My spiritual dad, Johannes, once taught his team of leaders from 1 Samuel 30. When I read this chapter again last week I was reminded of what a great scripture it is!
"...But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God."
1 Sam 30:6b
The background to this scripture is that David had been away with his men fighting their enemies. During that time another people; the Amalekties, came and burned their city, plundered and kidnapped all the wives and children, including David's!
Alright, that is a ROUGH situation! In the previous verses we read: "So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep." Have you ever been there? I have. When there just isn't another way out and the grief is so great that you are just exhausted.
It gets worse though. The soldiers turned their frustration and hatred towards David! They wanted to have someone to blame and they threatened to kill him.
How does a leader handle such a situation?
What do you do when no one is encouraging you or is on your side? What do you do when nobody has anything nice to say about you or affirm you? No prophecy or hand on your shoulder. What do you do when it seems like everything is falling apart around you?
I do what David (and Johannes) taught me: I strengthen myself in the Lord!
The Hebrew says that "David chazak himself in the Lord".
Chazak: become strong, bind, conquer, encourage, establish, affirm, to become mighty, to strengthen, to grow stronger, to clothe themselves in strength.
So when all the odds spoke against David, when no one stood by his side, he had to CHAZAK himself! Just like a boxer stands in front of the mirror before a match! Just like a soldier before battle! Like a Christian early in the morning!
Stop waiting on someone to start speaking nicely about you and encourage you; do it yourself! Stop asking God for more faith, it is already in your heart, start using it instead and speak it over your life!
Faith comes when you hear the Word of God! If your pastor or friend does not speak the Word over you, do it yourself! Open your mouth and chazak yourself!
We have the same word, chazak, in this scripture:
"Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”
1 Chron 19:13
Not just for your sake, but for everyone that surrounds you, yes, even your city!
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous."
Jos 1:9a
It's not a recommendation, it's a command!
Stop speaking negatively and depressing, even if that's what you feel inside, even if you have wept so that you are at the point of exhaustion. Stop speaking down your life, and forbid yourself to use the word hopeless; instead, start to chazak yourself!
David did just that. He strengthened himself in THE LORD!
I do not need to have strong talents, be strong in my body or what I can do. I connect with my Covenant-God and His strength! Then I am strong! But it does not happen automatically, I have to step into that which already belongs to me.
I am an overcomer! I am head and not tail! I am over, not under! I am blessed! YEAH!
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