Godly Strength

This post is an excerpt from my upcoming article which will explain in detail the catalyst for this blog.

Everyone wants their leader to be strong, and it is undeniable that many strong leaders were and are not Christians. But there is a significant difference between ordinary strength—deriving from one’s combination of physical, genetic, mental, educational, parental, and environmental prowess (God's common grace)—and strength which derives from the dependence upon the Creator and Lord of the universe.
Godly strength is the strength that compels one to say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13; emphasis mine) It’s the strength that permits one to say, “When I am weak, then I am strong, for His strength is perfected in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10; my paraphrase) It’s the strength that gives one the confidence to say, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me…” (Psalm 23:4) Godly strength is the strength that gives the perspective to say, “I do not fear man, who can kill the body; rather, I fear God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28; my paraphrase) It’s the strength that emboldens one to say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?” (Psalm 27:1) “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31, King James Version) It’s the strength that comes from the “peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,” (Philippians 4:7) knowing that “God causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God…” (Romans 8:28)

This is not to say that there are not some very weak Christians in the world. All Christians have their weak moments now and again, and some Christians have a hard time ever latching onto God's promises for strength. Neither is this to claim that all Christians make great, powerful leaders. Furthermore, I realize that there are some very strong non-Christian (or at least not overtly Christian) candidates for President. But the strong, Christian leader has a basic advantage over the unbeliever or nominal believer: the Christian’s strength is attained directly from God. Others may trust in any number of sources or experiences for their strength, but the Christian knows that, with all those other things contributing to his character, the Lord is his strength and his shield (Psalm 28:7). “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7, English Standard Version) Moreover, the Bible tells us that God’s "weakness" is stronger than man (1 Corinthians 1:25). Oh, how much I’d rather have God’s "weakness" than man’s strength, and a President who depends on God for his sustenance rather than himself!