{"id":44547,"date":"2023-10-16T12:27:07","date_gmt":"2023-10-16T09:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=44547"},"modified":"2025-05-06T22:52:00","modified_gmt":"2025-05-06T19:52:00","slug":"seek-the-lord-and-his-strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2023\/10\/16\/seek-the-lord-and-his-strength\/","title":{"rendered":"SEEK THE LORD AND HIS STRENGTH"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Blessed <\/span>be <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>Lord <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ, <\/span>the <\/span>Author <\/span>and <\/span>Giver <\/span>of <\/span>life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Welcome <\/span>to <\/span>this <\/span>time <\/span>of <\/span>learning <\/span>from <\/span>the <\/span>Word <\/span>of <\/span>God, <\/span>which <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>describes <\/span>as <\/span>a <\/span>lamp <\/span>to <\/span>our <\/span>feet <\/span>and <\/span>a <\/span>light <\/span>to <\/span>our <\/span>path (<\/span>Psalm <\/span>119:<\/span>105, <\/span>NKJV).<\/span><\/p>\n

One <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>profound <\/span>instructions <\/span>given <\/span>to <\/span>us <\/span>in <\/span>Scripture <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>call <\/span>to <\/span>seek <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>His <\/span>strength<\/span><\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Seek <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>His <\/span>strength; <\/span>seek <\/span>His <\/span>face <\/span>evermore!\u201d<\/span><\/strong> (<\/span>Psalm <\/span>105:<\/span>4, <\/span>NKJV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

This <\/span>verse <\/span>teaches <\/span>us <\/span>a <\/span>critical <\/span>principle: <\/span>we <\/span>are <\/span>to <\/span>seek <\/span>both<\/span><\/strong> the <\/span>Lord <\/span>and<\/span><\/strong> His <\/span>strength\u2014<\/span>not <\/span>just <\/span>one <\/span>or <\/span>the <\/span>other.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>The <\/span>Danger <\/span>of <\/span>Seeking <\/span>Only <\/span>God’s <\/span>Power <\/span>Without <\/span>Seeking <\/span>God <\/span>Himself<\/span><\/h3>\n

Many <\/span>people <\/span>focus <\/span>on <\/span>seeking <\/span>the <\/span>power<\/span><\/em> of <\/span>God\u2014<\/span>miracles, <\/span>signs, <\/span>wonders, <\/span>deliverance\u2014<\/span>while <\/span>neglecting <\/span>to <\/span>seek <\/span>God <\/span>Himself<\/span><\/em>. <\/span>But <\/span>the <\/span>Bible <\/span>is <\/span>clear: <\/span>the <\/span>two <\/span>must <\/span>go <\/span>together. <\/span>Seeking <\/span>God’s <\/span>strength <\/span>without <\/span>seeking <\/span>His <\/span>face <\/span>is <\/span>a <\/span>dangerous <\/span>path.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus <\/span>Himself <\/span>warned <\/span>of <\/span>this <\/span>in <\/span>a <\/span>sobering <\/span>passage:<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Many <\/span>will <\/span>say <\/span>to <\/span>Me <\/span>in <\/span>that <\/span>day, \u2018<\/span>Lord, <\/span>Lord, <\/span>have <\/span>we <\/span>not <\/span>prophesied <\/span>in <\/span>Your <\/span>name, <\/span>cast <\/span>out <\/span>demons <\/span>in <\/span>Your <\/span>name, <\/span>and <\/span>done <\/span>many <\/span>wonders <\/span>in <\/span>Your <\/span>name?\u2019<\/span>
And <\/span>then <\/span>I <\/span>will <\/span>declare <\/span>to <\/span>them, \u2018<\/span>I <\/span>never <\/span>knew <\/span>you; <\/span>depart <\/span>from <\/span>Me, <\/span>you <\/span>who <\/span>practice <\/span>lawlessness!\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
(<\/span>Matthew <\/span>7:<\/span>22\u2013<\/span>23, <\/span>NKJV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Notice <\/span>the <\/span>phrase: <\/span>“<\/span>I <\/span>never <\/span>knew <\/span>you.”<\/span><\/strong> This <\/span>means <\/span>there <\/span>was <\/span>never<\/span><\/strong> a <\/span>personal <\/span>relationship <\/span>between <\/span>them <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>Lord, <\/span>despite <\/span>their <\/span>powerful <\/span>ministry <\/span>works. <\/span>They <\/span>operated <\/span>in <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>power<\/span><\/em>, <\/span>but <\/span>not <\/span>in <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>presence<\/span><\/em>. <\/span>They <\/span>had <\/span>the <\/span>gifts <\/span>but <\/span>not <\/span>the <\/span>Giver.<\/span><\/p>\n

This <\/span>reveals <\/span>a <\/span>profound <\/span>truth: <\/span>it <\/span>is <\/span>possible <\/span>to <\/span>manifest <\/span>God\u2019s <\/span>power <\/span>and <\/span>yet <\/span>be <\/span>completely <\/span>disconnected <\/span>from <\/span>Him. <\/span>Spiritual <\/span>gifts <\/span>are <\/span>not <\/span>necessarily <\/span>proof <\/span>of <\/span>salvation <\/span>or <\/span>relationship. <\/span>This <\/span>is <\/span>why <\/span>we <\/span>must <\/span>first <\/span>seek <\/span>Him<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>His <\/span>heart, <\/span>His <\/span>presence, <\/span>His <\/span>will\u2014<\/span>then <\/span>His <\/span>power <\/span>will <\/span>follow <\/span>in <\/span>its <\/span>proper <\/span>place.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. <\/span>How <\/span>Do <\/span>We <\/span>Seek <\/span>the <\/span>Lord?<\/span><\/h3>\n

To <\/span>seek <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>means <\/span>to <\/span>pursue <\/span>a <\/span>personal <\/span>relationship <\/span>with <\/span>Him <\/span>through <\/span>obedience <\/span>to <\/span>His <\/span>Word <\/span>and <\/span>submission <\/span>to <\/span>His <\/span>will. <\/span>And <\/span>what <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>will <\/span>of <\/span>God?<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>For <\/span>this <\/span>is <\/span>the <\/span>will <\/span>of <\/span>God, <\/span>your <\/span>sanctification: <\/span>that <\/span>you <\/span>abstain <\/span>from <\/span>sexual <\/span>immorality;<\/span>
that <\/span>each <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>you <\/span>know <\/span>how <\/span>to <\/span>control <\/span>his <\/span>own <\/span>body <\/span>in <\/span>holiness <\/span>and <\/span>honor,<\/span>
not <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>passion <\/span>of <\/span>lust <\/span>like <\/span>the <\/span>Gentiles <\/span>who <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>know <\/span>God.\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
(<\/span>1 <\/span>Thessalonians <\/span>4:<\/span>3\u2013<\/span>5, <\/span>ESV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

God\u2019s <\/span>will <\/span>is <\/span>our <\/span>sanctification\u2014<\/span>living <\/span>holy <\/span>and <\/span>set-<\/span>apart <\/span>lives. <\/span>And <\/span>this <\/span>holiness <\/span>begins <\/span>with <\/span>genuine <\/span>faith <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. <\/span>Salvation: <\/span>The <\/span>Beginning <\/span>of <\/span>Relationship<\/span><\/h3>\n

We <\/span>begin <\/span>our <\/span>relationship <\/span>with <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>by <\/span>believing <\/span>in <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ <\/span>as <\/span>Savior <\/span>and <\/span>Lord. <\/span>True <\/span>faith <\/span>leads <\/span>to <\/span>repentance, <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>fruit <\/span>of <\/span>repentance <\/span>is <\/span>seen <\/span>in <\/span>obedience\u2014<\/span>especially <\/span>in <\/span>baptism.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Then <\/span>Peter <\/span>said <\/span>to <\/span>them, \u2018<\/span>Repent, <\/span>and <\/span>let <\/span>every <\/span>one <\/span>of <\/span>you <\/span>be <\/span>baptized <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus <\/span>Christ <\/span>for <\/span>the <\/span>remission <\/span>of <\/span>sins; <\/span>and <\/span>you <\/span>shall <\/span>receive <\/span>the <\/span>gift <\/span>of <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/strong>
(<\/span>Acts <\/span>2:<\/span>38, <\/span>NKJV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Baptism, <\/span>done <\/span>in <\/span>the <\/span>name <\/span>of <\/span>Jesus, <\/span>represents <\/span>the <\/span>washing <\/span>away <\/span>of <\/span>sins <\/span>and <\/span>the <\/span>beginning <\/span>of <\/span>a <\/span>life <\/span>of <\/span>discipleship. <\/span>From <\/span>there, <\/span>we <\/span>grow <\/span>in <\/span>sanctification, <\/span>guided <\/span>by <\/span>the <\/span>Holy <\/span>Spirit.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. <\/span>Don\u2019t <\/span>Seek <\/span>Power <\/span>Before <\/span>Relationship<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>warning <\/span>is <\/span>clear: <\/span>do <\/span>not <\/span>prioritize <\/span>spiritual <\/span>power <\/span>over <\/span>relationship<\/span><\/strong>. <\/span>Do <\/span>not <\/span>pursue <\/span>ministry, <\/span>miracles, <\/span>or <\/span>manifestations <\/span>while <\/span>neglecting <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>Himself. <\/span>Let <\/span>your <\/span>primary <\/span>pursuit <\/span>be <\/span>knowing <\/span>Christ<\/span><\/strong>\u2014<\/span>to <\/span>walk <\/span>with <\/span>Him, <\/span>to <\/span>love <\/span>Him, <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>live <\/span>for <\/span>Him. <\/span>When <\/span>He <\/span>is <\/span>present <\/span>in <\/span>your <\/span>life, <\/span>His <\/span>power <\/span>and <\/span>grace <\/span>will <\/span>naturally <\/span>follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201c<\/span>Draw <\/span>near <\/span>to <\/span>God, <\/span>and <\/span>He <\/span>will <\/span>draw <\/span>near <\/span>to <\/span>you.\u201d (<\/span>James <\/span>4:<\/span>8, <\/span>NKJV)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Final <\/span>Encouragement:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

May <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>help <\/span>us <\/span>all <\/span>to <\/span>seek <\/span>Him <\/span>with <\/span>sincere <\/span>hearts, <\/span>to <\/span>desire <\/span>His <\/span>presence <\/span>more <\/span>than <\/span>His <\/span>power, <\/span>and <\/span>to <\/span>walk <\/span>in <\/span>holiness <\/span>all <\/span>the <\/span>days <\/span>of <\/span>our <\/span>lives. <\/span>Let <\/span>us <\/span>not <\/span>settle <\/span>for <\/span>external <\/span>displays <\/span>of <\/span>spirituality <\/span>while <\/span>neglecting <\/span>internal <\/span>transformation. <\/span>Seek <\/span>the <\/span>Lord <\/span>and <\/span>His <\/span>strength; <\/span>seek <\/span>His <\/span>face <\/span>continually<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/form><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n