Strength Like No Other

March 29, 2022

I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Strength for today,  provision for today, healing for today, Hope for tomorrow. This became my daily mantra at the beginning of this journey. 

Every time I felt like breaking down and giving up. 

Every time I felt hopeless. 

Every time I cried.

I reminded myself of Yahweh’s amazing promises. Especially his promise for strength. 

Every morning, I exercised to a playlist – one of the songs spoke about taking my misery and seeing that I can’t be everyone’s favourite girl. Now this song was in no way spiritual, but there was one line that I changed to, “Nobody but you can keep me safe, and I’m on my way.” 

You truly kept me safe and every day you gave me strength. 

To put one foot in front the other. 

To get out of bed.

To make breakfast.

Everyday you gave me a bit more until it became easier and I started looking forward to getting up. 

I started smiling, because you indeed gave strength. You strengthened me everyday: spiritually, mentally and physically! And I can’t thank you enough. You moved every mountain or gave me the strength to climb and you never left my side. Thank you Yahweh. Thank you for your love. 

You are Almighty.

You are above every name.

You save. 

You save all who desire it.

You have called us all by name.

Thank you.

I think I like this new posture for time with you. Thank you for the reminder not to let my time with you become routine. And it hadn’t (thankfully not yet), but changing my physical posture still feels amazing.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

Probably the most popular text in the world after John 3:16, but I cannot not include this. It is through you that you are able to do anything. Paul was speaking about living through any situation that happens. He was experiencing some difficult times, but he knew whom to turn to: you. He knew without a doubt that you would be there.

Guiding him. 

Lifting him up. 

Strengthening him. 

Standing beside him.

And we have that same assurance, that same promise: that we can do all things through you. Caveat: not everything is permissible though. Not everything makes you smile. But you show us what to do (even things that may not  appear spiritual in the moment) and you give us the strength to do it.

I didn’t start my morning routine (even though it was after my time with you) with gospel songs. But you knew what I needed. I felt the moment when you said that it was time to shift and while I still listen to those songs for different reasons at times you essentially said, “I’m building your strength. Adding more weight to your routine.” And I am so thankful you are making me stronger: not in myself, but in trusting in you. 

2 Corinthians 12:9 – But he told me: “My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak.” So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ’s power will live in me. 

Another super famous text because we all have been there. We’ve all experienced the pain  that brought us to our knees. And if we allow him, we can experience the strength he lends us everyday so that we can stay on our knees in submission. So that we can remain humble and remember who it is we can rely on. It may be too simple to assume that in this position, we lose everything and that he’s forcing us to give up all that we are. But this is a position of strength. Humidity and strength. It’s a hard posture of obeisance that recognizes Yahweh’s superiority and that he is Lord of lords and that without him we cannot do anything. But it is in this heart posture that we are able to stand tall. That we are able to withstand a million and one troubles that will come our way.  It is in this posture that we can withstand the siren call of pride, because we know who our strength comes from. And I am truly thankful for the times when he showed his strength. Btw, I do think that you like to show off. Not in pride, but to show others what you can do even though they doubted you. To be able to say to them: “Imagine what I can do through you? Actually don’t even imagine because your imagination will fall short. Just come to me and be amazed.”

2 Samuel 22: 31-33 – God’s we is perfect! The promise of the Lord has proven to be true. He’s a shield to all those who take refuge in him. Who is God but the lord? Who is a rock other than our God? He armed me with strength. His perfect way sets me free.  

His promise has proven to be true. “Has” is present. It’s not just in the past or something that happened and won’t happen again. It is not a hope in the future, it is now. His strength has proven to be true, in this moment. And every moment that we bow in, we can claim that promise. 

He is perfect.

His promise is true.

He sets us free.

He arms me with strength. (I still prefer leg days).

Often when we think of strength, we picture an arm flexing and muscles bulging. And honestly I love when you use visuals that we can understand and relate to. He is strong – after all he carries the whole world in His hand. Not like Atlas training under the weight and longing to be free. You willingly carry this entire world with ease and strengthen us all as you do. Thank you for carrying us, for your strength in us. Thank you for being perfect. 

Jeremiah 17:5 – This is what the Lord says: Cursed is the person who trusts humans, who makes flesh and blood his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord.

Now this is a slightly tricky part. Yahwh many times uses people to do his work (beautiful feet), and we may look at the help he sent as “the” help: as the one we should turn to. But we need to see past the physical into the spiritual and recognize who is behind the help. He made heaven and earth, so why would we not trust him?

We can also think that this strength is ours. That of our own, I can do all things: taking out the “through Christ part.” The problem with this is that the burdens, the weight will keep getting heavier and heavier, but there would be no spotter there. 

Yesterday at the gym, I was doing the incline press. The trainer had to step outside for a bit and I waited until she came back before starting the next set. She asked me why I didn’t go ahead – I could have handled it. Could I have? Maybe. But in our spiritual lives we needed to wait on the trainer, the spotter. Because we aren’t supposed to do it on our own and may end up with a bar crushing our chest because we couldn’t rack back up. It’s why in so many seasons, Yahweh asks for us to wait on him. He would not say like the trainer, why didn’t you start without me? (Btw, my trainer is good ehhh). But he encourages us to wait until everything is set for us to lift, including him as our spotter. 

You are my Strength by William Murphy

Of Yahweh’s Promises Playlist

Thank you for who you are, you are a God who makes and keeps covenants. You cannot be duplicated. My life Lord is yours. Any words that would have been spoken over me that are not of you, I ask for you to replace. Any chains that bind me or this family, I ask for you to break. Your covenant is good and stands supreme overall. Over anything man may see and definitely over anything Satan missy. You are god, and I bow before you to be covered by you. Teach me your will, to honour your covenants, to live for you. This is my prayer in the name of Jesus. Amen.