Walking in Strength
Isaiah 40:28-31
July 23, 2000
Morning Service
Introduction
I. The fifth grade class
A. Teacher asks a question
1. Does anyone here understand electricity?
2. One over anxious boy raises his hand – “I understand electricity?”
B. The tragic twist
1. Teacher: “Jimmy, please explain electricity to the rest of the class.”
2. Terror comes over the boy. “Well, I understood it last night but this morning I forgot.”
II. How do we know something?
A. Three ways that we have knowledge
1. Seeing: We know something because we see it for ourselves
2. Hearing: We know something because of what we have heard or learned about through instruction
3. Doing: We know something just by the experience of doing them
B. How do we know God?
1. The ways that Israel knew God
a.) Saw God’s work
b.) Heard God’s Word – Verbal instruction
c.) Did God’s commands – Following the direction that God gave to them
2. Isaiah helps us to have a deeper understanding about God
Body
I. The Qualities of God
A. The Absolutes of God – Nature of God’s Person
1. The good news
a.) God is everlasting
1.) God is eternal
2.) He has always existed and always will exist
b.) God is the creator
1.) God made the entire universe
2.) God also created you
2. The best news: God’s person never changes
B. The Attributes of God – Nature of God’s Power
1. The good news
a.) God never gets tired
1.) God is always at work
2.) God never leaves you behind in his work
b.) God knows everything
1.) God knows you and what you need in life
2.) God never forgets you
2. The best news: God’s power never fails
C. The Abilities of God – Nature of God’s Provision
1. The good news
a.) God is in the business of provision
1.) God gives us strength
2.) God gives us power
b.) God provides your every need
2. The best news: God’s provision never ends
II. The Qualities of Humanity
A. Human beings get weary
1. Definition of weary – Exhausted in strength, endurance, vigor or freshness
2. All of us become weary
a.) We all spend energy every day and it takes a toll on us
b.) Our efforts in life make us weary
B. Human beings are weak
1. Definition of weak – Lacking strength, not able to function properly
2. None of us can do everything on our own
a.) Stop trying to do everything on your own
b.) The simple fact is that we need God to become our partner in life
III. The Qualities of God’s Strength
A. God places one requirement for strength
1. We must hope in Him
a.) God is our greatest hope in this life
b.) We receive the courage to live from Him
2. The nature of this hope
a.) KJV – Uses the term “wait”
1.) The meaning is essentially that we are to wait on God
2.) The implication is that we trust God to be faithful
b.) NIV – Uses the term “hope”
1.) The meaning is essentially that God gives us hope
2.) The implication is that we rely on God to be faithful
c.) Either way the implications are the same
1.) God always has been and always will be faithful
2.) God can be trusted and we can depend on Him
B. God makes a fantastic exchange
1. God will renew your strength
a.) Renew – Literally means to exchange
b.) Hebrew reference to the changing of clothes
c.) God will exchange our weakness for his strength
2. God’s strength comes on three levels
a.) Lowest Level: Soar (Q – Have any of you done any flying today?)
1.) Exceptional cases – We only need the strength to soar on rare situations
2.) This is a metaphor of action – We fly only on rare occasions
b.) Middle Level: Run (Q – Have any of you done any running today?)
1.) Eventful cases – We need the strength to run more frequently
2.) We need the ability to run more often than we need to fly
c.) Highest Level: Walk (Q – Have any of you done any walking today?)
1.) Everyday cases – We need the strength to walk each day
2.) The greatest strength that God supplies is not the occasional but the everyday
3.) The fact is that we can rely on God each and every day to provide the strength we need for that day
Conclusion
W – Wait on God
1. We need to stay in step with God
a.) Too often we either get ahead of God or we lag far behind Him
b.) God wants to be your partner in life – Walking beside you, if you’ll walk with Him
2. There will be times that we must wait
a.) God will do everything in His time – His time is not always our time
b.) The question is who’s time are you working on; yours or God’s?
A – Accept your limitations
1. Everyone has limitations
a.) You are a human being – There are some things that you will never be able to do on your own
b.) Accept the fact that you are limited
2. Allow God to use you
a.) God has a habit of using limited people to do His unlimited work
b.) God can take the limitations of your life and make beautiful use of them
L – Lean on God for strength
1. We will never make it through life alone
a.) Life is too tough to make it alone
b.) You have a need for God – Only God can meet that need
2. We need the strength God gives
a.) God will take the weakness that you have and give you His matchless strength
b.) God wants to be your power source for life
K – Know that God is on you side
1. God is on your side
a.) God is the one constant that we can depend on even when life throws us a curve
b.) God is our pinch hitter for life – He is the one who hits the Grand slams for us
2. God keeps the hope alive and helps you to walk with Him
a.) God gives us the strength to walk with Him daily
b.) Life without God is a hopeless end but life with God is endless hope – Dive into that hope
