What Does the Bible Say About Strength from God — Meaning Explained

Physical and spiritual strength in the Bible ultimately come from God. Isaiah 40:31 is perhaps the most beloved promise: 'they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.' Psalm 46:1 declares, 'God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.' Paul's famous declaration, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me' (Philippians 4:13), is often quoted but rarely understood in context — Paul was speaking of enduring any circumstance, not achieving any ambition. When Paul begged God to remove his 'thorn in the flesh,' God answered, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness' (2 Corinthians 12:9). Nehemiah told the people, 'the joy of the LORD is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10). David found strength in God when his own men threatened to stone him (1 Samuel 30:6). Biblical strength is not self-reliance but God-reliance — admitting weakness and tapping into infinite power.