Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Psalms 84:5-7 (NIV)
“Strength to strength” what an amazing statement. Who would not want to go from “strength to strength”? This is the blessed and joyous privilege for every saint in Christ Jesus - for every child of the King. There is great benefit in following hard after Christ. God equips us, strengthening us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord Jesus through all He allows in our lives. Further, we are to demonstrate our faith to those in our spheres of influence on our pilgrimages to our heavenly home. And how we live greatly matters. Remember, there are no do-overs. This is our time to shine for Him as we hold out the Word of Life.
God’s desire is for others to see Jesus in us. We are to walk as our older Brother. Indeed, if we claim to live in Him we are to walk as He walked – always through His power and for His glory. And God strengthens His saints with all that He allows. Even the waterless places can become places of springs the psalmist writes, covering all our arid spaces with pools of living water. This is a vivid picture of how God blesses His faithful saints. We may find ourselves oppressed by the enemy but he will not be victorious over those who follow the Lord Jesus – we are sealed. We may be greatly buffeted, dismayed and discouraged but we will never be snatched from His Almighty Hand. He will bring us safely home. If you are His, you are always His. It is God Who keeps us from falling – not our works. This is an indelible principle that is stamped on the soul of men by the finger of the Living God. And He loses not one of His sheep. With Him is unfailing love and compassion. He knows that we are but dust.
God strengthen us to walk through whatever He has called us to walk through – always through His power and for His glory. Giving us the grace sufficient to meet each need. If we do not have the need, we do not have the grace. He is not a grace waster. Mere flesh cannot muster up enough strength to consistently walk as Jesus did but God in His great mercy gives us this achieving power through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can depend upon Him to carry us safely home to our heavenly dwelling. We may be oppressed by the enemy but he will not be victorious over us. With Jesus is unfailing love, full redemption and grace sufficient to meet each need. We can depend upon Him.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NIV)