Isaiah 40:29 - God Is All-Powerful With Strength For Those Who Rely On Him.
Isaiah 40:29 (NIV) He gives strength to the
weary and increases the power of the weak.
INTRODUCTION
We can depend on God as our source of
strength. Even the strongest people get tired at
times, but Gods power and strength never
diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help
and listen. When you feel all of life crushing
you, and you cannot go another step, remember
that You Can Call Upon God To Renew Your
Strength. Hoping In The Lord Means Expecting That His
Promise Of Strength Will Help Us To Rise Above
Lifes Distractions And Difficulties. It Also Means
Trusting God To Fulfill This Promise found in his
Word. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Godly Adrenaline
When adrenaline floods the body, heart
rate and blood pressure increase, carrying more
blood to the brain and muscles. Mental
concentration increases, while sensitivity to pain
decreases. By design, the adrenaline response gives the
body a short-term boost to face a dangerous
situation. And while adrenaline is hard on the body
long-term, increasing nervousness and the risk of heart
disease, it can also be the agent behind such
miraculous feats as fighting off a bear or lifting a
car.
Similar to adrenaline, God's power
miraculously increases our strength. There Is, However, A
Prerequisite To This Promise: It Is "Those Who Wait On
The Lord" (Isaiah 40:31) Who Will Be Given God's
Strength. To Wait On God Means To Acknowledge Your Own
Weakness And Recognize The Need For External Strength
(Isaiah 30:18, 19; Lamentations 3:25). That Is, You
Need To Ask For God's Help.
God's strength isn't primarily relegated
to the physical. Look to the examples in the
biblical accounts: The heroes of faith in Hebrews 11
were given strength of will, courage, and
conviction because they "out of weakness were made
strong" (v. 34). God gave them spiritual strength to
show that through Him alone, we can defeat the
forces of darkness.
The apostle Paul also knew that "[God's]
strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians
12:9). In fact, he seems almost to brag about his
weaknesses (v. 10), not with any arrogance but only to
glorify God (10:17). God gives His power also to
illustrate His lovingkindness to the human race.
Unlike adrenaline, God's power is
available in a limitless supply. If you feel your own
weakness, then you're in the perfect posture to claim
God's promise.
Mighty Lord, I admit that I am weak
without You and ask for help, that I may be a
witness to others of Your victorious power. [The
Most Amazing Bible Promises by Amazing Facts]
COMMENTARY
He Gives Power To The Weak
From the stars that in their trackless
courses through space follow from age to age their
appointed path, down to the minutest atom, the things
of nature obey the Creators will. And God
cares for everything and sustains everything that
He has created. He who upholds the unnumbered
worlds throughout immensity, at the same time cares
for the wants of the little brown sparrow that
sings its humble song without fear. When men go
forth to their daily toil, as when they engage in
prayer; when they lie down at night, and when they
rise in the morning; when the rich man feasts in
his palace, or when the poor man gathers his
children about the scanty board, each is tenderly
watched by the heavenly Father. No tears are shed
that God does not notice. There is no smile that
He does not mark.
If we would but fully believe this, all
undue anxieties would be dismissed. Our lives
would not be so filled with disappointment as now;
for everything, whether great or small, would be
Left In The Hands Of God, who is not perplexed by
the multiplicity of cares, or overwhelmed by
their weight. We should then enjoy a rest of soul
to which many have long been strangers. SC86
[Remnant SB re vvs. 26-29]
He giveth power.
The God who faints not imparts strength
to fainting hearts. Whatever mans needs may
be, God is able to supply them all (see Ps.
104:27; 145:15). Those who in meekness and lowliness
of spirit realize their own frailties and
shortcomings are the most certain of having their needs
supplied (Isa. 57:15; Matt. 5:3"6). Gods ear is
always attuned to the cry of those who feel
themselves insufficient for the tasks at hand and who
desire the help of Heaven. It is in the weakness of
humanity that Gods strength is made perfect (2
Cor. 12:9). This fact has been proved in the
lives of countless thousands. [SDA Bible
Commentary]
Here is your God The first time I
traveled in the western America, I couldnt believe
the sky. It seemed so big. I had to keep looking
to the left and right to take it all in.
This is something like Isaiahs
treatment here of God. He is so big, Isaiah has us
look to the left and the right to try to take Him
in. Looking left, Isaiah described a God
enthroned above the circle of the earth to whom the
nations seem like a drop in a bucket (vv.
6"26). Looking left, we are simply overwhelmed by
the awesome greatness of Gods power and
mighty strength.
Then Isaiah has us look right, and we see
the Creator stoop down to touch the individual,
and give strength to the weary. Because
ours is a God who not only creates but who also
cares, Those Who Hope In The LORD Will Renew
Their Strength. They will soar on wings like
eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will
walk and not be faint (vv. 27"31). [The
365-Day Devotional Commentary re vvs. Isa.
40:1"31.]
Rely on Gods Power, Not Your Own
The worst times of life exhaust and drain
you. When the roof of your life is falling in,
you might look up in despair and say, What
now? What next? I cant handle one more
thing.
In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul tells of
having similar thoughts. He says, We were really
crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never
live through it (TLB).
It sounds like Paul was about ready to
give up. But see what happens next: We felt we
were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were
to help ourselves; but that was good, for then
we Put Everything Into The Hands Of God, Who
Alone Could Save us, for he can even raise the
dead. And he did help us and saved us from a
terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again
and again (2 Corinthians 1:9-10 TLB).
Paul knew that, since God can raise the
dead, he certainly could help him. And thats
true for you, too. That same power that raised
Jesus is available to you.
Jesus resurrection means no situation
is hopeless and no problem is too difficult. If
God can raise a dead man, he can resurrect your
health or a dead marriage. He can infuse new life
into your career.
How can you receive that kind of power?
You Receive It When God Fills Your Life With The
Holy Spirit.
The Bible says, For the Spirit that
God has given us does not make us timid;
instead, his Spirit fills us with power, love, and
self-control (2 Timothy 1:7 GNT).
When Gods Spirit fills your life, you
have true self-control for the first time in your
life. You no longer are bashed back and forth by
circumstances. With Christ as your Master, you can master
your situation. Youre no longer relying on
your own power to hold all the strings of your
life together. Youre Depending On Gods
Power.
He never grows tired or weary He
strengthens those who are weak and tired those who
trust in the LORD for help will find their
strength renewed (Isaiah 40:28-31).
God is faithful. No matter what youre
facing, he will carry you through it. [Daily
Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/ re vvs. 28-31]
ONE LINERS
God is able to deliver and restore his
distressed people if they will Wait In Faith For Him To
Act. They are to Trust In Him And Draw Strength
From Him. [NIV SB]
He gives power to those who Wait On And Hope
In Him. [Ryrie SB]
EXAMPLE
Addiction can affect anyone, even those
who come from loving, faith-filled homes. My
mother-in-law, Nereida, raised her nine children with love
and took them to church every Sunday; yet three
of her children became involved with drugs. In
addition, her husband, a Korean War veteran and
hardworking man, battled alcoholism.
When her oldest son was in his early
teenage years, Nereida worried he was using drugs
due to his erratic behavior, but she wasn't
certain. One afternoon while praying for an answer,
she sensed God was directing her to search a
specific spot in the apartment, and when she did, she
found drug paraphernalia. This revealed what she
feared most. It was the beginning of a long journey
as others in her family soon followed in his
footsteps.
Though times were hard, Nereida never
lost her faith or stopped loving, praying, and
caring for each member of her family. She turned to
prayer and found strength and hope in God's
promises and her church community. And when she lost
her husband and three of her children to
addiction-related causes, she stayed strong in her faith and
leaned on her church family for support.
Eventually, one of her children was able
to break free from drugs and alcohol. He is now
a deacon at his church and a witness that God
answers prayers. Today, at eighty-eight years old,
Nereida is grateful to God for her loving, drug-free
family. When talking to others who are in a similar
situation to what she went through, she tells them,
"Never give up. Keep your faith in God. Find
support."
Lord, deliver those who battle addiction
and strengthen their loved ones. Pablo Diaz
[Walking in Grace 2021 Devotional by Guideposts and
Zondervan]
PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Come to Me with empty hands and an open
heart, ready to receive abundant blessings. I know
the depth and breadth of your neediness. Your
life-path has been difficult, draining you of
strength. Come to Me for nurture. Let Me fill you up
with My Presence: I in you, and you in Me.
My Power Flows Most Freely Into Weak Ones
Aware Of Their Need For Me. Faltering steps of
dependence are not lack of faith; they are links to My
Presence. (John 17:20-23; Isa. 40:29-31) [Jesus
Calling by Sarah Young]
I give strength to the weary and increase
the power of the weak. So do not be discouraged
by your weakness. There Are Many Kinds Of
Weaknesses, And No One Is Exempt From All Of Them. I Use
Them To Keep My Loved Ones Humble And To Train
Them To Wait On Me In Trusting Dependence. I have
promised that those who wait on Me will gain new
strength.
This waiting is not meant to be practiced
only sometimes. I designed you to look to Me
continually, knowing Me as the Living One who sees you
always. Waiting on Me is closely related to trusting
Me. The more time you spend focusing on Me, the
more you will trust Me. And the more you trust
Me, the more you will want to spend time with
Me. Waiting On Me In The Midst Of Your Moments
Also Increases Your Hope In Me. This Hope Blesses
You In Countless Ways - Lifting You Above Your
Circumstances, enabling you to praise Me for the help of My
Presence. (Isa. 40:29; 40:30, 31; Gen. 16:4; Psa.
42:5) [Jesus Always by Sarah Young]
Grow strong in your weakness. Some of My
children I've gifted with abundant strength and
stamina. Others, like you, have received the humble
gift of frailty. Your fragility is not a
punishment, nor does it indicate lack of faith. On the
contrary, weak ones like you must live by faith,
depending on Me to get you through the day. I am
developing your ability to trust Me, to lean on Me
rather than on your understanding. Your natural
preference is to plan out your day, knowing what will
happen when. My Preference Is For You To Depend On
Me Continually, Trusting Me To Guide You And
Strengthen You As Needed. This is how you grow strong
in your weakness. (James 4:13-15; Proverbs 3:5
AMP; Isaiah 40:28-31) [Jesus Calling by Sarah
Young]
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Isaiah 40:29 - God Is All-Powerful With
Strength For Those Who Rely On Him.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2005/20050401-1158.html
Isaiah 41:10 - Fear Not!
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20201102-0939.html
2 Corinthians 12:9, 10 - Gods Amazing Grace.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230712-0922.html
Philippians 4:13 - Christ; The Key To Doing
All Things.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230117-1008.html
Psalm 138:3 - And He Touched Me.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20221109-0814.html
1 Corinthians 1:26, 27 - God Is Seeking
People Who Will Walk In His Strength.
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2021/20211005-0929.html
Psalm 29:11 (NKJV) The LORD will give
strength to His people; The LORD will bless His
people with peace.
Devotional pending.
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
