4 Ways Of Strengthening Yourself In The Lord
Do you find yourself losing strength or moving into discouragement as you wait on the fulfillment of God’s promises? Are you weighed down by your circumstances or disappointment? This is why strengthening yourself in the Lord is key.
There was a time when I didn’t know how to strengthen myself in the Lord. The enemy jumped up and down on my emotions like a trampoline causing much inner turmoil. I was backed into a corner, confined in lockdown instead of fighting my way out into the spacious place God gave me (Psalm 18:19).
This all changed after some inner healing in 2012. I fought hard and like never before.
I used the Word, worship, faith, and fervent prayer.
And when discouragement came, I’d say out loud – emphatically, at times…
Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God (Psalm 42:5a). God is my hope.
Often it would stop. On other occasions, I had to fight for a bit or dig for the root issue.
So how do you strengthen yourself in the Lord? Below are four ways.
- Feed on His faithfulness.
- Feed on His promises.
- Throw yourself upon His character and nature.
- Process pain and disappointment and then anchor yourself in the truth.
Strengthening Yourself In The Lord – Feed On His Faithfulness
Dwell in the land and feed on His faithfulness. Psalm 37:2
Feed (remember and meditate) on the ways He’s been faithful in the past.
The way He provided that job, or the way He provided a friend.
How He provided your financial needs.
How he opened doors to minister.
How He promised He would heal or deliver you then He did.
It’s also feeding on the testimonies of others. We can look to the Bible for plenty of examples, but also to church history, to the testimonies of the Church at large and the people we know.
When we share testimonies (or feed on them), it encourages us that if He did it before, He will do it again. And it imparts faith and opens the way for Him to do it again.
Here’s a post where I talk about feeding on His faithfulness.
Feed on His Promises
Feed on the truth that He’s a promise keeping, covenant keeping God. This is a theme throughout scripture.
But also when He says something, it’s a done deal.
He spoke and it came to be (or as another translation puts it – it was done). He commanded and it stood firm. Psalm 33:9 ESV
Then there’s the promises He’s given you from the written Word (Bible) or a spoken word (rhema).
A rhema word (a spoken word made by the living voice) is when the Word becomes alive – it leaps off the page or becomes illuminated, or when He speaks in His still, small voice, through nature, through a vision or dream, or any of the variety of ways He speaks.
Throw Yourself Upon God’s Character And Nature
Meditate on and declare out loud God’s character and nature.
- He’s a promise keeping, covenant keeping God – this is woven throughout scripture (II Corinthians 1:20; Romans 4:21; Joshua 21:45; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 111:5).
- Nothing is too hard for Him (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:17; 27).
- Nothing is impossible for Him (Luke 1:37; Mark 10:27).
- He’s a good Father and cares for His children (Psalm 103:13; I John 3:1).
- He’s the Good Shepherd (John 10:11).
- Since I seek the Lord, I will lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10).
- Since He’s my Shepherd, I have everything I need – I lack nothing (Psalm 23:1; Psalm 34:9).
- He’s faithful (Lamentations 3:23). And remember all the ways He’s been faithful as shared above.
Or pick any number of other verses where His character and nature speaks to your area of need.
We can feed on these truths since He’s a promise keeper and we can be sure He’ll show up again for what we’re facing or waiting for.
Process Pain And Disappointment Then Anchor Yourself In Truth
We’ll face disappointment, but the key is not staying there. We need to process it out with the Lord, be real and raw, and then anchor ourselves in the truth and His promises.
We can say – God, things look and feel the opposite of what you’ve promised, but I’m going to stand on what You said, because You’re a promise-keeping, covenant-keeping God. Nothing is too hard for you. You call those things that are not as though they are.
To recap on the four ways of strengthening yourself in the Lord:
- Feed on His faithfulness – remember how He’s been faithful before and feed on testimonies.
- Feed on His promises – both promises from the Word and those He’s spoken to you.
- Throw yourself upon His nature and character. He’s a good Father, He’s faithful, He’s our provision, He’s a promise keeper, and nothing is too hard for Him,
- Process pain and disappointment and then anchor yourself in the truth.
If you’d like to dig deeper into this topic of strengthening yourself in the Lord, check out Bill Johnson’s book or Bible study Strengthen Yourself In The Lord.
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