MY FAVORITE VERSES on STRENGTH part 2

Yesterday I shared my Favorite verse Isaiah 40:31, plus 12 more and today I'm sharing the last 12 that I have chosen on STRENGTH, although there are still more. 

*

These seem to be the ones I keep going back to renew my mind & renewing STRENGTH. In fact, that is the title of a complex but very thorough sermon by Charles Spurgeon on Isaiah 40:31 - well worth the read - theologically he covers so much of what I have not. But there's no way that I could ever come close to summarizing what he wrote, or any of the others that I read. I have spent time this last week, looking at much of what I've read & saved on STRENGTH. I realized that there is still so much I did not share or cover. That's the way it seems to be with our One Word each year. It's just a start of what God places on our heart & He keeps on pouring into us each day as we surrender to Him & seek Him & His Word first. All I know is the more we lean in to listen & focus on that One Word, His Word becomes more relevant to our daily life & STRENGTHENS us.

{I really hope that this first verse becomes my mantra as I continue forward in Christ's STRENGTH in a new & more powerful dependence on Him & the Holy Spirit as 2022 brings new challenges and new One Words to guide us.}

“She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25  NIV

"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights." Habakkuk 3:19 NIV

"The Lord is my strength and my defense; He has become my salvation." Psalm 118:14 NIV

"This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15 NIV

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

"May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.” Romans 15:5

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

" But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  2 Corinthians 12:9

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:10

"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." Ephesians 6:10

"I can do all this through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

"But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one." 2 Thessalonians 3:3

A Prayer for Strength: Dear God, You promise to be with me and to give me strength when I feel weak. I come to You today ready for Your hand to guide me and Your peace to comfort me. I feel so burdened by the anxieties and struggles but I choose today to trust You. I give up trying to control things on my own and I pray for a stronger faith. Amen.

*
On this last day of 2021, I pray you find or found STRENGTH to meet your daily need(s) and know better the One who gives you the STRENGTH you lack. I'm sure when I ended my Tuesday post with this:

Wishing You & Your Loved Ones 

a Blessed & Happy New Year in

2022!

May you find & have all the

STRENGTH

you need in Jesus

to SOAR like

an eagle

💓

... you thought I was done & closing for the year; quite frankly, I thought so too, yet God kept speaking and I needed to somehow write on ... I hope you found the additional posts beneficial. 

God Bless and keep you healthy, wise in Him and deeply in love with pursuing God through His Word and your One Word into a brighter tomorrow. As with any RELATIONSHIP, it takes commitment & communication on both parts, time well spent together, listening & receiving the best from each other. Looking forward to more of this in 2022 and a Lifetime of growing closer! (with God and others in Christ Jesus), I remain ~ Peggy

* the images used today are some photos from my room (except the last one), just to reinforce how I surrounded myself with Eagle power & soared through 2021 & to confirm that it's true what I wrote about my fascination with the Eagle. It's too bad that the Bible Hub does not include TPT, MSG & The Voice but Bible Gateway has them & many others.

MY FAVORITE VERSES on STRENGTH part 1

I have chosen 25 Verses on STRENGTH to share today and tomorrow from over 200 occurrences of the word STRENGTH in Scripture. Just as Pastor Morgan decided on 12 of these as strategies for Extra STRENGTH, I too have shortened my list to these. Of course, you already know my very Favorite: Isaiah 40:31

"But those who wait for Yahweh’s grace will experience divine strength.     They will rise up on soaring wings and fly like eagles, run their race without growing weary,     and walk through life without giving up." The Passion Translation

Isaiah 40:31

"The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise Him— my father’s God, and I will exalt Him." Exodus 15:2 NLT

"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV

"Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 ESV

"Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always." 1 Chronicles 16:11 NIV

"Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."  Nehemiah 8:10 NIV

"The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

"The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace." Psalm 29:11

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

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:26

"I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 NIV

"Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2

"He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless." Isaiah 40:29

More coming tomorrowPart 2

MY VERSE for 2021 ...

ISAIAH 40:31

and Isaiah 40:29 promises

He gives STRENGTH to the weary,

And to him/her who has no might He increases power.

Actually it was Isaiah 40:28-31, but I certainly read all of Isaiah 40:1-31 to get the full context. In fact I read through the entire book of Isaiah this year with a wonderful, delightful devotional by Brian Simmons & Gretchen Rodriguez

The Vision: 365 Days of Life-Giving Words from the Prophet Isaiah (The Passion Translation) 

I have frequently meditated on this verse throughout the year and read various articles, commentaries and biblical teachings or reading plans on STRENGTH and Isaiah 40:31, seeking "What does Isaiah 40:31 mean?" through searches. If you read my previous post, you'll recall that I wasn't sure what kind of STRENGTH I needed or might need in 2021 or why God placed STRENGTH on my heart for the One Word I needed to focus on (perhaps it was meant for someone else near to me, or me to be able to minister comfort and encouragement for the many of us, who have felt so weary, so weak with the many weights upon us or for the near future to be prepared). Then I came upon this article, "The Strength You Need for Today" (similar to 2 of the books I shared) but this was written pre-Covid so how much more we need this now. The full article is good, but it's the following first line that struck me:

"The strength you want most may not be the strength you need most, because the weakness you feel may not be the real source of your weakness." ...

 

However, the main reason that I wanted to share on this verse before 2021 ended was so that I might impart some meaning behind this powerful promise to us! I have loved this verse since 1990 and when I retired, I became very interested in observing "Eagles" yet I am far from an expert just an interested observer and reader. So rather than write the meaning of this verse for me myself, I decided that I would link to the most recent article I found that, in my opinion, is the best. It is so well written that I could never improve upon it except if I gave a personal application or experience that would testify to the STRENGTH I find or found in my life. But that would take an entire book on a lifetime of God at work in me - renewing my STRENGTH and building my trust in God & rebuilding trust in humans. So I have opted out of my personal sharing for this article that covers:

• Who wrote Isaiah 40:31 and when was it written?
• What is the context of Isaiah 40?
• What is the meaning of Isaiah 40:31?
• What does ‘those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength’ mean?
• What does it mean to mount up with wings like eagles?
• What does it mean they shall run and not be weary?
• What does it mean ‘they shall walk and not faint’ mean?
• What is the difference in biblical translations of Isaiah 40:31 (NKJV, NIV & ESV)
• Isaiah 40:31 NKJV biblical translation says:
• Isaiah 40:31 NIV biblical translation says:
• Isaiah 40:31 ESV biblical translation says:
• How does Isaiah 40:31 give me encouragement?
• How can I apply Isaiah 40:31 to my life?

Clearly #10 is the personal application and so much better than what I might share.

Yet I firmly believe that ...

What is an Isaiah 40:31 prayer?

"Gracious Father, I magnify Your Holy name and exalt Your majesty. I pray that my faith in You increases from day to day. I stand before You so that my strength, heart, soul, and mind will be renewed. Give me the strength to walk the difficult and narrow paths of life because I can’t do it alone. By Your Spirit, help me to run the race that is set before me with endurance and absolute dependency on You so that I can win the prize. This I pray in Christ's name. AMEN "

ROOTS & WINGS of STRENGTH in CHRIST JESUS in 2021

As the last week of 2021 comes to an end, I am reflecting on the One Word I sensed God speaking for me to focus on: STRENGTH. Quite often, I never know exactly why as I begin the year and often as I end the year with my One Word, I'm still not sure. Yet over and over I have seen STRENGTH that I needed and that others needed throughout both 2020 and 2021 and God confirmed His Strength is what I really need. 

I tried to figure out what kind of STRENGTH God thought I might need or didn't have ... and I realized how very weak I was. I thought I was just weary but it went alot deeper. So I wondered was it physical strength I needed or would need for something in particular. Or perhaps it was emotional or mental (psychological) - and that one had me quite concerned about what I might be facing especially if it was part of the physical strength as well. Then I struggled with the possibility that maybe God thought I was going to encounter a spiritual battle (unlike no other in all my years) and definitely needed to rely on Him & His spiritual strength. So as I think back on all that many of us have faced these last couple of years, I realized that we all need to believe we are stronger than we think and find the STRENGTH we need to press on, in God, in God's Word, in each other, and definitely for our future in this country. But for me, personally I'm sure that God was hoping to build me up with STRENGTH in every one of these areas. I found that each day I need His Strength more & more & I rely on His Strength. 

I need to be Jesus Strong (my September posts)! And as need be, reread my October books: "Strength for Each Day" by Joyce Meyer and "You are Stronger than You Think" by Joel Osteen but I truly can't forget the strategies and 12 verses shared by Robert J. Morgan (and his wife Katrina) in "The Strength You Need" along with all I shared in Advent on Strength & Hope, Peace, Joy, Love. 

Also I read this today: "One of the MYSTERIES of the Christian faith is that the more we humble ourselves and depend on God, the stronger we become in character and integrity. Depending on God means recognizing Him as the source of our strength, our success, and all good things in our lives."~Katherine J. Butler

As I refresh my thoughts with the last post I wrote where I shared at the end the STRENGTHS that the Morgans wrote about I realize that I needed much more STRENGTH than physical, emotional, or mental; it was all the spiritual ones that I was searching for in God's Word - the many verses on STRENGTH that I found:

 

• Lifelong Strength: your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:25)
• Lasting Strength: they go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:5-7)
• Imparted Strength: the eyes of The Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9)
• Joyful Strength: the joy of The Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10)
• Timely Strength: God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1)
• Tranquil Strength: in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15)
• Renewed Strength: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31)
• Recurring Strength: the Lord will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11)
• Durable Strength: the Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19)
• Unwavering Strength: Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God (Romans 4:20)
• Innermost Strength: I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16)
• Riveting Strength: I can do all this through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)

My verse for 2021, which I knew before my One Word was the one in Isaiah 40: verse 31 on Renewed Strength - I needed to spend 2021 renewing the STRENGTH I have in Jesus Christ! I spent the year STRENGTHENING my faith as I found STRENGTH in God's Word. 2 Corinthians 12:9 also became an important verse. I was finding STRENGTH in Christ alone (since many of us have been isolating ourselves during this pandemic crisis & following the protocols recommended, I wish more of us were doing this (Isaiah 41:10) instead of battling against the truths & trusting God at His Word with the sound mind, and the spirit of power & love He gives us (2 Timothy 1:7)-our freedom & healing is found in Jesus Christ.

As I continue to rely on my STRENGTH in Jesus, I came across the verse in the image at the beginning of this post (Colossians 2:7) in His Whisper in a reading plan

"Let My tender love be the source that feeds your life. My mercy is strong enough to cover every weakness. My great grace takes the frail things of creation and makes them more fruitful than the world's most efficient systems. Let the sustenance of my great kindness strengthen you by healing all of your wounds and restoring every broken dream. You choose well when you opt to stand on the firm foundation of my never-failing love. No storm can crack my immoveable groundwork under your feet. You will never want for anything when you wade in the waters of my complete compassion. When winds blow, they will only cause stronger waves of my mercy to wash over you. You cannot escape the reaches of my affection, so do the best thing and burrow yourself into Me. The resulting growth will be worth more than a hundred lifetimes in self-service. Be encouraged as you dig deep into My heart today. Let the rushing river of My presence flood your senses with My goodness." ~by Brian Simmons with Sarah Perry

Colossians 2:7 TPT "your spiritual roots go deeply into His life as you are continually infused with strength, encouraged in every way. For you are established in the faith you have absorbed and enriched by your devotion to Him!

so that once again I realize that my spiritual roots are infused with His STRENGTH and by letting my roots grow down deeply into Him and letting my life be built on Him, my faith grows STRONG in the Truth I was taught (and still am taught) AND I overflow with thankfulness! Yes, I am enriched and ever so thankful that I am rooted in Christ's Love & His STRENGTH covers every weakness - by His Mercy & aMazing Grace! I will SOAR on Eagle's Wings into 2022, knowing my STRENGTH is found in Jesus Christ and through His Word I can continually be strengthened!

But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] Will gain new strength and renew their power; They will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; They will run and not become weary, They will walk and not grow tired. AMP

Wishing You & Your Loved Ones 

a Blessed & Happy New Year in

2022!

May you find & have all the

STRENGTH

you need in Jesus

to SOAR like

an eagle

💓

STRENGTH in ADVENT - 4 LOVE

"LOVING GOD 

is the most important thing we do!"

However, since God is ever-present, but not physically present in human form (any longer) on this earth {we did not do too well when He was} ... and even though we are to Love God first with our whole being (our heart, our soul, our mind) - the first & greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37-38) (Mark 12:30) Jesus added a second (in Mark 12:31) "to love our neighbor as ourselves", a tangible way that we show God our love for Him is in how we love our neighbor (& self) expressed in our affinity for kindness, patience, gentleness etc. in relations with others (our neighbors & toward ourselves). 

Because God is love, we should love each other, showing that love to others {as we would like it shown to us} also demonstrates that God lives in us, acknowledging that love that Jesus Christ came and was willing to be obedient to death to express His love. Now that kind of LOVE takes alot of STRENGTH. When another person is difficult to love, whatever our personal reason or difference is ... we all know it takes STRENGTH to continue to love or love them despite the personal conflict or difference. {I think you get my point} Easy to love God or at least say that we do, because it cannot be proven, except it is proven (shown) in how we obey & love one another {not just tolerate or avoid trying}- which takes "LOVING GOD with all our STRENGTH". Letting God live through us and His kind of LOVE - AGAPE {not the other kinds of love: philea (empathy bond), storge (friend bond), eros (romantic love)} - Agape love is unconditional "God" love (1 Corinthians 13 kind of love). Reading this passage over many years has recently caused me to ponder & question, have I ever really LOVED like this - doing so would require Godly STRENGTH {not my own}. A LOVE that shows God's transformation of me, a change in not only my perspective & attitude but in my daily actions.{ouch} LOVE is not a present under a Christmas tree, measured by how great it is or just what we wanted; it's His Presence in us, shown and expressed by our LOVE unconditionally given just as Jesus gave to us so we give to others through Jesus Christ in us, and also by LOVING God with all our STRENGTH.

So what does it really mean to do something with all your STRENGTH? According to Robert J. Morgan, in his book "The Strength You Need" after giving a "major sporting competition" example of athletes  with all their strength, breaking records, their own & others, he states:

"To do something with all our strength implies intensity, sustained effort, and ongoing concentration." Robert J. Morgan, The Strength You Need

 

"THAT'S THE WAY We're to LOVE GOD ..."

which leads this circle right back to my beginning words

so if Jesus appeared as He did to Peter & asked you,

"Do you love Me?"

(3 times)

How might you respond?

He might look at you, how you're living, look around at your habits 

or environment or priorities 

or how you treat others

"Do you really love Me?"

(John 21:15-17)

[by the way, each time Jesus asked Peter, He told him "...then feed My sheep" - if I've got this right, so, in essence, that's what He is telling each of us this so once again how we do this is by showing love for others in tangible ways] I remember this vividly from our church's drama depiction for Easter/Resurrection "The Life Giver" in Jimmy & Carol Owens "The Witness" Musical in the Song "I Love You Lord"

God has given us His Holy Spirit to help us love and obey Him. If we LOVE GOD with all our STRENGTH, it more than likely will look like, we are on a mission to make God happy, please Him, show Him that we LOVE Him as He loved us, that we truly intend to do His will (not our own) with all our might - all our ability (that He has given us, within us) to the best of our individual capability, because HE is so worthy of ALL our undivided love! We must demonstrate our love for God by putting God first before everything and everyone else in life. And like us, He wants to be told often, "I love You!" so let Him know & say to Him daily how much you love Him! (Psalm 18:1). God wants us to acknowledge Him & His Name. By LOVING His Word, we are STRENGTHENED & nourished with the many promises He's given us & see that God blesses those who LOVE Him when we love God with all our STRENGTH. 

This Christmas, we can simply LOVE God with all our heart ... and all our STRENGTH & return to that fresh "first LOVE" that we encountered when we met God through Jesus Christ & see how that babe in a manger came to show His LOVE completely, dependent on His Father, for every thing, every day until His last & teach us how to LOVE God & Love one another and the privilege we have to be so LOVED! Now that brings STRENGTH ... to our weary souls - to our weighted hearts - to our overwhelmed, worrisome minds! God is LOVE & "God so LOVED the world (or individualize this by putting your name or someone's name) that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) that whosoever (insert that name)  BELIEVES in Him (God, the Father, Son & Holy Spirit as One) and trust in Him (AMP) as Savior [so that that person: YOU, ME or inserted name] will not perish {cease to exist  * my own amplified} but have everlasting life." So much LOVE - undeserved - but by His aMazing Grace! "

We LOVE because He first LOVED us!

(1 John 4:19)

We can never LOVE God too much

but we can

LOVE 

Him better

in our daily walk with Him

in our adoration and devotion to Him

in our obedience, in our daily conversations

with Him (and others)

by hating evil and helping other people

"to know, love & serve Him"

which in turn

will give us

STRENGTH

so that we can go from

"strength to strength"

(Psalm 84:7 & 89:17)

hopefully

EXTRA STRENGTH

In conclusion, there are many verses on LOVE and many on STRENGTH, but when I did a search for LOVE & STRENGTH the main one was this verse in Mark 12:30 & I would add 31 ... so as I LIGHT the CANDLE of LOVE on this 4th Week of Advent

 I will only link to the List of Bible Verses found:

 

49 Bible Verses about Love and Strength 44 Verses about Strength & Love

Wishing you all God's aMazingLOVE & STRENGTHfor a wonderfulChrist-filled CHRISTmaswithHOPE, JOY & PEACE!~Peggy~
<><><>
 If you are one of the many weary souls seekingEXTRA STRENGTHstill like meI recommendRobert J. Morgan's book"The Strength You Need"(and the other two I reviewed here in October)so that you are filled by God's Word with theseSTRENGTHstrategies

Lifelong Strength: your strength will equal your days (Deuteronomy 33:25) Lasting Strength: they go from strength to strength (Psalm 84:5-7) Imparted Strength: the eyes of The Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him (2 Chronicles 16:9) Joyful Strength: the joy of The Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10) Timely Strength: God is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1) Tranquil Strength: in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15) Renewed Strength: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31) Recurring Strength: the Lord will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden (Isaiah 58:11) Durable Strength: the Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19) Unwavering Strength: Abraham did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God (Romans 4:20) Innermost Strength: I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16) Riveting Strength: I can do all this through Him who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13)

{*I guess that} LOVE encompasses all these STRENGTHSfor God's LOVE isLasting, Lifelong, Imparted, Joyful, Timely,Tranquil, Renewed, Recurring, DurableUnwavering, Innermost, Riveting
* I write "I guess", because I did not find Mark 12:30 verse in these 12,yet it is one of the 12 chapters of the 12 strategies in his bookand this is one of the book's 12 images on Morgan's website

Thank you Robert & Katrina Morgan!Joel Osteen & Joyce Meyerfor your books thatimpacted & influencedmy One Word journey onSTRENGTH&Brian Simmons & Gretchen Rodriguezfor your book on Isaiah "The Vision" The Passion Translation,Inspirational! I chose this for my 365 day devotional since my One Word Verse for 2021 is/was found in Isaiah 40but your entire book continued to give meSTRENGTHto soar with eagle's wingsthrough 2021and encouraged me dailyin our Lord Jesus & the STRENGTH I have in Him!



May I ask at this time that you would join me in prayer for the many who need God's STRENGTH in this season; whether from the battle with Covid or other health issues; loss of loved ones or loss of home from the horrendous effects of climate change & other factors; and for my own Strength & also a dearly loved one (very close to me, who is very private) who's just exhausted & awaiting medical results; and I'm sure there are others also exhausted after these trying years that we've been through and the ones ahead of us, that the LORD would strengthen us & direct our steps, keep us close to Him & bring healing in so many areas throughout this nation & this world! In Jesus' name ... there is power in His Name! Thank you! God bless! 

STRENGTH in ADVENT - 3 JOY

According to some Advent plans, I am changing the order of the themes but because of this recent week and weeks leading up to this past week (maybe even this past year or so, for many of us), I really need(ed) some JOY! I also probably need STRENGTH (& maybe some comfort to!) For me, JOY seems to go better with comfort, yet there is no denying the truth of Nehemiah 8:10 that "the JOY of the Lord is my (your) STRENGTH!" Yes! I seemed to be so lacking that I even began a You Version Bible Reading plan "Joy and Strength..." I had it saved but decided now was the time, and I could not delay doing this any longer. I needed the Lord's STRENGTH and a bit of JOY certainly would help. I had done another one earlier in the year of Joy & Strength by Candace Cameron Bure but this one was more specific. Of course, Bible (dot) com has others available on this theme like the thirty day one by Oswald Chambers, who states the following

"Joy means the perfect fulfillment of that for which I was created and regenerated, not the successful doing of a thing. The joy our Lord had lay in doing what the Father sent Him to do. We all have to find our niche in life and spiritually we find it when we receive our ministry from the Lord."... Joy-Strength in the Lord

God’s strength is joyful strength

"Joy and strength go together like flame and heat. When we’re joyful we’re strong, but when we lose our joy we lose strength. I try to keep an enthusiastic spirit because, like an old book once said, “Enthusiasm makes the difference.” Robert J. Morgan

In Nehemiah 8:10, "the Bible describes divine JOY as a sort of internal generator activated by the Holy Spirit to produce all the energy and STRENGTH we need for a happy and holy life. The JOY of the Lord gives us vim, vigor, vitality, and endurance. When God pumps His endless supply of JOY into our systems, we find zest and zeal for whatever life brings." writes Robert J. Morgan, "There is an essential and undeniable relationship between JOY and STRENGTH." Nehemiah prayed fervently for God's STRENGTH. "God imparts His STRENGTH through JOY."

There are Bible verse on STRENGTH & then verses on JOY, but together like this one from Nehemiah is not easily found, as were my previous verses shared and you'll notice even in the list I've compiled. These following verses are from the Amplified Version.

 

Psalm 81:1 Sing aloud to God our strength; Shout for joy to the God of Jacob (Israel). 1 Chronicles 16:27 Splendor and majesty are [found] in His presence;   Strength and joy are [found] in His place (sanctuary). Ezekiel 24:25 ‘As for you, son of man, on the day when I take their strength and their stronghold from them, their joy and their glory, the desire of their eyes and their heart’s [chief] delight (the temple), and I also take their sons and their daughters, ... Romans 5:3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; Romans 12:12 constantly rejoicing in hope [because of our confidence in Christ], steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer [continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength], Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will abound in hope and overflow with confidence in His promises. Philippians 2:13 For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. Psalm21:1 O LORD the king will delight in Your strength, And in Your salvation how greatly will he rejoice! Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my [impenetrable] shield; My heart trusts [with unwavering confidence] in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I shall thank Him and praise Him. Psalms 59:16 But as for me, I will sing of Your mighty strength and power; Yes, I will sing joyfully of Your lovingkindness in the morning; For You have been my stronghold And a refuge in the day of my distress. 1 Samuel 2:1 Hannah prayed and said, “My heart rejoices and triumphs in the Lord; My horn (strength) is lifted up in the Lord, My mouth has opened wide [to speak boldly] against my enemies, Because I rejoice in Your salvation. Colossians 1:11  [we pray that you may be] strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy;

Suggested Reading:Isaiah 35:1-6

So far in Advent, according to Robert J. Morgan's book, "The Strength You Need", we have seen: 

God’s Strength is Renewed Strength 

God’s Strength is Tranquil Strength

God’s Strength is Durable Strength

- and the one for this week: JOYFUL STRENGTH 

I saved this prayer from my emails of "Your Daily Prayer" (iBelieve/Crosswalk)

Father,

Praise You for these lessons on strength and joy, and for Paul’s faithful life witness left behind for us to learn from. Father, You command us to be joyful always, but You do not expect us to be able to figure out how to attain or retain that joy ourselves.

You gave Your Son Jesus to light the way a joy-filled life. Through His earthly footsteps, we study the example He left for us to follow. Thank You for Scripture. As 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

All of creation reminds us of You. The beauty of nature and marvel of the changing seasons. The uniqueness in all of us and the diversity in the daily horizon. Surround us with reminders of You often, through nature, the people you place in our lives, and the Bible. May the Holy Spirit help us to understand Your Word, and will for our lives. Bless our hearts with sustaining joy, and the strength to hold onto it no matter what.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen. (Meg Bucher)

The tradition for the 3rd Sunday in Advent includes lighting a third sometimes pink candle that is a symbol of joy. This third Sunday of Advent we read, pray, and reflect on the joy that God’s plan gives us (foretold by the prophets and fulfilled by the life and death of Christ), and we meditate on the promise of Christ’s coming glory-filled return. Traditionally, the 3rd Sunday's called Gaudete Sunday. Gaudete is the Latin word for rejoice, and this Sunday is the time for us to rejoice because Jesus came and died so that we may live forever with Him! 

On this 3rd Sunday we light the Candle of JOY

at least I am hoping for more JOY in this season for you & me

(and some very special people, who are dealing with loss of a loved one)

HOPE & JOY

for our future as believers when we are reunited

COMFORT & JOY

Philemon 1:7 (AMP)

For I have had great joy and comfort and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints (God’s people) have been refreshed through you

STRENGTH in JOY!

in

Christ Jesus