Delight to Desire

Delight to Desire

 “You will also DECLARE a thing, and it WILL BE established for you’

So light will shine on your ways.” Job 22:27 NKJ 

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart!” (Psalm 37:4 Amplified)

 “...when Desire comes, it is the tree of life.”  (Proverbs 13:12)

When you hear “delight yourself in the Lord”, what does that mean to you?   I've had a narrow idea of what that looks like, and I must admit, I don’t always feel like “delighting” myself in the Lord, especially when I am in a place of hope deferred.  

After looking up the word “Delight”, I learned that the word in Proverbs 13 means to be soft and pliable!  WOW!  

Strongs 6026: DELIGHT - `anag aw-nag' a primitive root; to be soft or pliable, i.e. (figuratively) effeminate or luxurious:--delicate(-ness), (have) delight (self), sport self.

In Job 22, the Word says that as we acquaint ourselves with the Lord, return to Him, receive instruction from Him - THEN we will have our delight in the Almighty; He will hear our prayers, and when we declare a thing, it WILL BE ESTABLISHED!  

Returning to God and receiving His instruction requires a soft and pliable heart - a circumcised heart or a new heart!   

  

Job 22:21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace;      Thereby good will come to you. 

 22 Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, 

And lay up His words in your heart. 

 23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; 

You will remove iniquity far from your tents. 

 24 Then you will lay your gold in the dust,  

And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks. 

 25 Yes, the Almighty will be your gold 

And your precious silver; 

 26 For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, 

And lift up your face to God. 

 27 You will make your prayer to Him, 

He will hear you,  

And you will pay your vows. 

28 You will also declare a thing, 

And it will be established for you; 

So light will shine on your ways. 

 29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!" 

Then He will save the humble person. 

 30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent; 

Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.” 

Amplified:

30He will even deliver the one [for whom you intercede] who is not innocent; yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.

Declarations:  

Thank you Almighty God for Your Word today!  Thank you for reassuring us that as we DECLARE Your Word, it will be established for Your purposes, in Your perfect time.   Thank you for Your promise, that when we delight ourselves in the Lord, You will give us the desires and secret petitions of our hearts!  

• We declare a “re-set” of the desires in the hearts of the men and women longing for the best marriages. 

• We close the door to the old good desires, and OPEN the double doors, to desire only Your BEST! 

• We declare our heart’s desire is to be acquainted with You, our Lord; that we will be at peace, and GOOD will come to us!  (Job 22:21)

• We declare that we are open to receive Your instruction, and we lay up Your words in our hearts.  (Job 22:22)

• Impart to us the will to return to You, God Almighty, for Your restoration, and shine Your light on anything hidden in our lives, and the strength to release it all to You for your cleansing and healing. (Job 22:23)

• We declare that You Lord, are our Gold, our treasure!  (Job 22:25)

• We have delight in You, the Almighty, and we lift our faces to You, God. (Job 22:26)

• We declare Your Word, that You are delivering those who have not been “innocent”, because of our intercession, through the cleanness of our hands!  (Job 22:30)

• Thank you Lord that You are faithful to hear our deep desires, and fulfill the secret petitions of our hearts, because we are soft and pliable, focused on Your beautiful face.

AMEN!

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Barbie and Ken

Who wants to be like Barbie and Ken?!  

Just a few years ago when I was in college, for one sorority party I invited a very handsome young man named Ken.  I was so excited at the thought that we would be, could be, Barbie and Ken!   Of course before we had our one date, I envisioned us walking down the aisle, Barbie and Ken!   sigh... swoon 

Have you ever known an attractive, powerful man of God, and said, “He’s the kind of man I want to marry!”   I have.  Many times.  It is good to have high standards when it comes to marriage, and know that all things are possible with God.  

The tricky thing is being open for God’s very best, and while waiting, not idealizing or idolizing specific people as the “ideal” (much like creating a Golden Calf.)  While praying with a friend this morning, she prayed for me that if I had idealized any men by saying, “He is my ideal man for marriage”, that the power of my words would be broken.   We are not to set our sights on “Ken or Barbie”, we are to look to Jesus as our ideal, and wait for His best.  

Arthur Burke of Plumbline ministries (now Sapphire Leadership Group) did a series called “Releasing Singles”.    He teaches that one of the things we need to pray about in preparation for marriage (and even if you are married, this is important), are the labels that others have put on us, or the labels we have placed on other people.  Labels are really spoken words or declarations that we have made over ourselves, or that other people have spoken over us.  

There may be a lot to pray through regarding labels in your life, but some of the common labels that need to be removed for those preparing to be married are “Unavailable”, “Already Taken” or “Invisible”.  

Unavailable or Already Taken:  

If someone you have known in your past has thought you would be the person they would marry, that person may have casually made a “claim” over you.  Arthur Burke believes that when those words have been spoken, your spirit receives the words and sends a message that you are already taken & unavailable.  He says that even if you have repented or received ministry over something that contributed to a label, the label still needs to be removed, and the truth must be spoken over the lies.  

Who have you “made claim” over in your life?  Is there any person who may have spoken a “claim” over you, leaving you unavailable.  I pray that this is revealed to you now.  The men revealed to me this morning as men I may have idealized as the perfect husband are married friends, and I admired their marriages, so do not discount a married friend in this process.  

Invisible

According to Arthur Burke, there are times when a child may desire to be invisible and makes an inner vow.  If there is abuse or strife in the home, or if you have been sexually abused then you may have made a vow, or had the desire to be invisible.  This can cause your spirit to be invisible to the spirit of the man or woman God has for you.  

Declarations: 

Father God, thank you for bringing to light Your Truth that will set us free.  I pray that each person reading and making these declarations, will be surrounded by the Comforter, Your Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of Truth.  Give us eyes to see, and ears to hear Your voice regarding any remaining labels that need to be removed.  Thank You Lord for your grace and power, and the authority You have given each one of us who calls you Lord.  

A Guide for your personal prayer:  

• Father God, please forgive me for making claim over any person in my past, as my husband or wife, or as THE Ideal husband or wife.     

• I declare that the label of my claim over the following people _________ is removed now in the name of Jesus Christ.  

• I declare that those people are available only for Your best spouse for them, and I bless their current or future marriages.  

• I declare that any and all labels that I am “Unavailable or Taken”  that have been placed on my spirit, either by me or someone else, are removed now in the name and power of Jesus Christ.  

• I declare that I am AVAILABLE to meet and receive God’s best spouse for me, in the perfect, suddenly timing of God.   

• I sever and break any, and all inner vows that I may have made at any time in my life that I am invisible.

• I declare that I am VISIBLE!  and I declare that I have the Favor of God as a shield around my life.  

• I know and declare that I am free to walk in the fullness of my destiny, and I am visible and seen by God’s best for me.  

• I am worthy of God’s best!  I am worthy of the fine people who are successful spiritually and in all areas of their lives.  I AM WORTHY!  

• We pray and declare that the labels of “unavailable”, “Taken”, or “Invisible” placed on our future spouses are removed now in the name of Jesus!  

• Thank you Lord!    We celebrate the freedom!  We thank You Lord that the mantle of invisibility, or unavailability has been lifted!  AMEN!  WOO HOO!!  

Now for a little Barbie and Ken fun.   I pray and declare that the ONE person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with, will recognize you just as Ken recognizes Barbie in this clip:  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Dry Bones will have life!

Dry Bones will have life!

Peter Young, the pastor of my church, preached a powerful message at the beginning of 2011.  Eleven is the number of transition, and 10 is the number representing trials.  Peter said that since 9/11 our country has been in 10 years of trials, and now we are passing through this year of transition 2011, and we are coming out of the wilderness years.  We sang a new song about the dry bones coming to life, and I knew that we would be making that declaration.    

Take a look at Ezekiel 37:1-14.   The notes of my bible say, 

“contextually, this is designed to be a message of hope to a despondent people.”  and, “the dry bones represent the “exiles” who, according to v 11, have given up all hope...”  because they had been in Babylon for 10 years!   That would be 10 years of trials. 

It may not have been 10 years for you, but if you are reading this blog, and making declarations, then you probably been in a season of dryness and trials too.  The men I have spoken to have experienced the same challenges, which has caused a  loss of hope.  Hope deferred.  

Today we are going to prophecy, and make declarations to the “dry bones”, where hope has been stolen.  We are called, as men and women, to rise up to be “an exceedingly great army”, established in the land (relationships) God has destined for us, because it is time for divine alignment.  We are called “for such a time as this.”  

Declarations - Ezekiel 37:1-14 (add your own prayer/declarations as you are led by the Lord):

Thank You Lord for Your Word of hope for us today.  We know that You have given us the assignment to declare Your Word, which is the power to create.  Today we declare life, and the end of the dry seasons.  

• As the Lord has said, we, “Prophesy to these bones [the areas of lost hope in our lives and the lives of the men called to step into Kingdom marriages], and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!' 5 Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: 'Surely I will cause breath [The Spirit of God] to enter into you, and you shall LIVE!'"

• “Prophesy to the breath [the Spirit of God], prophesy, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.”’ 

• "So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army." 

• "This is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again.'”

• We declare the doors of captivity to open, that no one can shut, and the doors to the past season to close, that on one can open!  

• And the Lord says to us, “I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it,” says the LORD.’”

• We receive the refreshing rain of the Holy Spirit today.  Fill us afresh, Lord, with Your empowering Spirit.  Surround, encompass and fill the men of God called to marriage.  Refresh them with Your Now Hope!  

“You will also declare a thing,       And it will be established for you;
      So light will shine on your ways.”  Job 22:27

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Wednesday’s Wisdom and the Tree of Life

Wednesday’s Wisdom and the Tree of Life

You know this verse better than you would like:  

“Hope Deferred makes the heart sick.....”  Proverbs (13:12)

The Message puts it this way:  “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick...” 

The word for “sick” in Hebrew is:

Chalah (Strongs #2470) - and it means “to be rubbed worn, hence to be weak, sick afflicted or to grieve.”  

With each disappointment, or day of waiting, it is like your heart is being worn down, and the fabric gets weaker.   

“...But when desire comes, [when your dreams comes true] it is the Tree of Life!”  (Proverbs 13:12 continued)

 “Wisdom is a Tree of Life to those who embrace her;

      happy are those who hold her tightly.”  (Proverbs 3:18 NLV)

While we wait for the Desire to come, let’s ask the Lord for Wisdom, a Tree of Life.  As we turn to Jesus, and seek the hidden treasures of wisdom, our weakened hearts will become happy and strong!   

Declarations:  

Thank you Father God that with You ALL things are possible.  With You, there is always a “BUT”!   Thank You for giving us hope, healing, restoration, happiness, and for Your faithfulness to fulfill Your promises.  

For all of the men and women we declare Colossians 2:2-3 (NKJ): 

• that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the knowledge of the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  (Selah - Meditate and say it again.)

• We declare that our Desire is coming into our lives. 

• We declare that when we ask for Wisdom, You give Your divine Wisdom to us liberally, without holding back.

• Wisdom is the Tree of Life to those who embrace her, and we are happy because we embrace Wisdom tightly.  

• We seek You Jesus, and thank You for strengthening us, and the men with Your impartation of Wisdom today.  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

The Right Place at the Right Time

The right place at the right time.  

“If marriage is part of God’s plan for you, then you can trust Him to work out every detail, both for you and for the mate He has destined for you.  He will bring you together with a person who is so exactly suited to you that, together you may experience marriage as God originally designed it.  This will be on a level higher than the world has ever dreamed of!”  Derek Prince from his book, “God is a Match Maker”:

Making declarations for Kingdom marriages really began with a prayer gathering of 3 women from Denver, and one in Hong Kong via Skype.  It was a powerful time of declaring God’s will for bringing His people together in Divine Alliances, and in marriage.  One of the things we declared was that we would all be in the right place at the right time for divine arrangements, and that God would release His creative ways for men and women to meet one another.  

Do you have some opinions about how you will or will not meet the man of your dreams?  I do.  Particularly the way it wont happen.  The men I know are also stuck in their patterns of life, and they too have strong opinions about how or where they will meet the right woman.  

Lindsey met the man of her dreams in January 2011, and they were married in June.  Prior to this surprise meeting, the bride Lindsey had suffered disappointment after a man she believed was God’s husband for her, married another woman.  How would she meet a quality man of God?!    A question we all ask.  Her friends suggested eHarmony, but Lindsey was convinced that going on eHarmony was not walking in faith.  After losing a bet with her friends, which put her on eHarmony, Lindsey was in the right place at the right time.

To be positioned for divine appointments requires a heart that is filled with the Spirit of God, and led by the Spirit.  We need to hear the still small voice saying, “This is the way, walk in it...”  We need a heart that is tender to the voice of God, and expectant that He is orchestrating the details in our lives so that we can walk into His plan, and the fullness of our destinies.   

“For here’s what I’m going to do: I’m going to take you out of these countries, gather you from all over, and bring you back to your own land.  I’ll pour pure water over you and scrub you clean.  I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you.  I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that’s God-willed, not self-willed.  I’ll put my Spirit in you and make it possible for you to do what I tell you and live by my commands.”   (Ezekiel 36:24-28, The Message)

“And you shall dwell in the land...and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.  I will also save you from all  your uncleannesses, and I will call forth the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine on you.  And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, and you may no more suffer the reproach and disgrace of famine among the nations.”  (Ezekiel 36:28-30 Amplified)  

Declarations:  

Thank you Lord that we can put our trust in You, and Your best plan for our lives.  

• We declare Your creative hand in gathering the men and women called to Kingdom marriages, to establish us in the right place at the right time.  

• We submit our lives to You, and Your promise, to sprinkle clean and healing water on us, that we will be clean; our filth is washed away, and we will no longer worship idols. (including the idol of marriage.)

• In agreement with Your Word, we declare that the stony stubborn hearts are removed by Your hand, and we receive the new tender responsive hearts.

• Thank You Lord that You have put Your Spirit in each person called to Kingdom Marriages; that we will follow Your decrees, and be careful to obey Your regulations.  

• We declare multiplication and acceleration - from the testimonies of couples coming together suddenly, we declare the acceleration of meetings; and the multiplication of fruit in our lives.

• We declare that the famine has ended!   The season for the multiplication of fruitfulness has come.  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Invest in New Wineskins!

Invest in New Wineskins!  

God knows what we need when we need it.  On Friday October 7, I said farewell to my beloved Labrador, Samson who had been with me for 13 years.  He was truly a gift from the Lord, who knew I needed an extraordinary, faithful, joy-filled companion during some challenging years.  I was in my mid-30s when Samson came into my life, which was past the time I had planned to get married and start a family.  Each year I expected to meet my handsome prince, and gallop into the sunset with him.... and Samson.  

The cycles of hope and disappointment enlarge and wither our hearts. It is like an expanding and shrinking wine skin.  After the wear and tear of life, that heart becomes dry and brittle, and the old wine skin cannot contain new wine.  

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled and the wineskins are ruined.  But new wine must be put into new wineskins.”   (Mark 2:22)

The old wineskins represent our hearts in the past relationships containing the love given and received.   It might have been very fine wine that is rare and irreplaceable, or good wine, but....  

New wine is coming!  Be expectant!  

We are preparing for God’s best, and we need a fresh clean heart to contain the new love that is coming.   When new wine is poured into the wineskins, it expands, which is the reason a NEW wineskin is needed.   We need soft, supple, forgiving hearts - free from the past.  Offer your old wineskin to the Lord, and allow Him to do His transformational work, so that your heart can contain the new love that will bless and expand your life.  

“God, your God, will cut away the thick calluses on your heart.... freeing you to love God, your God, with your whole heart and soul, and live, really LIVE!”  (Deuteronomy 30:6-7, The Message) 

  “ And the Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with all your being, that you may live....    And you shall return and obey the voice of the Lord and do all His commandments which I command you today.    And the Lord your God will make you abundantly prosperous in every work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, of your cattle, of your land, for good; for the Lord will again delight in prospering you, as He took delight in your fathers,” (Deuteronomy 30:6-9  Amplified)

Declarations:  

Father God, we come to You today to ask for a transformation of our hearts and the hearts of other men and women called to Kingdom marriages.  Replace the old brittle wineskins, and use your loving scalpel to do a good work on our hearts. We all have a past, full of disappointments, hope deferred, love that faded, heart-break, and images of our ideal spouse, but we place it all on your operating table, the altar.

• We agree with Isaiah 43:18, and declare the Lord is doing a new thing!

• We declare that our hearts are circumcised by Your Holy Spirit. 

• Cut away the calluses of our past; and demolish the walls of protection around our hearts.

• We declare all old wine skins of the heart, and the taste for the old wine (relationships, and the image of the ideal or idols) to be left in the past.  

• We choose “not to remember the former things; nor consider the things of old.”  

• Fill our hearts, with fresh love for You Lord, our first love; and we declare that we will love You with all of our hearts, mind and being.

• We declare LIFE over areas of the hearts that are withering. Supernaturally defibrillate our hearts today!  

• We receive the NEW wine skins!  and declare that the new, expanding LOVE is coming!  

• Thank you that Your Word promises that as we love you, and follow Your commandments, You will make us abundantly prosperous in the work of our hands, and the fruit of our bodies.  

• Thank You Lord, that you delight in prospering Your children!  

• I love You Lord, my God..... 

CHEERS TO THE NEW WINE!!!


Expecting to be amazed ~


Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Diversion ENDS!

Diversion ENDS!  

At the beginning of June, God blessed me with a trip to London for the International Alpha Conference, and it was an incredible week.  The English are so polite, and even their traffic signs are dignified

This one in particular became a declaration for my travel companion, Debi Tengler and me.  “Diversion Ends!” 

We began (and have continued) to declare that the diversions in our lives must end, and the doors to distractions must close.  

Your desire for marriage is a God given desire, for a much higher purpose than you can imagine  It is a desire for the fulfillment of your destiny, as well as the destiny of the spouse God has for you.  It is a strategic alliance, so be expectant for God’s best, and do not allow diversions to take your eyes off of the high road.  

Yesterday the world said goodbye to an amazing man of courage.  This quote is a good reminder that we need to listen to the “still small voice”, and remain focused on believing for God’s best, in all areas of our lives. 

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”  - Steve Jobs

The other voices, and our man-pleasing efforts, are all diversions.  The voices:  Fear, Insecurity, Self-condemnation, Compromise, Failure, Rejection...  

God sees you at your best, walking in the fullness of all He has for you, and with the person of your Divine Alliance!  The purpose of making declarations is speak God’s Truth over the voice and noise of the accuser.  We need our ears to hear what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to each one of us.  

You have been given the Keys to the Kingdom!   Use them!  

      “The key of the house of David 

I will lay on his shoulder; 

So he shall open, and no one shall shut; 

And he shall shut, and no one shall open.” (Isaiah 22:22 NKJV)

Declarations:  

Father we thank You that You have given us the authority to bind and loose, and to open and shut, as Your sons and daughters.  You have given us the Keys to the Kingdom because we put our trust You.  Open our ears to hear Your voice, and our eyes to see the higher way.  Give us Your heart to love the world around us.   

• We declare today the end to all diversions and distractions.

• Thank you Lord, that when we ask, seek and knock, the doors will open!  

• With the Keys God has given to us, we declare doors of the Divine Alliances, relationships with God’s best, to open that no one shall shut.

• We declare over our lives, and the lives of the people chosen to be in relationship with us, that the doors that need to be shut are closed, that no one shall open.  

• LORD, show us the doors in our lives that need to be shut: Distracting and destructive relationships?  Time wasting habits? ???

• We declare that we have eyes to see, and ears to hear the voice of the Lord saying, “This is the way, walk in it...” (Isaiah 30:21 NKJV)

• We declare that Your perfect Love casts out all fear!  We declare that the men are encompassed Your Love.   “FEAR NOT!”  The door to fear is shut, that no one can open it!  

Amen!  


Expecting to be amazed ~


Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011

Take Courage!

Take Courage!  

Freedom Sculpture by Zenos Frudakis

"The moment you can visualize being free from the things that hold you back, you have indeed begun to set yourself free."---Unknown

A ski instructors life is glamorous and exciting!  I know, because I lived that life in Aspen Colorado for 5 years.  The statistics are that 1 in 4 ski instructors will have skin cancer, and I was one of the four, at the very early age of 32.  Waiting for the surgeon during the second surgery to remove the cancerous cells around my upper lip and my eye, and waiting for another round of needles in my face, I knew I had a choice to make.  I could choose to agree with fear, or I could choose to trust God to get me through the surgery.  Fear causes more tension, and I knew if I was tense, the needles would be that much more painful, so I chose faith.  I knew that if Jesus could endure the torture of his scourging and crucifixion, for me, I could endure a few needles.   It was during that surgery, and because I chose faith over fear, that I experienced the love of Jesus in the most incredible way.  

Yesterday we talked about the promises God has given us; the land flowing with milk and honey!  

The key to receiving the promises?   COURAGE!  

I can hear the Cowardly Lion now!  “COURAGE!”  

“Do not fear!  Do not be discouraged!  Do not be dismayed!”     

“Do not fear” or “fear not” is in the bible 365 times!   (please correct me if I am wrong.) 

It takes courage to visualize FREEDOM! 

We need courage to allow God to heal the wounds of the past.

It takes courage to see a vision for the future and to believe again.  

It takes courage to hope!

We need courage to let go, and break free from the DIS-couragement. 

It takes courage to begin a new relationship.  

It takes courage for men to lead.

CHOOSE COURAGE!  Take Courage!  and SEE yourself breaking free from the things that are trying to hold you back from the fullness of God’s promises; the land flowing with milk and honey.  

Declarations: 

Thank you Lord for Your goodness, and Your promises of abundance and pleasure.  Thank you for  imparting to us the spirit of Joshua and Caleb to see the promises in the land flowing with milk and honey, and to have the courage and boldness to cross over.  Thank you Lord for your promise, that you will not leave us or forsake us!  

• We declare that the men and women of God called to Kingdom marriages will ARISE!  and step into the promises!  (Joshua 1:2)

• We open our spirits, our minds, and our hearts to receive Your command to “Be strong and of good courage!”  

• We choose to be bold and courageous.  

• We declare that Your book of the law shall not depart from our mouths, but we all will meditate in it day and night, that we will observe to do according to all that is written in it for then will make our way prosperous, and then we will have good success.  (Joshua 1:8)

• We declare over the men, “Be strong! and of good courage!  Do not be afraid!  nor be dismayed (crack under stress)  for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go!” (Joshua 1:9)  

Note: (declare these words for the men and for yourself)  

“be strong” in Hebrew is chazaq (Strongs #2388)

Be strong, courageous, valiant, manly, strengthened, established, firm, fortified, obstinate, mighty.  

Generally the words “strong” or “strengthened” define chazaq, but there is a wide range of meaning for this word, which occurs nearly 300 times in the OT; for example, “to encourage” as when David encouraged himself (literally “made himself strong”) in the Lord (1 Sam 30:6).  

AMEN!  

Expecting to be amazed ~

Barbara

© Barbara Nelson – 2011