Great character is built. It does not occur naturally. Follow God’s plan.
Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
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Take a moment to read our Text for Today again. There are three things the Lord commands, and three things He promises. The promises are that He would (1) go with them, (2) not fail them, and (3) not forsake them. His commands were (1) be strong, (2) be of good courage, and (3) fear not. Never have a moment’s doubt that our God will ever fail to keep any of His promises or to fulfill one jot or tittle of His Word. He will not! It is you and I who need all the help we can have to walk according to His Word. The three commands He gives in our Text for Today are the three paramount elements to our living a life of the Word. Today I share with you concerning the Lord’s first command in our Text for Today.
BE STRONG – In the natural world, strength is a matter of muscular power and endurance. Those factors are a result of genetics, diet, and exercise. Some people have a genetic predisposition to being strong. I have seen that manifest in men of small stature with less muscle mass than their companions, but with the ability to demonstrate great strength. Diet is an important part of being strong. One needs proper nutrition to feed and maintain muscular strength, as well as to feed muscles the necessary protein for growth, thus adding to the strength base. And one needs exercise. Failure to exercise muscles allow them to weaken, and even atrophy. But when one exercises muscles properly, especially with what is called resistance training, muscles are not only strengthened, but developed as well.
But how about the spiritual realm. The same truths apply. The three key elements in developing spiritual muscular power and endurance come into play. When one is born again, the spiritual DNA of the Lord takes hold in the human spirit. One now has the spiritually genetic predisposition to be like his elder Brother, Jesus, for the seen of the Father is in him. But we must also include diet and exercise. The muscle of the spirit man is faith, and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Therefore, to have strong spiritual muscle, one must maintain a strong, steady, consistent diet of the Word of God which provides the nutrition for maintenance and development of faith, the spiritual muscle. Then comes exercise; spiritual exercise, especially resistance training. When you apply your faith against the mountain that needs to bee moved, you engage in resistance training. Whatever that mountain may be, it will always resist. Sickness, poverty, pressures, cares of life, deceitfulness of riches, lusts of other things, and temptation are all resistance elements to your faith. When you use your faith to stand for Christ, you are engaged in resistance training, and if your diet is proper, along with your genetic predisposition from your heavenly Father. You WILL BE STRONG.
Manna for Today – Deuteronomy 31:1-8; Joshua 1:6-9; Proverbs 4:20-23; Ephesians 6:10-18
My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 