Isaiah Proclaiming God's Power for the Weak
God desires to impart His power to the feeble, and it is experienced by those who wait on Him, acknowledging their weakness and dependence on Him.
Bob Hoekstra preaches on the divine empowerment that God provides to the weak and those who acknowledge their own insufficiency, emphasizing the importance of waiting on the Lord to renew strength. He highlights how even the most energetic and promising individuals will eventually face weariness and inadequacy, but through God's power, they can soar like eagles, run without exhaustion, and walk without fainting. The sermon encourages believers to confess their weakness, rely on God's strength, and live above their circumstances by trusting in the Lord's empowering.
Text
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, 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 40:29-31)
Isaiah is another example of an Old Testament saint who lived by grace (that is, by depending upon God to work in the lives of His people). This dependence upon the Lord can be seen in Isaiah's proclaiming God's power for the weak. "He gives power to the weak . . . those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength."
God desires to impart His power to the feeble. "He gives power to the weak." Those who are of the world cannot partake of this power, because they do not know the giver of this heavenly power. Sadly, many of God's own children do not receive this divine enabling, because they are unwilling to admit their weakness. Actually, the privileged place for receiving the Lord's empowering is to confess that we have no might at all on our own. "To those who have no might He increases strength."
In the days of youthfulness, mankind is the most convinced of possessing personal might. When one is young, weariness seems to be a distant threat. Yet, the truth is that even youthful energy eventually proves to be inadequate for the demands of life. "Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall." Nevertheless, there is enablement available that the most promising days of youth could never supply. It is an empowering that only God can provide.
This God-given power is experienced only by those who will wait upon the Lord. Left to themselves, old and young alike will find human might so frail and inadequate, "but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength." Those who place their hope in God are strengthened by the Lord Himself. They are enabled by God to live above their circumstances, looking down on life from heavens' perspective. "They shall mount up with wings like eagles." When it is time to press energetically ahead, they can do so without becoming exhausted. "They shall run and not be weary." When it is more appropriate to plod along methodically and persistently, they do not collapse. "They shall walk and not faint." All of this results from the power of God unleashed within those who wait upon Him.
Dear Giver of all true power, I have hoped in myself in the midst of so many demanding circumstances of life. My own strength has always proved to be so inadequate. Teach me to wait upon You, to place my hope in You. I desperately need and earnestly desire Your irreplaceable empowering, for Your glory, Amen.
Sermon Outline
- I. God Gives Power to the Weak
- A. He gives power to those who have no might
- B. This power is available to all who wait on the Lord
- II. The World Cannot Partake of God's Power
- A. Those who are of the world do not know the giver of this heavenly power
- III. The Privileged Place for Receiving God's Power
- A. It is to confess that we have no might at all on our own
- IV. The Inadequacy of Human Might
- A. Even youthful energy eventually proves to be inadequate
- V. The Enablement Available Through God
- A. It is an empowering that only God can provide
Key Quotes
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.” — Bob Hoekstra
“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.” — Bob Hoekstra
“He gives power to the weak.” — Bob Hoekstra
Application Points
- We must acknowledge our weakness and dependence on God in order to receive His power.
- Waiting on the Lord is the key to experiencing His empowering strength.
- God's power is available to all who are willing to trust in Him and acknowledge their weakness.