Be Strong, Be Strengthened, and Strengthen One Another

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: God’s Presence and Promise in Our Weakness

When the people returned from exile and saw the ruins of the temple, their hearts sank at the sight of what once was. Yet, God’s word through Haggai was not one of condemnation, but of encouragement: “Be strong…work, for I am with you.” God’s presence is not dependent on outward grandeur or past glory, but on His faithful promise to abide with His people. Even when our efforts seem small or unimpressive, God assures us that His Spirit remains among us, and He is at work to bring about a future more glorious than the past. [36:20]

Haggai 2:3-9 (ESV)
“Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.”

Reflection: Where in your life do you feel discouraged by “small beginnings” or past disappointments, and how might God be inviting you to trust His presence and promise today?

Day 2: Strength Comes Through Exertion and Disruption

True strength—whether in a person, a church, or a community—does not come from comfort or nostalgia, but from the willingness to stretch, exert, and even endure discomfort for the sake of growth. Just as muscles are strengthened by being pushed beyond their current capacity, so too are we called to step out of what is familiar, to exercise our faith, and to embrace the manageable disruptions that come with pursuing God’s calling. Growth and comfort do not coexist; but in the stretching, God meets us with new strength. [42:41]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Reflection: What is one area where God may be calling you to step out of your comfort zone for the sake of growth, and what practical step can you take this week to begin?

Day 3: Be Strengthened by God, Not Just by Ourselves

There is a difference between being strong in our own efforts and being strengthened by God. While human wisdom and hard work are valuable, they are not enough; we need the grace, guidance, and sustaining power that comes from God alone. Like the hospital that survived not just by clever management but by God’s provision, we are invited to open our eyes to the ways God is already at work, to lower the volume of discouragement, and to let ourselves be strengthened by the Spirit’s presence and power. [47:36]

Isaiah 40:29-31 (ESV)
“He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for 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.”

Reflection: In what situation do you most need to rely on God’s strength rather than your own, and how can you intentionally seek His help in that area today?

Day 4: Strengthen One Another in Love

The early church was marked by a deep sense of “one anothering”—bearing with, forgiving, serving, and loving each other in practical ways. True community is not just about showing up, but about being present for one another, sharing burdens, and building each other up in love. This sacred calling is not dependent on liking everyone or being in a perfect season, but on the commitment to love and strengthen one another as Christ has loved us. [50:22]

John 13:34-35 (ESV)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Reflection: Who in your church or community could use encouragement or support this week, and how can you intentionally “show up” for them in a tangible way?

Day 5: Work, for God Is With You

God’s call is not just to hear His word, but to act on it—to work, to serve, and to become the new creation He is shaping us to be. The Spirit of God abides among us, empowering us to move beyond passivity and into faithful action. As we listen for God’s voice and step forward in obedience, we become the living “house of God,” reflecting His splendor and presence right where we are. [53:54]

James 1:22-25 (ESV)
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Reflection: What is one specific way you can put your faith into action this week, trusting that God’s Spirit is with you as you do?

Sermon Summary

The story of God’s people returning from exile is a story of rebuilding—not just of walls and homes, but of hearts and priorities. After decades in Babylon, the Israelites came back to Jerusalem and set about reclaiming their lives. They rebuilt their houses, but neglected the house of God. The temple, once the awe of nations, was left in ruins, a shadow of its former glory. God, through the prophet Haggai, called them to account: “Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now, be strong… Work, for I am with you.”

This call echoes through the ages. It is easy to long for the strength and vitality of the past, to remember days when faith and community seemed more robust. But God’s promise is not just for what was, but for what can be. Strength is not a static possession; it is something that must be exercised, stretched, and sometimes even disrupted. Growth and comfort do not coexist. To become strong, we must be willing to move beyond what is familiar, to risk discomfort, and to trust that God’s Spirit is with us in the process.

Yet, there is a difference between being strong and being strengthened. True strength for God’s people is not self-generated. It is received—from God, through prayer, through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and through submission to Christ. The story of the Catholic hospital reminds us that institutions and individuals alike are sustained not just by their own resources, but by the grace and provision of God, often in ways we cannot predict.

But this is not a solitary journey. The call is not only to be strong and be strengthened, but to strengthen one another. The ethic of the early church was built on “one anothering”—bearing with, forgiving, serving, and loving each other. This requires showing up, being present, and investing in the lives of others, even when it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. The church is not just a collection of individuals, but a body, a household, a new creation in Christ. God’s Spirit abides among us, and the splendor of God’s house is not in bricks and mortar, but in the living community of faith, right here and right now.

Key Takeaways

1. Strength requires disruption and exertion True growth and strength do not come from comfort or maintaining the status quo. Just as physical strength is built through stretching and even micro-tears in muscle, spiritual and communal strength comes through exertion, risk, and sometimes discomfort. God calls us to move beyond what is familiar, trusting that the Spirit is with us in the process of becoming strong. [40:08]
2. Be strengthened by God, not just yourself There is a crucial difference between being strong in your own power and being strengthened by God. The deepest, most lasting strength comes from outside ourselves—from God’s grace, the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and submission to Christ. When we rely only on our own resources, we risk missing the sustaining power that God alone can provide. [44:46]
3. Strengthen one another through presence and love The early church’s ethic was built on “one anothering”—bearing with, forgiving, serving, and loving each other. This requires more than just liking one another; it means showing up, being present, and investing in each other’s lives. The strength of the church is found in the bonds of love and mutual support, not just in numbers or programs. [49:42]
4. God’s promise is for today, not just the past It is tempting to long for the “former glory” of days gone by, but God’s promise is for the present and the future. God is at work in new ways, even if we cannot always see it. Our calling is to keep our eyes open, to trust in God’s ongoing work, and to participate in the new things God is doing among us. [47:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:03] - Children’s Ministry and Blessing
[29:42] - Three Movements of Today’s Word
[30:20] - The Babylonian Exile and Return
[31:38] - The Journey Back to Jerusalem
[32:16] - Rebuilding Lives and Homes
[32:51] - The Significance of the Temple
[33:29] - Neglecting God’s House
[34:13] - Haggai’s Call to Action
[35:40] - God’s Word to the People
[37:32] - Be Strong: Then and Now
[39:29] - Strength Through Exertion and Disruption
[42:41] - Growth and Comfort Do Not Coexist
[44:46] - Being Strengthened by God
[47:36] - Keeping Our Eyes Open to God’s Work
[49:42] - Strengthening One Another
[53:16] - Work, For God Is With You
[53:54] - Becoming the New Creation in Christ
[54:46] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading

Haggai 2:1-9 (ESV)

> In the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet: “Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the Lord. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the Lord of hosts.’”

Observation Questions

According to Haggai’s message, what was the condition of the temple when the people returned from exile, and how did the older generation react to it? ([35:40])
What specific instructions does God give to Zerubbabel, Joshua, and the people through Haggai? ([36:20])
In the sermon, what were some of the ways the people prioritized their own needs over God’s house? ([33:29])
What does God promise about the future of the temple, even though it looks unimpressive at the moment? ([36:55])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think the people focused on rebuilding their own homes before rebuilding the temple? What does this reveal about their priorities and spiritual condition? ([33:29])
The sermon says, “Growth and comfort do not coexist.” What does this mean in the context of the Israelites’ situation, and how might it apply to a church community today? ([42:41])
The difference between “being strong” and “being strengthened” is emphasized. What is the significance of this distinction for God’s people, both then and now? ([44:46])
The early church was described as a community that practiced “one anothering.” Why is this ethic so important for the strength of a church? ([49:42])

Application Questions

The Israelites longed for the “former glory” of the temple. Are there ways you find yourself longing for the “good old days” of faith or church life? How does this affect your willingness to see and participate in what God is doing now? ([47:36])
The sermon says that true strength comes from God, not just from ourselves. In what areas of your life or faith do you tend to rely on your own strength? What would it look like to seek God’s strength instead? ([44:46])
“Growth and comfort do not coexist.” Can you think of a time when you experienced spiritual or personal growth that required you to step out of your comfort zone? What did you learn from that experience? ([42:41])
The ethic of “one anothering” includes bearing with, forgiving, serving, and loving each other. Which of these is most challenging for you right now, and why? ([49:42])
The sermon highlights the importance of “showing up” for one another. What is one practical way you can be more present or invested in someone else’s life in the church this week? ([51:03])
The story of the Catholic hospital reminds us that God often provides in unexpected ways. Is there a situation in your life or in our church where you need to trust God’s provision more fully? ([46:54])
God’s promise is for today, not just the past. What is one new thing you sense God might be inviting you or our church to do, even if it feels unfamiliar or uncomfortable? ([47:36])

Sermon Clips

“So people built their houses, uh, made a place to hang their hat, but Jerusalem and Judea were always supposed to be more than just the place where you put up your feet at the end of a long day. They were the holy land. The holy land even then, the place where they believed God touched the earth in a way where God didn't touch the the earth anywhere else in the same way. And and the exact spot where God's fingers touched the earth was in the temple. The temple was where sacrifices were made, where prayers ascended, where God sat figuratively on the throne, where people's hearts became one with the creator of the heavens and the earth.”

“everybody rebuilds their own houses. And who rebuilds God's house? Nobody. Nobody. And God is not pleased with this. and he enlists Haggi uh to command a meeting of the prince whose name is Zerubbabel and the priest whose name is Joshua and the thrral that's everybody else and he lights a fire under them and they get to work and they build some sort of something where the temple used to be. thing is now when the old-timers visit the site of the second temple restoration project, they can't help but roll their eyes and cluck their tongues.”

“This this thing, it's a sad sad imitation of the grandeur that had been the temple. the temple that was the awe of visiting diplomats and merchants and kings only 80 years prior to hei. You would you would walk past the temple and say, "Wow, whoever the god is who is behind this must be a mighty impressive powerful God." walk past it now and the normal temp normal response would be eh that all there is.”

“67 years after the fall of Jerusalem and about 19 or 20 years after the long march back into Jerusalem. And the word of the Lord came uh through the prophet Hegi, saying, "Speak now to Zerubbabel, the son of Shaaltiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, the son of Jehosedac, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say, "Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord. Be strong, Joshua, son of Jehosedac, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land. Work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you. Fear not."”

“For thus says the Lord of hosts once again and a little while. And I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations so that the treasures of all nations shall come in. And I will fill this house with splendor, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine and the gold is mine, says the Lord of Hosts. The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of Hosts. And in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of Hosts.”

“How does a community of faith get strong? By exercising. And while exercising yields many benefits, getting strong requires well, it requires going beyond your current capacity and stretching muscle fiber and making new tissue. You see, getting strong, you have to make micro tears in that old tissue. It means you're going to be sore sometimes. You've all heard the expression, no pain, no gain. Well, okay, not too much pain. Any athletic trainer will say you don't you don't go to exercise just for the sake of getting sore. But there is some truth in it. Increased strength necessitates manageable disruption in the status quo. Did you hear that? Increased strength necessitates some disruption in the status quo.”

“You know where I'm going with this, right? You want First Church to grow in strength. Strength in numbers. That would be nice, of course, but also the strength of your ministry to the community. The strength of personal participation in the mission of the congregation. Strength that comes through through lifegiving and vibrant worship. Strength through internal unity. A sense of of all of us being on more or less the same page. Takes a lot of energy to do that. A lot of energy to do that.”

“Do I wish that I still had the strength I did when I was 40? You bet I do. Do you wish that your church had the same strength and and vitality that it did back in the 1980s? Of course you do. Of course you do. And and I and I'm here to to tell you what your doctor could tell you. Well, the time's not up for you. Your time's not over.”

“Not bad. You can be stronger. You can become stronger indeed, but not without exertion, and exertion brings disruption. Jenny Romedi, the CEO of IBM, put it this way. Growth and comfort do not coexist. Growth and strength and comfort in the way things have always been do not coexist. Be strong, friends. Exercise. Exert. Get uncomfortable. Not forever, but for a while with a trainer, sure. But by all means, be strong. Exercise and be strengthened. Be strengthened.”

“God forbid that our churches should be guided only by the uh uh the the wisdom of organizational wig whisbangs like Remedi. The wise preacher of Ecclesiastes said, "The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong." And we are learning every day. We're learning every day that churches can grow to incalculable size, put together great throngs of people by catering to the zeitgeist and providing spoonfuls of saccharine to the spiritually starved. And one by one, all too many of such congregations have become flash in the pans.”

“One by one they've been scattered in the imaginations of their hearts because they were all about being strong but somewhere lost the sense of being strengthened. Being strengthened. In other words, receiving their strength from outside. These these mega massive congregations are all about the American dream and have lost the sense of the brighter visions that beam afar. Be strengthened by God. Be strengthened in prayer. Be strengthened in the conviction of the Holy Spirit. be strengthened by submission to Christ the Lord in all your doings.”

“The hospital survives because it is being strengthened. It is being strengthened by forces outside itself. It is being strengthened by the grace of God. The kind sister said, "It's our job to keep our eyes open." It's our job to keep our eyes open. It's our job to be strengthened, which means, among other things, to turn down the dismay, to lower the volume of the voice that says, you know, we ain't what we used to be. It's our job to keep our eyes open to what God is doing in our midst right now, today.”

“God is at work. Let yourself be strengthened as you watch the working of God's mighty omnipotent hand. Be strong, friends. be strengthened and strengthen one another. Teachers can tell you that there's a difference between uh just being a bunch of teachers, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth, etc. Just being a bunch of teachers and being a faculty, people who work together are of one mind more or less to bring these children to greater maturity to adulthood.”

“Construction workers can tell you there's a difference between each person having their own little specialty and having a mission together to build decent housing for a better community. And I can assure you that anyone anyone who comes into First Church will sense almost immediately whether this is the kind of place where people check in for worship and then check out until next week on the one hand or whether this is a community of which it could rightly be said, "See how much they love one another."”

“The ethic of the early church was almost entirely built on a sense of loving one another, a sense of one anothering. I'll give you a short list, and this is going to sound like it's a long list, but it's a short list. Be at peace with one another. Be of the same mind with one another. Accept one another gently, patiently tolerate one another. Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving to one another. Bear with and forgive one another. Love one another over and over and over and over again. That one comes up through love. Serve one another. Greet one another with a kiss of love.”

“But it does say love one another. And you've been around long enough to know that those are not the same thing. I know you're in an interim period at the moment, but being in an interim period doesn't absolve you of this sacred calling of loving and strengthening one another. The the church has been at an interim period for the last 2,000 years between Christ's first and second coming. So, so strengthen one another.”

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