Strength to go on

We need strength to get through every day, some days more than others. Sometimes life is hard. During these downs we often find it difficult to drag ourselves through yet another day. It seems that there is no light at the end of the long dark tunnel. This may cause us to be depressed and despondent not wanting to go on.

These are the times we need extra strength. Sometimes it is physical strength, but mostly spiritual strength. For this, we need to go to the Source of all strength. Let’s search the scriptures to find out how.

YHVH teaches us through His Word, that there are a number of ways in which we can be strengthened.

What does it mean to have strength?

Strength is the capacity to withstand great force or pressure. When we face difficult circumstances, we have to be able to withstand great force or pressure. This pressure can take on different forms. It could be health related, relationship issues, financial or any other form of pressure. We are at these times, often stretched to our limits sometimes beyond. Where are we to get this strength from?

We are to strengthen ourselves in YHVH

When we become distressed, we are to strengthen ourselves in YHVH. When David and his men returned to Ziklag after being sent back by the Philistines, he found his city burnt down and his wives captured with all the wives of his men. That must have been devastating. They came home and all was gone. Their city burned down and their families taken. They didn’t even know if they were still alive. They wept until there was no strength left in them.

1 Samuel 30:4
⁴ Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

David was deeply distressed, not only were their wives and children taken captive, but he was blamed for this and the people wanted to stone him. However, he did not become depressed and despondent, he strengthened himself in YHVH.

1 Samuel 30:6
⁶ Moreover David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, for all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in YHVH his Elohim.

We don’t know exactly how David strengthened himself in YHVH, He possibly did it like we read in psalm 18.

Psalm 18:1–3
¹ “I love You, O YHVH, my strength.” ² YHVH is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My Elohim, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³ I call upon YHVH, who is worthy to be praised, And I am saved from my enemies.

However, it could also be telling himself that he could trust YHVH for deliverance, because YHVH has never let him down. After this, he inquired of YHVH, YHVH answered him and delivered his enemies into his hands.

When we read Psalm 27 and 31, we learn that we are to be strong and wait on YHVH and hope in Him.

Psalm 27:14
¹⁴ Wait for YHVH; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for YHVH.

Psalm 31:24
²⁴ Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in YHVH.

To wait on YHVH and to hope in Him is to have faith in Him. When we strengthen ourselves in YHVH, like David did, our faith increases. This is what “be strong” means, it means to have faith in our Deliverer. When we have faith, we are strong.

Be strong

To be strong is commanded by YHVH.

Joshua 1:7–9
⁷ “Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. ⁸ “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. ⁹ “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for YHVH your Elohim is with you wherever you go.”

The phrase “be strong” is used 31 times in Scripture, 13 of these as “be strong and courageous.” To be strong is to have faith. To have faith is to take YHVH at His word. Please read our previous study More about faith for more information on this. When we apply ” taking YHVH at His word,” we will believe Him when He says: “Do not tremble or be dismayed, for YHVH your Elohim is with you wherever you go.” and all the other times He promised to be with us and to help us.

Romans 4:20
²⁰ yet, with respect to the promise of Elohim, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to Elohim,

To me having strength is to believe that everything will work together for good. That everything will be ok because YHVH is in control, even at times when it does not seem that it would be. Has He said it and will He not do it? YHVH is not a man that He would change His mind or lie to us.

Numbers 23:19
¹⁹ Elohim is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

So, we can strengthen ourselves in YHVH by reading and meditating on His Word and by taking Him at His word. I am going to say it again, we are to memorize YHVH’s word in order for it to become a part of us. In this way, YHVH’s word and His promises become part of our self-talk and will be near to us when we need encouragement.

Keeping YHVH’s commandments

Did you know that we will be strong when we keep YHVH’s commandments? It never occurred to me until I read this verse.

Deuteronomy 11:8
⁸ “You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land into which you are about to cross to possess it;

When we are obedient to YHVH, He is with us and helps us. This basically means that our strength is in Him. Disobedience brings separation between us and YHVH. This may cause Him not to help us when we need Him.

Proverbs 1:28
²⁸ “Then they will call on me, but I will not answer; They will seek me diligently but they will not find me,

However, when we are obedient, YHVH will strengthen us and help us when we need it.

YHVH strengthens us

There are times when we are so overwhelmed that we can’t even think. These times YHVH will supernaturally strengthen us.

Isaiah 40:29
²⁹ He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power.

Isaiah 41:10
¹⁰ ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your Elohim. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

We can draw comfort from this. When difficulty comes upon us, we don’t have to look about anxiously like a scared child who do not know what to do. Our Father YHVH is with us, He will strengthen us and He will help us.

YHVH is our strength

Not only will YHVH strenghten us, He is our strength. Scripture attests to this.

Psalm 73:26
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail, But Elohim is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

Psalm 46:1–2
¹ Elohim is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. ² Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth should change And though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea;

Psalm 22:19
¹⁹ But You, O YHVH, be not far off; O You my help, hasten to my assistance.

The word help is actually strength and was translated as such in some translations.

Philippians 4:13
¹³ I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

This verse has become such a part of me through memorization, that every time I encounter difficulty, it comes to mind. This has proven to me how effective it is to memorize YHVH’s word. It becomes a source of strength when we need it most.

The joy of YHVH is our strength

Nehemiah 8:10
¹⁰ Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Elohim. Do not be grieved, for the joy of YHVH is your strength.”

If the joy of YHVH is our strength, we certainly need to know what this joy is. We find the answer in Scripture. Joy is one of the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23
²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Joy is what we experience when we are children of YHVH, having salvation in Y’shua and filled with the Set apart Spirit. This is our strength. This is confirmed by Paul in the book of Romans.

Romans 15:13
¹³ Now may the Elohim of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Remembering what YHVH has done

Another purpose of YHVH’s Word is to help us remember what He has done. It shows and reminds us of His might. Remembering what YHVH has done for us will also give us strength when we feel we can’t go on. I would like to share a testimony with you.

I am extremely allergic to the fluff, poplar trees produce in springtime. We were not aware of the poplar grove when we moved in here almost two years ago. We may not have moved here. So, every spring I suffer for almost three months, it feels like having a cold for three months and added on to that continuous eye infections due to the fluff. I have been praying that YHVH help with this, maybe the price of poplar would could go up resulting in the farmer selling the wood or something else. You would not believe it, a few weeks ago the entire poplar grove was cut down. The field is empty. I am so thankful to YHVH. Every time I drive past that empty field, I am reminded that YHVH hears our prayers.

I am sure you also have testimonies of what YHVH has done for you. Hold on to those when you need the strength to go on.

Conclusion

To have the strength to go on is not out of reach for us who believe in YHVH. We are actually commanded to be strong. This phrase “be strong” is another way of saying that we are to have faith, we are to take the Creator of the universe at His word and wait for and hope in Him. He has given us His word in order for us to be strong. He Has given us Y’shua our salvation and His Set apart Spirit indwells us. Our task is to believe His word and hold fast to it. That is what it means to be strong.

Whenever we encounter difficulty, we are to strengthen ourselves in YHVH by reading and meditating on His word. At times He will supernaturally strengthen us when we most need it.

YHVH is faithful to His children, He will not fail us or forsake us. He is the King of the Universe, with Him as our Father, we certainly are in good hands. All He asks of us is to believe and be obedient to Him. Doing this will ensure that we will always have the strength to go on. We are to be strong in YHVH and in the strength of His might.

Ephesians 6:10
¹⁰ Finally, be strong in YHVH and in the strength of His might.