Strengthen Yourself in Him

Are you in a place of utter defeat and exhaustion as others turn against you?

David found himself in such a difficult place. Sheer exhaustion overwhelmed him. Defeat weighed him down. After returning from battle, the men found their camp ransacked with their wives and children taken captive. Soldiers spoke of stoning him. They hurled their fury towards him.

Talk about stress. You think your job is bad. Wait till stones potentially start whizzing by your head.

Read the account at Ziklag (I Samuel 30:6): “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.”

Bitter people hurl accusations—they turn on a whim. Don’t find false refuge in their accusations as a victim. You are not a victim. That is not your identity; nor is it your destiny. Others may plot your demise, but God wants you to rise above the accusations.

Note the last part: “But David found STRENGTH in the Lord his God.”

Rise up as you bow low before Him! You will find His strength through “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27). If you are a follower of Christ, His strength resides inside of you through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Don’t allow the numbness of a current defeat to rob you of pressing into Him. Before you can recover what has been stolen from you, you must first recover the strength of His might. Strengthen yourself in the Lord right now!

Right NOW!

Defeat will say, “Nothing will ever change!” But you must seek Him for His strength to turn your defeat into a defining moment. Don’t allow deception to have the final say. Don’t believe a lie. It will render you without strength to fight. Find your strength in Christ. Allow His defeat on the Cross to become your refuge so that you can experience the strength of His resurrection power!

Exhaustion will say, “I can’t continue like this!” But you must seek Him. Don’t glaze your weary soul in social media. Find it in Christ. A weary soul on bent knees will encounter “the Spirit of…might” (Isaiah 11:2). His strength will turn the tide and empower you to recover what has been stolen from you.

Accusation will say, “You will pay for this mess!” But you must seek Him because His strength changes everything. Circumstances may not change immediately, but your perception of yourself and the situation will change immediately. You are not a victim. His strength will give you the wisdom you need to combat “his evil schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11).

I believe the Lord is extending grace to those distressed at this very moment. He wants you to find His strength even in a place of utter defeat and exhaustion. Christ is your strength. Seek Him—and find strength in Him!