The following are some typical quotes about strength…
“Anyone can give up; it's the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone
else would understand if you fell apart, that's true strength.” - Author Unknown
“Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough.” - Oq Mandino
“The strongest man in the world is he who stands most alone” - Henrik Ibsen
“What does not destroy me makes me stronger.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
"Strength is Happiness. Strength is itself victory. In weakness and cowardice there is no happiness.
When you wage a struggle, you might win or you might lose. But regardless of the short-term outcome,
the very fact of your continuing to struggle is proof of your victory as a human being.” - Daisaku Ikeda
For the typical man something similar was told, and taught, to you in your youth and has been repeated throughout your life as the model in which you are to carry yourself in order to be successful. Males are taught very early on to be tough, to not show weakness, to persevere, to rely on self, and to never fail or admit defeat. In other words, a “real” man takes on the world alone because needing assistance means you are weak, or more precise, you are not a man.
The name of this organization is The Strong Man Ministry, but our definition of a Strong Man, and how a man is determined to be “strong,” is much different than what is described in the above quotes, or how “society” views a man as being strong.
“I write to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” – 1 John 2:14
Our definition of a Strong Man is one who has a personal relationship with God and submits their lives to Him,
is saved through faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ,
is committed to living their faith, and strives to know, use,
and share the truths revealed in the Bible in all aspects of their lives.
Jesus very clearly defines God’s standard for our lives in Matthew 5:48 when he says “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” We are expected to be PERFECT, and not how we or “society” define perfect, but how God does. A perfect person has lived every minute of every day with in the laws and commands of God. Not only has the laws and commands been lived perfectly in action, but the laws and commands have been lived perfectly in thought of mind, and intent of the heart. Not only must a perfect person have never lied, they must never have been prepared to deceive. Not only must a person have outwardly worshiped an idol, but they must never have had a single thing more important to them than worshipping God. Not only must the perfect man have not committed adultery physically, but he also must not have thought lustfully about a woman that was not his wife. God’s law and commands are many, and it is nearly impossible to think that any earthly man could get past what Jesus stated were the two most important…
”You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
– Matthew 22:37-39
When men are looked at through God’s perfect and just standard, He sees that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Our standing in God’s eyes calls for only one response which is to see ourselves as we are, sinners deserving of God’s wrath and punishment. We are not to look at ourselves as strong and honorable, or compare our lives to that of another man. We should see that we are weak, and unable to ever meet the standard God has established. Fortunately, there was a man that did live the perfect life, tempted and challenged in every way we are, but without sin. That man was Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ took the punishment we all deserve so we could have a right relationship with God, the Creator of all things.
Unfortunately, many men cling to the belief that they must be strong, as defined in the above quotes, or that they can be strong enough, and they try to overcome the sin, challenges, struggles, and failures in their life alone. Many believe they can persevere and gain salvation and eternal life by being “good”, or at least better than their neighbor, or through rituals and sacrifices. Others are just too proud to seek help in their failures, or even acknowledge they are unable to ever be what God demands. And others just lower God’s standards and determine their own standards by which they live.
“…For when I am weak, then I am strong.” – 2 Corinthians 12:10
True strength comes from understanding our inability to ever meet God’s perfect standard, and admitting that weakness to ourselves and God. A true Strong Man accepts that he fails to come anywhere near the standards God has for men in life, marriage, fathering, or whatever they are involved. A true Strong Man realizes only through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and by the working of the Holy Spirit, will he be Strong enough to persevere and be the man that God commands that all men be. A true Strong Man realizes that “societies” standards and expectations are not to be relied upon, and that only the truths of the Bible can equip a man to be what God demands of all men.
A true Strong Man realizes they need to…
“…be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” - Ephesians 6:10
All men fail to meet God’s standard. Every man has challenges in his life, troubles in his marriage, struggles with sin, and burdens to carry, and every man can be strong enough to overcome all of it when he realizes he is too weak for any of it.
God is the standard and Jesus is the solution!
