October 2006
YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK!
By Marie Chapian
The wonderful Hebrew prayer, CHAZAK, CHAZAK V’NIT’CHAZEK, is translated,
Be strong! Be strong! And may we be strengthened!
I think we sometimes don’t understand what it means to be strong. In our natural selves we may feel weak and inadequate, but filled with the Spirit of God we can be become giants. "May we be strengthened!" When the Israelites entered the Promised Land, they were ordered to be strong, to be of good courage. After forty long years of desert life, battles, problems and defeats, they were finally at the cusp of the Promised Land. God told Joshua, "Be strong and of good courage for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." (Joshua 1:8)
You actually have to be strong to inherit all that God has for you. It follows like this:
- You start out weak. Your natural strength is simply not sufficient to overcome and prevail in this life.
- You surrender to God, giving your life to the Messiah, Yeshua, (Jesus Christ) and His Holy Spirit fuses with your human spirit in a miraculous eternal redemptive, atoning event. You're never the same. You're eternally connected to God, King of the Universe.
- You become strong in HIM. His Holy Spirit strengthens you, build you up, empowers you. Your life takes wing. You're not merely strong in your strengths and abilities or smart in your own brain power. You have fused your spirit to His Holy Spirit. "Behold, all things have become new!"
- His strength in you pleases Him. You begin to live out the words, Chazak! Chazak! Be strong! Be strong! You are a pleasure to God as you take His strength for your own. You no longer fall apart as the world fires its darts and weaponry at you. Life no longer overwhelms you. You are obeying His word and you are strong. This pleases God. For this Christ died. You have surrendered and chosen to trust His promises.
Moses told his people, "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them (their enemies); for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." (Deut. 31:6) God is telling us the same thing today. He encourages Israel and He encourages you!
How do we act in strength? We stand on the Word of God. His Word says! becomes our weapon. I want to encourage you today to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Don't give up as you decree His answers and promises into your life and the lives of your loved ones.
The word, chazak, means to establish yourself firmly in physical and internal strength of character. It also means to make repairs, to be fortified, to behave valiantly. You are not a wimp in this life of trials and troubles. You are a giant!
When we finish reading the book of Deuteronomny we say, Chazak! Chakak! Be strong! Be strong! We have just entered the Jewish New Year of 5767. In this new year be strong, for you are about to enter your promises. We eat apples and honey at his time to celebrate a sweet new year. Your new year will be sweet in Him. Decree this into your spirit and into the atmosphere.
Reach out and taste the honey of your new year. It's waiting for you.