Strength

elf3 · Jul 28, 2015

Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things though Christ who strengthens me."

When looking fir a forum to write I posed the question on what we could discuss. My friend Blue_ladybug suggested "strength". Looking at the difference between rely g on our own strength compared to relying on God's strength. So what does this actually mean to rely on God's strength? When talking about this subject some great examples come from our own Ives and I will share experiences from my own life. I won't be telling you these things to puff my chest and say "hey look what I did", but I will be using them to give examples on how God gives us strength. The main point will be on the Spiritual and mental strength that God gives us but there are a few examples of physical strength also. For example; the other day at work I had to help a guy load some bags of concrete into his truck. I weigh 135 lbs and each bag weighs 80 lbs. I have serious arthritis in my knees so lifting is difficult let alone carrying 80 lbs on my shoulder. I prayed and asked God to give me strength and help me. 20 bags of concrete in his truck. 5 min later I had to help another guy load 20 sheets of drywall into his truck. Again I prayed to God for strength. Not my normal position but I was covering for another guy so he could take his lunch. Through this example we can see how God can give us the "type" of strength we need depending on the circumstance.

But I digress as this is more about how God gives us the Spiritual and mental strength we need when we face circumstances where without Him our minds would break down. Every day we face things where we have a choice to confront them with our own strength or rely on God for strength. Do we face these things saying "I got this" or do we pray "Lord, I need your help."? Do we tell ourselves or others "grit your teeth and bear it" or "buck up little camper" (from the movie "better off dead")? Or do we pray to God "Lord, I cannot do this on my own"?

So when people who know me and know how bad my ostio and rheumatoid arthritis are and ask me or say "I don't know how you do it." They have just opened the door for me to say "only by the strength of God am I able to do this". So both Christians and non Christians that I work with know that I rely on God's strength no matter what situation I find myself in. So in this forum let's discuss and study the difference between relying on our strength compared to relying on God's strength.

Psalm 27:14 "Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!"

Magenta · Jul 28, 2015

I have mentioned a few times since joining earlier this month that I have been involved in the 12 step recovery community for decades. In 1994 I saw how I was repeating certain behaviors that were causing a great deal of emotional pain in my life. I did not believe in God at that time, certainly was not sure if He even existed, yet as I sat down to journal about what was going on in my life, hoping to gain some perspective and relief from the pain, from the depths of my being arose a cry out to God for help. Within days I was clean and sober, after twenty four years of fairly continual substance abuse. Then I wanted to quit smoking cigarettes as well, and decided to barter with God to test the third step (Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him). I was able to quit smoking, but suffered through terrible cravings that I battled with prayer and reliance upon this God that I was still not a believer in. But the cravings eventually passed, and I did quit smoking as well. Seven years later my original patterns were starting to repeat; I started smoking again to squelch the emotional pain caused by bad choices, and within a year I was in full blown relapse (beer and pot) after eight years of victory/deliverance and total sobriety.

After my first year of relapse, God unmistakably revealed Himself to me, calling me out of the pagan practice I had spent years setting myself up to practice professionally. I struggled to accept the fact that this God was a reality, a fact, a Being Who clearly communicated with us lowly humans. It seemed almost too fantastic (not in the good sense) to accept as true. And yet God had shown His unconditional love and forgiveness to me in an equally unmistakable way many years earlier, at the lowest point of my life, following the breakdown of my marriage. That had always been a cherished experience for me. I was torn. In my own power I could not accept that this God was in fact a reality. But I stopped practicing, and returned to sobriety. A year later I surrendered my opposition to Him and was baptized. But I still struggled with substance abuse, and cigarettes. Eight years of in and out of the program and I am now sitting with over four years of sobriety again. God is good. But the cigarettes were another story.

I did not want to give them to God! I wanted to quit on my own power, and was really afraid of experiencing the pain of withdrawals and facing my weakness while in cravings. For a year and a half, I used the patch, while continuing to smoke. I was able to cut my smoking in half, but not much else, and eventually saw that I was simply fooling myself, that I did not really want to quit, and was in fact more trying to find the magic number I could get away with smoking that was not going to kill me. But they were still killing me (I could hardly breathe!). I remember so well the day it occurred to me what a lie I was living to say, "I am trying to quit." Ha! If I really wanted to quit, I would have given the cigs to God!

So I did that. I gave the cigarettes to God, and had absolutely no cravings whatsoever. All that fear about my weakness in the face of cravings was for nothing when I gave it all to God. I just had my year anniversary of that deliverance/victory last month.

elf3 · Jul 28, 2015

Oh that is a most excellent testimony to the srrength of God compared to our strength. One thing we try to do is rush into a situation and try to change it. We don't take the time to pray. What does Psalm 27:14 say? "Wait on the Lord." This means we must stop for a bit and pray to God for His strength but we so often forget this step and jump in full force.

blue_ladybug · Jul 28, 2015

elf, I will use my own recent trial with being incapacitated in bed for nearly 5 months, between November of last year and March of this year. I had (and still have) a badly herniated disk in my back with severe sciatica going down my left leg. I lost almost the entire use of that leg for 5 months, which made it very hard to get up and around. I had to use both a cane AND a rolling walker with a seat in it. Thank goodness for the seat!!

In bed, I could only lay on my right side, I could not lay on the left side OR flat on my back. The ONLY time I wasn't in agony is when I was laying completely still. To walk was agonizing, to stand for any amount of time was excruciating.

I have always relied on God and HIS strength through every trial I've had in my life. I am not very physically strong. I can't even carry a heavy bag of groceries.. When I was stuck in bed, I very literally could not move to get up out of bed. I had a folding chair wedged next to the bed on one side, and my rolling walker on the other side. I would grab the top of the chair to pull myself UP in bed, and I grabbed the walker to propel me OUT of bed. During my ordeal, my bladder became very weak, so when I felt the urge I knew I had two choices: skip the pain of getting up and just p@ss the bed, or rely on God's strength to get me up and out of bed and to the toilet. Every time I went to get up, I would say "Jesus, you gotta help me because you know I can't do this myself."

Physically I was just not able to get out of bed on my own strength. But with God "lifting" me out of bed, I always made it to the toilet without messing myself..lol.. It hurt like hell getting out of bed and anyone who saw me vainly hopping up on one leg probably would have laughed because I'm sure that I looked comical getting out of bed..

God's strength got me out of bed. His strength got me through going grocery shopping, checking mail, etc, without collapsing... and believe me, hobbling to the mail box IN WINTER on unsteady legs, terrified to slip and fall AGAIN, which is how my disk got herniated to begin with, was an impossible chore to undertake using my own weak strength. I would always say "Lord please give me wings so I won't slip and fall on the ice." And you know what? Never once did I slip and fall, and there were spots on the sidewalk where I certainly would have if God hadn't given me "wings" to get to and from places.

The point of my story is, no matter what we go through, we will NOT make it through on our own strength. We need to rely on GOD'S strength to carry us through, for we are weak humans, but he is mighty and strong. His power never falters like ours does. I have only gotten through all my trials because I asked him to give me his strength in addition to my own. We need to let him carry us through. This is why he says "come to me all those who are heavily burdened and I will give you rest". Meaning that we can rely on him to strengthen us while he bears the heaviest part of our burden.

Quite often I ask him for strength for silly things, such as being able to stand long enough to sweep and mop my floors, or cook a meal, etc etc.. Because when I stand for too long, my back starts aching and I can't move. Same with sitting too long--I literally cannot move and have to grab something solid to pull myself up with. And my prayer always is "Lord, please give me the strength to get up out of this chair."

Or whatever it is that I have to go and do. So people, always always ALWAYS rely on God's strength and not your own. Our strength fails us. God's never does..

blue_ladybug · Jul 28, 2015

elf3 said:

Believe me, I did ALOT of praying while I was incapacitated. Most times, my prayer was to reach the bathroom before I peed myself. lol..

My body was under such physical stress that all my bladder and bowel functions were affected.

I am glad to say that never once did I pee myself because God's strength got me to the bathroom in time..

MadParrotWoman · Jul 28, 2015

I often feel sorry for those who don't know God because they do not have prayer to call upon. I am only recently learning to call upon God's help regularly. Not so much for physical strength but often the strength to bear things life throws at me. I pray a lot (under my breath) as situations arising at work. God doesn't let me down, He is my strength.

Incidentally whilst we are on the topic of strength...I believe God made men physically stronger but for sure He made women stronger in many other ways, of course men are not going to agree with this but it's true. It takes a special kind of strength to bear a pregnancy for 9 months and then go through the pain of labour...not to mention the sleepless nights. Bringing up children requires strength, this is why ideally parenthood should consist of a man and a woman but women bear the brunt.

Magenta · Jul 28, 2015

MadParrotWoman said:

Doctors agree with you... when my daughter was born early at twenty four weeks gestation, weighing under a pound and a half (660 grams, 100 of which she lost in the first week), twenty nine years ago, a wonderful neonatal specialist gave me the lowdown just before she was born and again immediately following her delivery. What I took away from it was that there was indeed hope for her: simply because she was a girl, her chances were greater than had she been a boy. And amazingly, she came through pretty much with flying colours. She certainly had a strong will to survive

Many others were not as fortunate

InSpiritInTruth · Jul 28, 2015

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

elf3 · Jul 28, 2015

We have two great examples in the OT concerning strength. I would encourage each of us to use these as an "extra" study on this subject. The first is King David. David relied so many times on his own strength and it got him in so much trouble. The other is Joshua. While taking Isreal to the promised land he relied on God's strength constantly. One of the great testimonies to relying on God is when Joshua asked God to stop the sun so he could "finish" the job on that particular day. Joshua showed such faith in God's strength that God did stop the sun. Now David does end up relying on God's strength but his life shows the difference of relying on our own strength compared to God's strength. I have to go to work in an hour and before I work I will pray for God's strength. Working in retail there are many times that if I relied on my own strength that "flip out" on a customer giving me a hard time because we didn't have exactly what he needed. But since I rely on God I can smile and say "I am sorry but this is all we have". One reason I was awarded the employee of the month only two months after I started was, as stated by a few managers, this..."you are always smiling". No matter the situation I can smile because that strength comes from God...not me. Obviously I have bad days but I know I can depend upon God to carry me thru those days.

elf3 · Jul 29, 2015

MadParrotWoman said:

As MadParrotWoman mentions our workplace is one place where we really need prayer for strength. Prayer to not join in on a conversation, to deal with ungodly coworkers, to deal with frustrations ect ect. Like her I am praying constantly for help from God. But I know like her I am also thanking God for everything throughout the day. A prayer for strength doesn't always have to be "oh Lord please give me strength to deal with this" it can also be "Lord I thank you so much for this job". The Holy Spirit knows our hearts and that simple "thank you" could be all we need for strength. I know, like yinz, that if I did not have God to call upon in time of need I would have broken long ago. And upon that same thought, asking others to also pray for us can give us the strength we need. Through Christ I can face all circumstances and so can you

Joidevivre · Jul 29, 2015

Most strength comes to me through realizing that I don't have to "ask" for it. Because Christ's power IS in me through the Holy Spirit, I just have learned to tap into it.

I thank the Lord for His strength that is coursing through my spirit - that it is strong - that can do all things - that can even quicken mortal flesh - and as I keep praising, the strength seems to rise up within me.

But I must keep my eyes on His strength for it to continue, much as Peter had to keep his eyes on Jesus to walk on water.

MadParrotWoman · Jul 29, 2015

When you ponder on the subject of strength, if we have God we have strength, He can give us His strength - a strength that can move mountains, a strength like Samson, all it takes is trust and belief and it can be ours. As in the OP, Elf mentioned his ability to lift heavy things at work, simply asking God and believing it's possible should be all that we need. believing is the hardest part but without belief I don't think God will supply the strength.

I had to request God's help again today at work.

elf3 · Jul 30, 2015

The subject of God's strength is actually a very interesting subject when we start to really study it. We have faith in God that during hard times He will give us strength to withstand the difficult times. We pray before or during those times asking for strength. But, how many times have there been when God has given us strength and we didn't even realize it. As others have mentioned...because of our faith in Jesus, God gives us strength. Without that strength what would have happened in those situations? Hmmm....just a thought that my mind is now thinking upon.

crossnote · Jul 30, 2015

One of my favorite passages on strength. ..

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (KJV)
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Angela53510 · Jul 31, 2015

Before 1990, I was one of the "strongest" people on the planet. Seriously! I was physically strong, mentally strong, spiritually strong, and I thought I was emotionally strong.

Then I got severe asthma. Well, I would not let up. I kept working, and by each evening I literally could not blow the air out of my lungs. I would drive to the hospital in the dark, by myself, sometimes getting lost in a journey that had one left turn, because of lack of oxygen.

Then, I thought I would be clever, and took my allergists advice (money making advice for him??) and started getting allergy shots. They triggered Rheumatoid Arthritis. But I was strong, so the first year I kept on teaching, even though I could barely walk. I was in agony, my feet hurt me so badly, but hey, I was tough? (Read: strong)

Then one day I had an asthma attack, took prednisone and the pain let up. I realized I was really sick. By this time, I could not climb my steps at home, nor cook or anything. I finally decided to go on disability. But I didn't give up anything else, even though I could barely move. I was strong, my kids needed to be at hockey and figure skating, and I was a driver.So they were.

I think God was really trying to speak to me and tell to rely on Him, not myself. About that time, some WoF friends of mine starting telling me I lacked faith for healing. Now THAT broke me down. I started praying, and they prayed, and still no healing. That was the first breaking point for me. That God didn't heal me.

Then we moved provinces, I lost my church and friends, and for 2 years I went to a church where no one spoke to me once. Finally, I gave up. Not on me, but on God! For two years I sank into a deep depression. I was bitter and angry at God. I stopped reading my Bible.

But God knew he had me right where I needed to be. God called me to read the Psalms. Just the Psalms, 5 a day. I read for 2 years like that. Over and over. I found hope, companionship, and realized that suffering is something we all had to go through, contrary to the lies of my WoF friends. (For those of you who have not heard, one of the women got cancer and refused treatment and died 10 months later. Another man got very sick, and went to the doctor, had some surgeries, and is still alive and healthy at 85!)

So I realized that God's great love for me meant not relying on my own strength, but letting God be the strong one. After a few years of reading the Psalms, God called me to Seminary, where I truly came to understand the sovereignty of God. I needed to do a work experience, and I didn't know what to do. About that time, my father, the strongest person I knew, got sick with congestive heart failure. He went into the hospital in early July, 2011 and never came out again. When he almost died of a heart attack, he was open to the gospel, as he realized his own weakness and mortality, and came to the Lord. He followed through, having me read the Bible to him each day, pray with him, listen and sing Christian songs and hymns with him. He rested secure, because he no longer had to trust in his own strength, but God's. I visited him daily for 5 months as he got sicker and sicker. He used to ask me why I was going to Seminary. (He was a university professor with a Ph.D, so it wasn't that he didn't believe in higher education.) I told him God had called me, and I didn't know why. But as I sat with him, and watched him die, and also watched all the people in that geriatric ward who had no one to visit them, I knew I needed to do a work experience in long term care.

Once again, I thought I was God's gift to the people. After all, I may have been sick, but healthier than the people there. I was strong! Well, those people not only showed me the meaning of strength, but the absolute peace that relying on God meant. There were some old saints in their late 90's and 100's who were stronger than anyone I had met, simply because they totally trusted God, not themselves.

Well, my meds failed completely in February this year and the new ones are still not working properly. I may never get back into long term care, because I cannot walk for more than a few feet. But I trust totally in God, and rely on his strength. Whatever happens, God is always leading and guiding me, and I know my Redeemer lives!

"For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth" Job 19:25

"Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

Angela53510 · Jul 31, 2015

Woops! Long post, sorry about that! I just get so excited about what God has done in my life!

[video=youtube;2gZ2LeFTQ4I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gZ2LeFTQ4I[/video]

MadParrotWoman · Jul 31, 2015

Angela53510 said:

Before 1990, I was one of the "strongest" people on the planet. Seriously! I was physically strong, mentally strong, spiritually strong, and I thought I was emotionally strong.

Then I got severe asthma. Well, I would not let up. I kept working, and by each evening I literally could not blow the air out of my lungs. I would drive to the hospital in the dark, by myself, sometimes getting lost in a journey that had one left turn, because of lack of oxygen.

Then, I thought I would be clever, and took my allergists advice (money making advice for him??) and started getting allergy shots. They triggered Rheumatoid Arthritis. But I was strong, so the first year I kept on teaching, even though I could barely walk. I was in agony, my feet hurt me so badly, but hey, I was tough? (Read: strong)

Then one day I had an asthma attack, took prednisone and the pain let up. I realized I was really sick. By this time, I could not climb my steps at home, nor cook or anything. I finally decided to go on disability. But I didn't give up anything else, even though I could barely move. I was strong, my kids needed to be at hockey and figure skating, and I was a driver.So they were.

I think God was really trying to speak to me and tell to rely on Him, not myself. About that time, some WoF friends of mine starting telling me I lacked faith for healing. Now THAT broke me down. I started praying, and they prayed, and still no healing. That was the first breaking point for me. That God didn't heal me.

Then we moved provinces, I lost my church and friends, and for 2 years I went to a church where no one spoke to me once. Finally, I gave up. Not on me, but on God! For two years I sank into a deep depression. I was bitter and angry at God. I stopped reading my Bible.

But God knew he had me right where I needed to be. God called me to read the Psalms. Just the Psalms, 5 a day. I read for 2 years like that. Over and over. I found hope, companionship, and realized that suffering is something we all had to go through, contrary to the lies of my WoF friends. (For those of you who have not heard, one of the women got cancer and refused treatment and died 10 months later. Another man got very sick, and went to the doctor, had some surgeries, and is still alive and healthy at 85!)

So I realized that God's great love for me meant not relying on my own strength, but letting God be the strong one. After a few years of reading the Psalms, God called me to Seminary, where I truly came to understand the sovereignty of God. I needed to do a work experience, and I didn't know what to do. About that time, my father, the strongest person I knew, got sick with congestive heart failure. He went into the hospital in early July, 2011 and never came out again. When he almost died of a heart attack, he was open to the gospel, as he realized his own weakness and mortality, and came to the Lord. He followed through, having me read the Bible to him each day, pray with him, listen and sing Christian songs and hymns with him. He rested secure, because he no longer had to trust in his own strength, but God's. I visited him daily for 5 months as he got sicker and sicker. He used to ask me why I was going to Seminary. (He was a university professor with a Ph.D, so it wasn't that he didn't believe in higher education.) I told him God had called me, and I didn't know why. But as I sat with him, and watched him die, and also watched all the people in that geriatric ward who had no one to visit them, I knew I needed to do a work experience in long term care.

Once again, I thought I was God's gift to the people. After all, I may have been sick, but healthier than the people there. I was strong! Well, those people not only showed me the meaning of strength, but the absolute peace that relying on God meant. There were some old saints in their late 90's and 100's who were stronger than anyone I had met, simply because they totally trusted God, not themselves.

Well, my meds failed completely in February this year and the new ones are still not working properly. I may never get back into long term care, because I cannot walk for more than a few feet. But I trust totally in God, and rely on his strength. Whatever happens, God is always leading and guiding me, and I know my Redeemer lives!

"For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth" Job 19:25

"Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

How do you follow that? God is mighty (strong) and Angela you are an inspiration!

Magenta · Jul 31, 2015

Angela53510 said:

Much love to you Angela, and thank you so much always and forever for your words of encouragement, your faith, your heart for God, your generosity of spirit, and your testimony. Never apologize for speaking the truth in love as you do! My prayers are with you.

elf3 · Jul 31, 2015

A post with these types of testimonies to God's strength could never be too long. Through all of your testimonies it strengthens my faith in Jesus. Seeing how he works in others lives is encouraging. Even my strength in faith comes from God as I know it does for all of you also. God bless you all and thank you so much for these "proofs" of God's strength.

oldthennew · Jul 31, 2015

Angela,

you are on a road/mission that many of us have travelled, and you have a wonderful gift of expression
that is greatly appreciated.

GBY sister...

Strength

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