The Word - Jan. 15, 2007 - (From the Archives)

"Those that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:41)

There are four specific kinds of strength a believer receives as he waits upon God, according to Isaiah 40:31. He is given inward strength through God's process of renewal. Second, he can run and not be weary, referring to outward strength. Third, he mounts up with wings as eagles, speaking of upward strength. And finally, He can walk and not faint, meaning he now has onward strength.

The Christian can be sanctified in each of these areas of strength by simply waiting on God. Those who do not wait upon Him will not experience these things. They will grow weary, faint and at times, will react to others because they have not learned the secret of waiting. No one who learns to wait upon God ever gets frustrated with His grace. No one who waits upon Him feels unloved, because they receive love as they wait. They will not feel empty, because they are filled with God's fellowship as they wait.

It does not matter what sins we have committed in the past, or how guilty we feel. If we have appropriated 1 John 1:9 by confessing our sins, He considers them to be buried in the deepest sea. Our guilt is removed. We can wait upon God and receive inward, outward, upward and onward strength.