He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but 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. -- Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV
In Isaiah 40, the word translated as weary is yaga` (yaw-gah') which means to gasp; or to be exhausted, to tire, to toil. The Hebrew word used for strength in Isaiah 40:29 is otsmah (ots-maw') which means powerfulness; by extension, numerousness and is also translated as abundance. In other words, when we are exhausted and tired and feeling like we are just toiling our way through life yaga` (yaw-gah') —it is God who gives us otsmah (ots-maw') or the power; capacity and abundance. In the midst of our weakness, when we look to Him, He gives us strength. He gives us abundance—God increases us. He increases our strength, our faith, our peace, our joy and even our finances.
Many times our blessing is hidden in the midst of the warfare. If we don’t fight we miss it—but if we persevere, we gain our greatest territory as a result of our greatest opposition. It took the opposition of the giant Goliath to bring David from caring for the sheep to become a national hero. It was Jesus enduring the cross that brought Him to the fulfillment of defeating death and opening the door for each of us to eternal salvation.
Most of us when we are tired or weary, we stop seeking God. We pray less and read the Word less. We fast less looking for relief. We somehow think that if we reduce our efforts the enemy will lessen his. But because his goal is utter destruction—he actually increases his efforts when we’re tired hoping to destroy us while we are weak.
Instead, we need to press into God all the more. Our rest is in Him. Our strength is in Him. The more intense the warfare becomes—the more we need to press into God—the more we need to seek His face, and the more we need to rehearse His Word. We can find rest for our souls but only in God. We need to fill our minds with the Word of God, our mouths with His praises and our hearts with worship unto Him. We need to determine that we are going all the way with God—that His Word is true.
We, therefore, choose to believe. We choose to stand fast. We choose to put on the whole armor of God and we choose to manifest the fruit of the Spirit. We are not defeated. We are not utterly cast down. We are not forsaken. But rather, we are the Head and not the Tail. We are above and never beneath. We are the lender and not the borrower. We are blessed. Our seed is blessed. Everywhere our feet tread, God has given to us. We are not at the mercy of the enemy, but we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ—a royal priesthood, a holy nation and a chosen people. We were made for more!
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