Strength Revived
A weak soldier is ineffective
No matter how many weapons you place at their disposal, no matter how much tactical information you give them, no matter how much you sabotage the enemy’s efforts- this soldier will remain ineffective unless their strength is revived.
Don’t worry today I will keep the medical jargon to a minimum.
Allow me to tell you a short story.
Jerry and his family were part of a larger nomadic community that were now adapting to modern society. They were tired of the constant movements and the unstable life so after walking for quite a while the elders of the community finally agreed that their village would be built next to a lake that would provide them with so much. So, they built their houses and the community settled near the lake and wow they grew. They were finally away from the senseless disputes and were at peace with each other and their surroundings. The location couldn’t be any better as they had access to fresh clean water and also the fish inside were a good source of outside income which they traded with neighbouring communities and grew very wealthy from that.
Before too long the community had nearly doubled in size and the newly appointed governing heads thought it was best for them to move on completely to the more advanced way of life by bringing electricity right to their doorsteps. They invited engineers and educated people who came and they identified a nearby river which would be an ideal source for a dam. So they built and built and wow they had electricity! Things were amazing and looking up for all of them. The governing body was applauded and the people were at peace… until a few years later there were complaints of a water shortage, the water levels in the lake were alarmingly low, and not only that the previously fresh water was now contaminated and making many around sick and their previous source of wealth- the fish had greatly depleted in number. By now Jerry had finished university and returned to his home community with a few colleagues and grave concern to investigate the matter.
Upon thorough investigation Jerry came back to his community with the results: “The problem with the lake is that we have alienated it from its source by building a dam the dam that generates hydroelectric power is the source of the lake that provides us water, food and wealth. We have cut our selves of from our source and hence we have this dilemma.”
What on earth does this have to do with strength?
As I borrow wisdom from my previous post: energy cannot be generated but only converted. This means that our source of energy has to come from outside us, even plants and algae photosynthesize and convert the suns energy to start the earthly food chain and circle of life. That pertains to our physical energy. What about our mental, spiritual an emotional strength?
Strength has a source that once cut off will lead to complete deterioration and eventual elimination of it.
This source is in Nehemiah 8:10b:
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength”
The source of our strength is the Joy that is in us and is also the Joy set before us
“Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2
Jesus for the Joy set before him endured. That enduring strength comes from Joy
That kind of joy is only from God.
It is a fruit, a direct product of the spirit of God
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law“ - Galatians 5:22-23
I have said this a million times that an attack on your joy is a direct spiritual attack.
The thief comes to steal kill and destroy. (John 10:10)
Once he steals your joy, he kills your will and destroys your destiny.
Revive your strength by reviving your joy.
But Kabs you don’t understand the year I had- I don’t even know where to begin to get it back.
First hun- it isn’t yours- the Joy of the Lord is your strength.
Because it isn’t yours it is not based on your circumstances or life’s seasons, but the constant source is God. The first thing that helped revive my joy was to Pray.
Acknowledge the current state our joy and strength is in and ask God to intervene and fill us up with His instead. Prayer may at first seem like your talking to the air especially when you are running on empty but what prayer does is allows God to intervene in our situations and lives. Pray for an infilling of the Holy Spirit and an abundance of Joy.
The Second thing I’d encourage is that we Put away every negative wrong reality you acquired due to circumstance. Allow God to redefine the reality of himself to you. In the midst of trails and situations we acquire a false reality of who God is, that is all of us. Even John the Baptist while behind bars had to ask Jesus if He was the one or were they to wait on someone else. Jesus didn’t respond with “How dare He” messages nor did he ghost him but he responded by encouraging his faith.
The situations happened but that didn’t mean God stopped being God. That He paused and stopped being sovereign. I dare you to stop blaming God for what didn’t happen and went wrong. It is easy to see him as the ultimate problem in the midst of confusion. This is how the damn walls get built up and we alienate ourselves from our source. In the middle of it all He never left nor forsook you. Read His word and spend time in Gods presence, this will renew your understanding of who your father truly is.
Finally Perspective – look for the hand of God which is evident in the middle of the mess but often hidden by the mountains. God didn’t attack you but defended you. Realizing this is often hard but honey it’s true. God has been fighting for you and will always be on your side. We know and see it all in part now but wow when perfection comes how we’ll truly glorify the Lord.
Reclaim your Joy.
Also associate with people who encourage you, speak life into you and help build your faith and don’t drain you completely.
And remember you are at your strongest when you’re at your weakest because Gods strength is made manifest or made perfect in our weaknesses. His grace is sufficient- He has and will continue to carry you through.
‘But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.’ - 2 Corinthians 12:9
In 2019 I rested on my own strength and watched it fade away. I was running on empty constantly and wondering why I no longer had energy to simply live life. I didn’t lack will- I lacked strength. It showed me that I am no where near sufficient- I am not enough unless God is at work in me. This year I don’t want to “run out of fuel” because I am constantly looking internally but I truly want to win in my weaknesses because His strength is made manifest through it. I am stronger in Him than in me so Christ may Your power rest on me!
Grace and Joy from the infinite Source of God. That is how your strength is revived
Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up Lord. Come and quench this thirst in my soul with bread from heaven fill us till we want no more- Here are our cups fill them up and make us whole!
When your joy is revived your passion is revived, your strength revived, your anointing revived (not that it was dead but dormant) and your assignment revived.
Put away what is behind you
See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland - Isaiah 43:19
God is doing a new thing in this season. Refuel and continue on your journey to where the Father wants you to be.
Mission 20/20 – We’re coming!
