Power to the Faint
Greetings sisters!
I was looking through my notes that I wanted to share with you and came across this one on Isaiah 40:29 and I just felt led to write a post to all you sisters who are struggling through trials. We all go through seasons, some are joyous, some are grievous but in all we are to rejoice in the hope of eternal life and that is what strengthens us to endure through all the troubles of this earth.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
(1 Corinthians 15:55-58)
Death is not our greatest enemy any longer as we have life in Christ Jesus, for those who believe in Him (John 3:16) have repented (Luke 13:3) are born from above (John 3:3) , strive on in holiness and obedience (1 Peter 1:15 and Hebrews 5:9) and persevere (Matthew 24).
I'm sure many of you are lonely in the flesh, hurting because people have let you down, maybe in troubled marriages, struggling with physical ailments...the list can go on and on as there are many trials in this world.
One of the biggest things I've learned is that women need to stop putting people in between us and Christ. We have a tendency to try to gain approval and love of man (husband, family, children, friends etc) and oftentimes value that more than what God has offered us. For instance, you may have a troubled marriage and you want your husband to love you and treat you well and instead of having your joy and peace come from the Lord, it's based on whether your husband makes you feel good and treats you right. We need to have a balance on this because of course we want to be loved by those around us but people will always let you down and if you base your joy, peace, acceptance etc on a person, you will always be let down. I bring this topic up because it tends to be a big source of pain for women. Always looking for approval and love in the wrong places.
A strong woman will build her foundation of truth and love based on Christ, she will get her peace and joy, her love and assurance from our Heavenly Father and what He has promised us...not sinful man that no matter how hard someone can try, they will always fall at some point.
Another thing that might help is to know that perseverance is not just enduring each day and getting through it. Taking one day at a time is right but it's more than that, it's also pushing through our flesh to do what we know is right.
For example: it's a bad day and you're hurting. Persevering is not just getting through that day, it would be pushing past your hurting flesh to turn to Christ for your comfort and peace, sooner rather than later. We quite often sit in our sadness too long, then satan comes in and drops the bomb on us by reminding us things like how old we're getting (and looking), all our mistakes come flooding back to make us look like we're a miserable failure, nobody around us wants the truth and are perishing, loved ones hate us.....the hole gets deeper and deeper.
We need to push on past that flesh right away in the beginning when issues come up, and remember the promises of our Lord and Savior that we can have peace:
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27)
It's an every day thing we need to remind ourselves because the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
We need to be on watch for that flesh that rises up and overtakes us when we need to be growing the Spirit man which can overcome all.
Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.
Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God?
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
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.
(Isaiah 40:26-31)
The hope of eternal life is there for you....
March on sisters :-)
Yup, that means you...
Love in Christ,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...