How to Improve Your Strength
by Pastor Dag Heward-MIlls
I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the STRONG, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all. Ecclesiastes 9:11
1. Make God your strength. Trust in His mercy. When you trust in other things you become weaker.
The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him: Lo, THIS IS THE MAN THAT MADE NOT GOD HIS STRENGTH; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness. But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God: I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
Psalm 52:6-8
2. Receive counsel from God. Receive God as your covering. Strengthen yourself in God and not with the world. When you seek to strengthen yourself through Pharaoh, you are seeking to strengthen yourself with the “world. The world can never be a source of strength for the believer. Your real protection is from God. Your strength is from the counsel, the covering, and the source you have. Strengthening yourself in God protects you from shame and confusion.
Woe to the rebellious children, saith the Lord, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin: That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; TO STRENGTHEN THEMSELVES IN THE STRENGTH OF PHARAOH, AND TO TRUST IN THE SHADOW OF EGYPT! THEREFORE SHALL THE STRENGTH OF PHARAOH BE YOUR SHAME, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion. Isaiah 30:1-3
3. Strengthen yourself by returning and resting in God. By staying quietly in the presence of God you become much stronger.
For thus saith the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel; IN RETURNING AND REST shall ye be saved; IN QUIETNESS AND IN CONFIDENCE SHALL BE YOUR STRENGTH: and ye would not. But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill. And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the Lord is a God of judgment: BLESSED ARE ALL THEY THAT WAIT FOR HIM. Isaiah 30:15-18
