How can I be as strong as Jesus?
Let’s consider a few verses about the Lord’s strength.
Psalm 18:2, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
Psalm 28:7, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.”
1 Corinthians 2:4-5, “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.”
It is the strength (power) of God that we are to depend upon. We see in these verses that God IS our strength. Our faith stands in the power of God. It is when we realize our own weakness that we are really able to allow the Lord’s strength to work in and through us. We have the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN AM I STRONG.” He had learned, and shared with us, how that it is in our weakness that we really become strong. When we stop trying to serve the Lord under our own strength, then the Lord can lead us with His strength. The Lord tells us in Isaiah 41:13, “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.” Since most people are right-handed, it is the right hand that is our strongest. The Lord wants us to put our strong hand into His hand so that His will might be done by His strength. How we need to realize that we are NOTHING without Christ, but with Him, there is NOTHING we cannot do.
Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Notice that our ability to do ALL THINGS is reliant upon Christ giving us the strength to accomplish His purposes. The Lord tells us in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING.”
We do not need to be as strong as the Lord. In fact, it is IMPOSSIBLE to be as strong as the Lord. However, He is our strength. He empowers us to do all that He asks us to do. We are to rely upon Him, His will, and His strength to accomplish His purposes. We learn from Philippians 2:13, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Do you want to be stronger? Simply realize your own weakness and allow the Lord to do His work through you. (388.2)