Heroes of Faith Overcame, Despite Weakness - All The LORD is near Daily Devotionals for 2025

Through faith [they] subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle were tortured stoned slain tormented—of whom the world was not worthy.
Hebrews 11:33-38

Heroes of Faith Overcame, Despite Weakness
God made many Old Testament believers strong "out of weakness." In the New Testament, the apostle Paul taught the believers to be his followers (Phil. 3:17; 1 Cor. 11:1). As our model, he learned that Christ's grace was sufficient for every challenge: "when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor. 12:9-10).

God taught him to rely on the Lord Jesus in heaven, and on the help of the Holy Spirit who operated in and through him in marvelous ways (v. 12). A few years later, in prison in Rome, Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Him who empowers me" (Phil. 4:13, literal translation). A prisoner of Rome, yet the apostle was "a prisoner of Christ Jesus," a prisoner "in the Lord" (Eph. 3:1; 4:1), fully sustained by Him. The believers of the past (Heb. 11) are great examples for overcomers. They put their trust in God, who worked in mighty ways in and through them, despite their weaknesses.

They belonged to another world, as we do, while being in this world that mistreated them. They were overcomers, even in dying, since God allowed them to be killed as His faithful witnesses. God's ways are higher than ours: we cannot understand them, but we know that what God does is good. He makes all things work together for good to those who love Him. Through the many examples of overcomers, the Holy Spirit shows us what we need to learn (2 Tim. 3:16).

Alfred E. Bouter
In Thy presence we can conquer, we can suffer, we can die;

Wandering from Thee, we are feeble; let Thy love, Lord, keep us nigh.

William Williams