True Strength

After last week’s blog, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to be a strong person. Have you ever looked at someone and just admired them for their strength? To me, the strongest people are those who may get knocked down by life, but always get up swinging. That’s the kind of person, I’ve always wanted to be. The kind of person I strive to be today. I used to feel anything but strong. I was very high strung and on most days. my emotions were usually running high. Hard to believe? That’s how much the Lord has healed and transformed me. I posted the above picture on FB last week, and as I thought about what it means to be strong, I was inspired by Exodus 15:2 which says:

The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
He is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.

True strength comes from the Lord. People may boast in their own strength. They may even say, “I’m a strong person,” but if their strength comes from their own abilities and self-discipline, it’s a faulty strength that will eventually crack under pressure. You may look at someone else and say, “I wish I was strong like them,” but YOU child of God, you have the infinite strength of the Lord accessible to you at all times. The Bible says, “Some trust (boast, rely) in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. A child of God knows true strength comes from the Lord.

I don’t believe it coincidence that the writer of the verse in Exodus equates strength with “song” and “praise,” because true strength comes when we begin to live from out of our spirit. Worshipers of God, are those who live from out of their spirits. In John 4:24, Jesus says that God is looking for people that will worship Him in spirit and in truth, because God Himself is a Spirit. This means, He wants us to worship Him from our spirit (not our soul – flesh, mind, will or emotions); And, He wants us to worship Him in truth – in light of His Word and the way He desires to be worshiped. This kind of worship connects us to God and is life changing.

One thing I’ve learned about strong people, is that they don’t allow their emotions to rule them. I love what my husband often says, “Feelings are a good indicator, but a poor master.” Yes, God gave us feelings and emotions, but He doesn’t want us to be led or controlled by them. In fact, by doing so, we will be led places we don’t want to go. Our feelings are just that – “feelings” – and they can lie to us. Psalm 14:12 says, “there’s a way that seems right to man, but in the end, it leads to death.” How amazing that God has given us the ability to live higher than “naturally” possible… by the very Spirit of God He’s placed within us.

I was having lunch with some women a few weeks ago, and we were discussing a common issue to women. While sharing my personal thoughts on it, I blurted out, “Well, I’m dead!” By the surprised expression on their faces, I figured I better expound on that statement. 🙂 I quickly added, “It’s not I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” I have gotten so used to saying that to myself, it just slipped out, “I’m dead!” Hey, if Paul could say it, then so can I. He says in Galatians 2:20,

“I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

This is a verse I have committed to live by. Yes, it’s a process, but we have to commit to be processed, don’t we? It can be SO easy to be ruled by our emotions. One day we feel up, the other we feel down… We can follow those feelings if we want,, going on that crazy rollercoaster ride; or we can choose to NOT live by them. Now, I’m not saying to ignore you’re feelings. As I stated earlier, they are a good indicator. That means they are probably revealing something that is going on within. Maybe we need to forgive. Maybe we need healing in an area. Maybe it’s the enemy whispering lies and we need to cast down some vain imaginations. Maybe it’s just those crazy hormones. Or, maybe our feelings are actually pointing to a check in our spirit, showing us we need to seek God about something before moving forward. Yes, God can use our feelings to get our attention, but as we bring them before Him, He’ll then lead us by His Spirit. Whichever it may be, don’t ignore them; ask the Holy Spirit what’s going on inside of you and then deal with whatever situation you are in according to the Word. The key is not to react, or overreact I should say, and seek God on how to handle what you’re feeling. Like me, you may be tempted to have that old knee-jerk reaction. But these are the very moments I’ve learned to remind myself, “I’m dead. It’s no longer I who live, but Christ in me.” It helps me stop, process and press into the Lord for strength and direction in whatever situation I’m in.

These days, more than ever, it seems like people’s emotions are flying high. We live in a time where the “god of this world” is ruling strong and “do what feels good to you” is the mantra people are living by. We say what we want. We do what we feel. It doesn’t matter how it affects others, and so many have become blind to the destructive effect it’s having on this world we live in. BUT… we as followers of Christ, have been called to live differently. To be set apart. Yes, we will have days where we falter and struggle. I surely do. Trials come, and maybe like me, you get tired, or the voice of the enemy seems louder that day, or maybe it’s even those darn hormones kicking on… or off…depending on your age, who knows!!! But, we must remind ourselves. We were created to live at a higher standard than by what we “feel.” We were created with the ability to live from out of our spirits, through God’s strength; soaring high above the cares of this world. It’s time to be still…to wait for Him… He is there… He is YOUR unfaltering and ever present strength.

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