenge lies ahead of us, and experience victorious and glorious lives. God will do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to His Strength and Power that work in us (Eph.3:20).