Strength to Strength

This is a blog post I wrote almost two years ago. God reminded me of this lesson, blessed me again from His Word on the matter, and I thought maybe someone else might need to hear it, too. May you be blessed.

Do you ever just wake up and God zaps you with a Word that you know was given to you "for such a time as this?" It happened to me this morning and it happened just this way...

Today is Bible study day. We have had a couple of weeks off because of Spring Break. I believe having a couple of weeks off from meeting together is one of those "opportune times" that the enemy waits for. Somehow having the extra time makes me procrastinate more! But maybe it is just me! :) At any rate, I was a little behind last night and still had one more day of homework to do when I woke up this morning. But God knew that I needed to hear this lesson this morning. Once again, my procrastination was turned around by a God who does all things well!

The lesson was on the "dailyness" of God -- how seeking Him, depending on Him, focusing on Him cannot be a sporadic thing. It must be a daily thing. God does not just want to be our strength when we are faced with a crisis that needs powerful reinforcements -- even though He does that on our behalf whenever we call on Him. Rather, God wants to carry us, day in and day out, from strength to strength. He doesn't just want to be part of our life, He wants to be our life!

I have been finding victory in so many areas of late and feeling as though I'm closer to my God like never before, but there is still one area of disobedience and struggle that I can't seem to shake. Just yesterday, I ended the day feeling defeated and bound by the chains of this stronghold. The lesson that God brought by way of the Bible study this morning began to show me that I can't do this alone. I can't even depend on yesterday's strength or strength from two years ago. I have to wake up every day and ask for God to empower me -- give me strength for that moment.

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. (Isaiah 33:2)

In times of my greatest defeat, I have found myself thinking this thought: "God, why is this happening? Doesn't Your Word say that 'I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength? (Philippians 4:13)'" The tone in which I ask this question makes it sound more like this, "God, if when I was saved You made me strong, why do I keep failing like this time and time again?" I believe we miss an important part of the meaning of the scripture when we discount the word "gives."

The indwelling of the mighty power and strength of our God is not a one-time event. It is a daily laying down of what our flesh wants to do and depending on His Spirit to give us the strength we need in any given moment for the task, challenge, or struggle that we are facing. We are given increasing strength, prevailing strength, wonder-working strength! What an arsenal of power we have! I always go back to a scripture that came alive for me during a Bible study a few years ago:

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Ephesians 1:17-21)

Who doesn't need that kind of power and strength in their life? It's not only increasing strength in our life, but it is mighty power -- the kind of power that God used when He raised Christ from the dead! Need a little wonder-working, dead-raising power and strength in your life today for whatever you face? Ask for it! Let Him empower you!

And when you wake up in the morning, let Him do it again!!

Blessings,
Dori