You likely already know that the Bible has much to say about strength. Perhaps you think about Samson in Judges 13-16, whose strength was in his hair because of a vow he and his mother made to God; he is listed in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11:32-34 as someone who is commended for putting his faith into action. Or maybe you think of God’s strength: “God is our refuge and strength,” after all (Psalm 46:1-3, ESV), and “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength” (Isaiah 40:29-31, ESV). Or maybe your mind goes to the famous verse Philippians 4:13, which says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.
But do you also know how the Bible says we can stay strong? Or what are some other characters from Scripture who show great examples of strength, either in themselves or in support of others around them? And what happens when strength runs dry, as it often seems to? Is the world strong enough to overtake us? Read on to find out.
The Strength of God
Let’s start with some of the basics. Yes, God is strong, and the Bible says over and over again that He is the source of our strength (1 Chronicles 28:20; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Daniel 10:16-19; Job 36:5; Joshua 1:9; Psalm 27:14 and 31:24; Isaiah 35:3-4 and 41:10; Ephesians 1:19-21 and 6:10; 2 Timothy 4:17; etc.). One of my favorite verses to describe God’s strength for us is from Psalm 73:26 (ESV): “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
Of course, if God can provide strength, so can His Son (1 Timothy 1:12; 2 Timothy 2:1; and Romans 16:25), and so can the Holy Spirit that has been given to us (Acts 1:8 and Ephesians 3:16-19). In fact, I love Romans 15:13 (ESV), which says that the strength from the Holy Spirit will lead us to “abound in hope.”
And it is important to remember that, according to many verses throughout Scripture, others are strong too. Sin is powerful, and the brokenness of the world can feel stronger than anything. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed and wonder if we can go on. But God is always stronger. (See Psalm 18:17; Ecclesiastes 4:1; Psalm 46:1-3; 1 Peter 5:10; 2 Samuel 22:18; Psalm 142:6; 1 Corinthians 15:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9).
“Sometimes we can be overwhelmed and wonder if we can go on. But God is always stronger.”
Becoming a Strong Person
So then, how can we be strong? I think about a lesson a professor taught me years ago in college: “It is easier to do than it is to be,” meaning that actions lead to changes in behavior and thinking. If we are told to be strong, how do we do that?
According to Scripture, the first thing to do is to stay close to God. Follow His commands and meditate on the teachings you’ve received (Joshua 1:6-9; Psalm 119:28). Proverbs 24:5 tells us that wisdom leads to strength, and we know from other passages throughout the Psalms and Proverbs that studying Scripture leads to wisdom. In David’s song of thanks in 1 Chronicles 16, he writes that we ought to seek the Lord’s presence continually (11), and Isaiah writes in 30:15 (ESV) that God said “in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” Paul instructs in 1 Corinthians 16:13 (ESV) to “be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, [and] be strong.”
Strength in Weakness
But there is a recurring instruction and example of a clear way to become strong, and it seems counterintuitive: become weak. This is an especially common teaching in the New Testament. We even see an example from Jesus in Luke 4, that after fasting and facing temptation, He “returned in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14, ESV). But 1 Corinthians 15:43 has this idea of being “sown in weakness, raised in power,” and Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10, ESV). He explains to the Corinthians in this same second letter that afflictions would come but to use them as an opportunity to grow in strength: “For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, ESV). Paul also has the beautiful description of God’s power—in us but not from us—as being “treasures in jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7-18). 
“For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. . . . But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”
Seeing Strength Around Us
Several verses also teach us that we can strengthen each other (Deuteronomy 3:28; 2 Chronicles 11:17; Job 4:4; Ecclesiastes 4:12). We can do this by praying for each other (Colossians 1:9-12), by visiting with each other (Romans 1:11-13), or both (Luke 22:32). It makes me think of the story of Aaron and Hur holding up the hands of Moses to make sure Joshua and the Israelites would prevail against the Amalekites; Moses grew weary, but they helped to keep him strong in order to follow the commands of God and lead their people to victory (Exodus 17:11-13).
There are several examples of people of strength in Scripture, including Abraham, who is described as being “strong in faith” (Romans 4:20); Mary, who was overshadowed by the power of God at the time of her conception (Luke 1:35); Saul/Paul who grew in strength and confounded the Jews by proving that Jesus was the Christ (Acts 9:22). But one of my favorite descriptions of a person of strength is the woman of Proverbs 31, who is described as being dressed in strength and dignity and having strong arms (17, 25).
Stewarding Strength
However, we also learn from Scripture that strength can falter. We should not be prideful in our strength (Deuteronomy 8:17-18), and just as wisdom, righteousness, and meditation can lead to strength, the inverse is also true: iniquity can cause our strength to fail (Psalm 31:10). Some verses even remind us that strength means nothing if we do not have salvation (Psalm 33:16-17).
So then what do we do with our strength? The strength we gain from God can help with our courage (Deuteronomy 31:6-7) and can lead to justice (Micah 3:8), praise (Exodus 15:2), and salvation (Isaiah 63:1). God’s strength in us can be used to embolden us (2 Timothy 1:7-8), to teach (Exodus 9:16; Romans 9:17; Acts 4:33; Romans 1:20; 1 Corinthians 2:4-5), and to serve (1 Peter 4:11). And of course, the shema in Deuteronomy 6:4 (reiterated in Mark 12:30-33 and Luke 10:27) says we should love the Lord with all of our strength.
“God’s strength in us can be used to embolden us to teach and to serve.”
A Final Note About Strength
Finally, I want to look at one more verse from Paul in 1 Corinthians to show a final important detail about strength. In talking about when he will come to Corinth (to strengthen the congregation there), he says, “I will find out not the talk of these arrogant people [who are leading you astray] but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power” (1 Corinthians 4:19b-20, ESV). Just as he says in 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV), “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power.” These words are the same words often translated as strength, and they show us how important it is to, yes, dress ourselves in strength, meditate on the Word of God, be courageous, and rely on God. It’s what we were designed to do.
