The Lord Is My Strength

Blessed be the LORD, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. The LORD is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever. (Psalms 28:6-9)

I have often wondered why we pray for things that God has already given us.  Everything that we need from the Lord came with our salvation. So, for the things we think we don't have, we may just need to stir up the gift within us.  And it will show us that we already have those things.  If we look at the fruit of the spirit, and we say that we are lacking these things in our life then we are not following Peter's instruction to add things to our faith (2 Peter 2:5-11), nor are we following Paul's instructions to study (2 Timothy 2:15).  Notice, what the psalmist said, he said that the Lord was his strength and his shield as well as others' strength. And he went on to say that He was also the saving strength of His anointed.  So why do we need to pray for strength?  It is already given to us.  Spiritual strength comes from spiritual exercise.  So, let's run to church, flip open our Bibles, and jump into the word of God.  Exercise always increases our endurance and strength.