T. D. Jakes - Strength to Stand: Overcoming, Succeeding, Thriving, Advancing, Winning

T.D. Jakes is the author of many best-selling books. His weekly morning show, The Potters Touch, airs on Trinity Broadcasting and Black Entertainment Television. The Potters House service streams live every Sunday on www.thepottershouse.org. Bishop Jakes is the founder and pastor of Potters House, where he ministers to a multicultural congregation of more than 30,000 members.

Who are you to judge anothers servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him [you] stand (Romans 14:4).

D o you believe God is able to pick you up and make you stand? Until you know that God is able, you will never cry out for His help.

God asked the prophet Isaiah, Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? (Isa. 40:28a KJV).

God wants us to understand that there is no lack of strength in Him. You may not have much of a prayer life, but God says, Has thou not known? In other words, you should have known that He would take care of you.

The Word says that the everlasting God, the Creator of the universe, is all powerful. He has brought you through many problems, so dont let satan deceive you into thinking that it was just luck or coincidence that delivered you.

God is my strength and my power, and He makes my way perfect (2 Samuel 22:33).

Remember what God has done for you. If you cant seem to remember anything He has done for you personally, then look around at others who have been delivered out of situations worse than yours. See what God did for them and tell yourself, If He can do it for them, I know He can do it for me.

Gods divine love and power brought them through, and He will do the same for you. God says, I have the strength that is necessary to escalate and motivate and move you up and out of your circumstances.

REMEMBER WHAT GOD
HAS DONE FOR YOU.

Some live in rebellion against Gods Word, which clearly commands:

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths (Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV).

Because of their pride, such people never seek Gods counsel on anything or consult the advice of the Word of God on important decisions. When they do go to the Bible about some matter or pressing issue, they misinterpret Gods Word to make it mean what they want it to say. They have become very skilled and crafty at erroneously using the Word to rationalize and justify their own selfish motivations.

Remember, There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death (Prov. 14:12 KJV).

Instead of traveling this road of destruction, you can take the righteous alternative, which is the counsel of God. If you want to be victorious in all your endeavors, then dont lean on your own understanding or to your own devices or innovations. Instead, in all your ways acknowledge the Lord, and He will direct your path.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Seek the Word of the Lord about everything that concerns you, and you will, like the great warrior Joshua, have good success.

If you want to be profitable in business and successful in life, develop an attitude and habit of inquiring of the Lord, and you will never fail. Turn from the wicked way of your own fleshly wisdom and acknowledge the Lordand He will direct your path.

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God (Romans 8:14).

The Bible says that God, gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength (Isa. 40:29). In other words, He is saying, I wont kill you because you fainted. I give power to the weak.

When you start losing the strength you once had, you are fainting. When you can hardly stand up, and you begin to stagger in the throes of sin, lust, envy, and strife, God declares, I give power to the weak [faint]!

God says, I give power, not to the person who is standing strong, but to the one who is swaying on wobbly knees. I give power to the faint. To those who have no might, He said, I will increase their strength.

If you have looked inside yourself and cannot muster the strength to get up, God says, I will increase your strength.

Think back for a moment to the elderly woman in that television commercial when she said, Help, Ive fallen and I cant get up. She did not only need someone to help her up, but she needed someone or something to make her stronger.

God will not only raise you up, but Hell give you enough power to pull yourself up if you stumble again. He wont help you up so you can be handicapped the rest of your life. No. He gives power to the faint, and to those who are weak He gives strength.

GOD GIVES POWER
TO THE WEAK.

Are you weak with no will-power, no strength, no ability within yourself to resist the enemy? When your body gets tired, remember God and His strength. When satan begins to attack you, remember the power of God residing within your innermost being. Remember that God does not faint or grow weary. In fact, the Holy One does not even sleep.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).

When you remember these things about your Father, your strength will suddenly be renewed. Your joy will be restored, and your power will return. You will begin to experience a life of victory.

God says, If you wait on Me, Ill renew your strength. If you wait on Me, everything will be all right.

But those who wait on 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 40:31).

You may be hurt right now, but be patient. Help is on the way.

I know youve cried out, Lord, help! Ive fallen, and I cant get up. The Holy Spirit says, Wait. Help is on the way. Just hold on, God is coming to your aid. Hes coming to deliver you and to set you free.

God is going to bring you out and loose you from your captivity. Hes going to renew your strength. If you hold on a little while longer, your change is going to come.

Remember Samson who lost everything; he lost his hair, his strength, and his eyes. Samson lost his position, his family, his wife, and his reputation. He was reduced from a great warrior to grinding at the mill. But without a doubt, at an appointed time, Samsons strength was renewed.