“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength;”— Isaiah 40:30–31
Physical strength is good, but it is not enough, says Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) worldwide. For wholesome results, he added, physical strength — your toughness, skills, connections, and diligence — must be framed by faith in Christ. Otherwise, the outcome will be unsound, even disruptive. Why is this so? Because God is the Architect of our lives. Picture your life as a house, a city, or a nation. God is the Architect, and you are like a paid worker hired to help build it. Unless you take instructions from the Architect, the house will remain poorly built and malfunctioning. Here are a few Scriptures to substantiate this viewpoint:
Examples of those who relied on personal strength and failed:
- Samson (Judges 16:1–30)
- The Apostle Peter (Luke 5:1–10). Although it did not seem so at the time, he depended on his own strength when he declared in response to Christ’s warning, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” (Matthew 26:35). That same night, he denied Christ thrice.
- David, in the case of Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:1–5). He did not consult God and fell into a grave error.
What must we add to our physical strength?
Here are key lessons learned from the Open Heavens devotional:
- Vibrant fellowship with God and with brethren — Prioritize assembling with other Christians (Hebrews 10:25).
- Intimacy with Christ — Peter was following Christ from a distance on the night he denied Him (Matthew 26:58, 69–74). Stay close to Christ and do not lose your passion for Him. Christ had twelve disciples, but only one was called His beloved. Strive to be Christ’s closest ally.
- Dwelling/permanent residence in the house of God (Psalm 84:4; Psalm 91:1). When you do, you will abide under His shadow. He will be your covering, and your strength will be enclosed in His ability. Your achievements will then be rapid and unbounded.
- Complete trust in God — It is okay to rely on people to get things done, but your heart must not depart from God (Jeremiah 17:5). Humans are limited, but God is omnipotent and has unlimited strength. Why settle for less? (Isaiah 40:28).
- Waiting on the Lord (Isaiah 40:28–31). Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up with wings like eagles. The tools for waiting on the Lord include:
- Prayer — Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Time spent in prayer recharges and refills our spiritual batteries so we do not become weak or insensitive to the things of God. Prayerlessness leads to spiritual weakness and loss of spiritual vitality, says Pastor E.A. Adeboye.
- Bible Study (Joshua 1:8)
- Submission and surrender to God — Take instructions from Him. As the Architect, He has the master plan for our lives. When we build with Him, our house remains strong and functional.
- Full obedience to God — It is not enough to hear divine instructions; we must obey them. Obedience is how we demonstrate our commitment and love for God. Disobedience is pride, says Pastor E.A. Adeboye. It is telling God that we have a better idea than He does.
