I have written to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one.

1 John 2:14 NKJV

You are strong:

When 1 John 2:14 says that the young men in Christ are strong, I believe that this is not talking about physical strength, but rather spiritual strength. Scripture shows us that as we grow in spiritual maturity, we need to become strong in the Lord. We can see this as a pattern from the lives of both Jesus and John the Baptist.

Jesus:

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Luke 2:40 NKJV

John the Baptist:

So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Luke 1:80 NKJV

There was a time when I was going through intense battles in my first wilderness season, and one day God brought me across this Scripture from 1 Samuel 30:6.

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

1 Samuel 30:6 NKJV

The background to this Scripture is that while David and his men were away from Ziklag (where their wives and children were based), the Amalekites invaded Ziklag and burned it with fire. The Amalekites also took captive the wives and children of David and his men.

Scripture tells us that when David was greatly distressed (suffering from extreme anxiety, sorrow or pain) he strengthened himself in the Lord. I knew that the reason God brought me across this Scripture was because He was giving me a message. Just like David, I too needed to strengthen myself in the Lord due to the distress I was experiencing. I had no idea what it meant to strengthen myself in the Lord or how to do it. God in His lovingkindness took me under His wing and taught me how to strengthen myself in Him. He taught me from His word, and He then encouraged me to live out these spiritual truths. For this reason, I can personally testify that the principles I would like to share with you do in fact strengthen us in difficult and trying times.

Within the next few blog posts, I’d like to share with you a few different ways we can strengthen ourselves in the Lord, but this is by no means a comprehensive list. The Lord may show you many other ways of doing this, and I would like to encourage you to act on those things He may show you. He knows what each person is going through, therefore He knows exactly how to help each of us find strength in Him.

Until next time, blessings in Jesus’ name.