5-15-2022

FINDING STRENGTH NOTES

So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.”  7Samson answered her, “If anyone ties me with seven fresh bowstrings, ’ll become as weak as any other man.

“If anyone ties me securely with new ropes, ’ll become as weak as any other man.

“If you weave the seven braids of my head into the fabric on the loom and tighten it with the pin, I’ll become as weak as any other man.” 

So he told her everything. “No razor has ever been used on my head,” he said, “because I have been a Nazirite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me,and I would become as weak as any other man.”

Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!”

He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him.Judges 16

1David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, 2and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. 3When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 6David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God.I Samuel 30

7Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelek, “Bring me the ephod.” Abiathar brought it to him, 8and David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I pursue this raiding party? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” he answered. “You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue.”

David down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Judah. 17David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. 18David recovered everythingthe Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. 19Nothing was missing:young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back. I Samuel 30

How did David find strength?

He LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11

1God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46

Spiritual, physical, emotional, or financial strength.

1. Admit our need for God’s strength.

Psalm 27:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life;of whom shall I be afraid?

7And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. II Corinthians 12

2. Get into the word.

Don’t rely on your own strength.

28My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Psalm 119:28

I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. 14I write to you, dear children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers,

because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men,

because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. I John 2

His mentor Moses failed; the Children of Israel failed. He was left with the task of getting everyone into the promise land. He and God alone could do it.

As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1

III. Wait patiently, hopefully, and expectantly.

29He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;31but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heartand my portion forever. Psalm 73

I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. 14Wait for the Lord; be strongand take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27

1. Choose to Rejoice

8They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read. 

This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

10Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”Nehemiah  8

Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of Jerusalem. 2We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. 3For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn: “Sing us one of those songs of Jerusalem!” 4But how can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a pagan land? Psalm 137

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.Habakkuk 3