How To Find Your Strength in God's Defense and Mercy

When fear grips my heart, my strength slips away and my knees shake and I feel faint. On the outside, I probably look courageous when really I am not.

Today we are looking at Psalm 59 as we continue our Weariness to Strength Grace Study.

David was surrounded by King Saul’s men who had surrounded his house with the intent on killing him.

If there were men hiding out in the dense woods around my house, I would be extremely scared. It would give me the panicky feeling that it was impossible to escape.

Even if you are the kind of woman who responds with strength and courage, wouldn’t you be at a loss if you were surrounded by enemies?

You probably don’t have men surrounding your house looking to kill you any more than I do.

BUT . . .

Sometimes situations in our life can seem like everything is against us.

You might have five crazy-active kids under 5!
You might not be able to keep up with your family’s clutter!
Your laundry might be piling up sky high!
Maybe you are very sick!
Or your husband has a serious illness!
Your finances are out-of-control because of an emergency situation!

Situations like these can be used by the enemy of our soul as he lurks around our house waiting to kill us!

Not a physical death necessarily, but a death of our victory in Jesus.

We need to read the rest of Psalm 59!!

Waiting on God’s Strength

Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence. Psalm 59:9

When “I” get in the way and try to solve the situation in my own strength, eventually things get messed up!

Do you have many regrets in your past? I do! And so did David!

David had deeply sinned against God when he desired Bathsheba so badly that he killed her husband, Uriah, to cover his sin!

He deserved God’s wrath but instead is praising God for His mercy and for being a God who will meet the situation head-on.

My God of mercy shall come to meet me; Psalm 59:10

When we wait on God’s strength we allow Him to defend us instead of acting impulsively.

Admitting We Need God’s Strength

Even when we are fearful of facing the giants surrounding us, we either faint or blunder ahead.

The first thing to do is to admit or acknowledge that you can do nothing at all!

You need God’s strength!

For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. Romans 8:13

4 Steps to Finding God’s Strength

John Piper over at Desiring God shared some steps in a sermon that I thought would really help as we seek to find God’s strength.

“Act — believing that God is acting in your acting!” John Piper

Pray for God’s Strength – Most of us face a difficult situation and remember to pray a panic-prayer for God to help us!
Trust in God’s Strength – Most people skip this step! We are filled with unbelief and need to pray that God will help our unbelief! We need to ask God to increase our faith so that we can do the next step.
Act in God’s Strength – Too often we act too quickly and impulsively. When we pray for God to strengthen us and trust Him for that strength, He will fill us with His spirit and enable us to face the issues in our life.
Thank God for His Strength – We are a thankless society but let’s be women who are filled with gratitude for what God is doing through our situation. Let’s remember to thank God.

This is how we find God’s strength and how He will defend us even though we do not deserve His mercy.

3 Promises to Strengthen You

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy. Psalm 59:16-17

Paul gives us these words to think about that will help us apply HOW you can find strength for each day:

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” Galatians 2:20. Not I. Yet I. By faith.

Did this resonate with you today? How would you respond if your house was surrounded by those trying to kill you? In your own strength or in God’s?