“Renewed Strength: Trusting in God’s Power,” explores how God’s limitless strength renews us when we feel exhausted by life’s challenges. Drawing from Isaiah 40:28-31, it emphasizes the importance of recognizing God’s power, admitting our own weaknesses, waiting on His timing, and allowing Him to lift us above our struggles. It challenges us to stop striving in our own strength and instead trust in God’s power to overcome obstacles and experience true spiritual renewal.

You can download a pdf of the sermon notes here.

Main Idea:

When we trust in God’s strength, He renews us to overcome life’s challenges.

Sermon Outline:

I. Recognize God’s Strength

Scripture: Isaiah 40:28
Key Points:
• God is eternal and omnipotent; His strength is limitless.
• We become exhausted, but God never does.
• He knows precisely what we need to strengthen us.

Application: Shift your focus from your limitations to God’s infinite power.

Reflection Questions:
1. Where do you currently seek strength?
2. How can you better acknowledge God’s strength in your life?

II. Admit Our Weakness

Scripture: Isaiah 40:29-30
Key Points:
• To be strong, we must first admit our weakness.
• God gives power to the faint and strengthens those who acknowledge their limitations.
• Human strength has limits; God’s power shines brightest in our weakness.

Application: Admit that you cannot handle everything on your own and invite God into your struggles.

Reflection Questions:
1. What are you currently carrying that is too heavy for you?
2. Why is it hard for you to admit your weakness?

III. Wait for God’s Renewal

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31a

Key Points:
• Waiting on God is an active, faith-filled position of trust.
• Spiritual renewal requires time and cannot be rushed.
• When we wait on God’s timing, His Spirit carries us like the wind carries an eagle.

Application: Practice waiting on God in faith, trusting that He is working behind the scenes.

Reflection Questions:
1. Where in your life are you struggling to wait on God?
2. How can you actively trust in God’s timing this week?

IV. Soar on God’s Power

Scripture: Isaiah 40:31b
Key Points:
• God renews us not to survive, but to soar above our struggles.
• His strength enables us to run without growing weary and walk without fainting.
• Trusting in God’s power allows us to rise above life’s storms.

Application: Spread your wings and let God carry you above your challenges.

Reflection Questions:
1. Where do you need to soar today?
2. What’s stopping you from relying on God’s power to lift you above your struggles?

Practical Applications:

1. Recognize God’s Strength: Reflect on God’s unlimited power and rest in His strength.
2. Admit Weakness: Confess your limitations and surrender them to God.
3. Wait for Renewal: Set aside time to wait on God in prayer and quietness.
4. Soar on God’s Power: Rely on God’s strength, not your own, to overcome challenges.

Key Scriptures for Meditation:

• Isaiah 40:28-31 – God’s strength in our weakness.

Action Steps:

• Reflect: Spend 10 minutes each day this week in quiet reflection, waiting on God.
• Admit: Write down an area of your life where you need to surrender your strength and invite God’s power.
• Share: Find a way to encourage someone else with how God has renewed your strength.

You can download a pdf of the sermon transcript here.

Introduction

Have you ever felt like you’re running on empty, struggling to keep going while your soul gasps for air? Imagine a marathon runner at mile 18. Their legs feel like lead, every step an agony. The finish line seems to move farther away with each stride. They’re not just physically exhausted but mentally and emotionally drained.

We’ve all had our “mile 18” moments—times when life’s challenges overwhelm us, whether it’s at home, at work, or deep within our hearts. We start strong, but as time passes, the weight of responsibilities and disappointments can leave us wondering, Can we keep going? Have you ever been there? Maybe it’s the endless workload at your job, a relationship stuck in conflict, or an inner battle with anxiety or doubt. Or perhaps it’s the daily grind, leaving you feeling like you’re merely surviving rather than truly living.

These are the moments when our souls cry out for relief. We don’t just want a quick fix; we crave transformation—the kind that only God can provide. Just as a marathon runner clings to the hope of reaching the finish line, we too often press on with our own strength. But what happens when we hit that wall, when our abilities fall short?

It’s here, in our weariness, that God promises renewal. He doesn’t just offer us a sip of water to quench our temporary thirst; He offers an overflowing fountain of life that sustains us every step of the way. And here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect us to run this race on our own strength. He knows we can’t. Throughout Scripture, He promises a renewal that lifts us above our circumstances and carries us forward with a power we didn’t know we had.

Today, we begin a new series: Renewed: A Journey of Spiritual Revival. Today’s message is about more than just recharging; it’s about true transformation. This isn’t just a temporary boost but the kind of renewal that only God can bring—one that strengthens us to soar above the very things that weigh us down.

Main Passage: Isaiah 40:28-31
The title of today’s message is Renewed Strength: Trusting in God’s Power. Here’s the main idea I want you to take away: When we trust in God’s strength, He renews us to overcome life’s challenges.

I. Recognize God’s Strength

The first step in our spiritual renewal is to recognize God’s strength. In Isaiah 40:28, we read these words: “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.”

To receive strength, we must know its true source. Many of us aren’t just tired; we’re seeking strength in the wrong places. We push through on our own, only to find ourselves more exhausted than when we began. Isaiah directs us to look up and recognize the strength that only God provides.

Think about this: when we become exhausted, God never does. We encounter limits, but God knows no bounds. He is the eternal Creator—the One who formed the stars and holds the oceans in His hands. If He has the power to do all this, surely He can carry you through your struggles.

Picture yourself standing at the rim of the Grand Canyon. You feel dwarfed, almost insignificant. The canyon stretches for miles, each layer telling a story of time and erosion. As grand as it is, the canyon was carved by forces much greater than itself—the steady, persistent flow of water over centuries. And God’s power is even more vast. Unlike the canyon, His strength never erodes or diminishes.

Think about that for a moment: the One who created the Grand Canyon, who set the stars in their places, and formed the intricacies of nature is the same One who watches over you. His power is immeasurable; His endurance is limitless. So why do we—frail and finite as we are—continue to rely on our own strength?

Why do we turn to the temporary, the earthly, when the eternal, all-powerful Creator beckons us to rely on Him? Isaiah tells us: “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.” He doesn’t grow weary. He never abandons you. His strength is always available. This isn’t an abstract concept; it’s personal. God knows precisely what you need, and His understanding is unsearchable. He knows you better than you know yourself.

So, what does this mean for us? It means that no matter how overwhelmed you feel or how much you’ve tried to manage on your own, it’s time to stop striving and start recognizing. Recognize that your strength will falter, but God’s strength is constant. The Creator of the universe stands with you, ready to give you the strength you need.

Let me ask: what prevents you from admitting your need for His strength? Often, it’s our pride that holds us back. And this leads us to the next step in our spiritual renewal: acknowledging our own limitations.

II. Admit Our Weakness

The second step is to admit our weakness. We pick it up in verses 29 and 30: “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.”

We live in a world that praises strength and self-sufficiency. We’re told to push harder and never show weakness. But God invites us to a different path. Trying to live life in our own strength is like running on a treadmill—you can run all you want, but you’re not moving forward. Eventually, you’ll collapse from exhaustion. Isaiah tells us it’s okay to admit this.

Imagine you’re holding a heavy suitcase. At first, it’s manageable. But as the minutes turn into hours, the weight becomes unbearable. It doesn’t matter how strong you think you are; eventually, you’ll have to put it down. Our lives are much like that suitcase. We fill them with burdens, responsibilities, and struggles, believing we can carry them on our own. But the reality is, we all reach our breaking point. God doesn’t ask us to carry these burdens indefinitely; instead, He invites us to lay them at His feet.

Here’s the paradox of the Christian life: to become strong, you must first admit that you are weak. To be filled with God’s power, you must confess your own powerlessness. God doesn’t give His strength to those who think they have it all under control. He gives it to those humble enough to say, “I can’t do this on my own.”

Picture this: a car broken down on the roadside. No matter how hard you press the gas pedal, it won’t move because the problem lies under the hood. Similarly, we can’t move forward spiritually until we admit we need help. We must stop, open the hood, and let God repair what’s broken.

Admitting our weakness feels like waving a white flag, like surrender. But it’s not surrender to defeat; it’s surrender to victory. When we admit that we’re out of strength, we’re making room for God’s power. “He gives power to the faint,” Isaiah says. It’s like a dry, cracked desert suddenly flooded with life-giving rain. When we say, “God, I can’t do this,” He steps in and says, “That’s okay, because I can.”

Even the strongest among us aren’t immune to weariness. “Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted.” No matter how strong or capable you think you are, human strength has its limits. We all reach our breaking point. But it’s at that very point that God meets us. When we are weakest, His power shines brightest.

The world says strength comes from self-sufficiency; the Bible says it comes from surrender. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. But why do we resist admitting our weakness? Because we believe the lie that we should be strong enough on our own. We fear that relying on God makes us less capable. The truth is, it’s only when we stop pretending to be strong that we can receive the strength we truly need.

What are you carrying right now that’s too heavy for you? Is it a strained relationship, a financial burden, or an inner struggle with anxiety or fear? Friends, what is it you’re carrying today that is breaking you? The pressure to succeed at work, the strain of a difficult family situation, or the fear of failure?

Today, I challenge you: take a moment to admit your weakness before God. Confess to Him, “Lord, I can’t do this on my own.” It’s not a sign of defeat; it’s a declaration of trust in His sufficiency. God gives power to the faint. He doesn’t reject the weak. Just like a loving parent picks up a tired child, our heavenly Father reaches down to carry us when we can’t go any further.

But admitting our weakness is just the first step. Once we do, we need to trust in God’s timing and wait for His renewal. And that’s what Isaiah teaches us next.

III. Wait for God’s Renewal

The third step is to wait for God’s renewal. In the first part of verse 31, Isaiah says, “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.”

We live in a world of instant results. Fast food isn’t fast enough. Quick shipping takes too long. We demand immediate responses, wondering, “Why haven’t they gotten back to me yet?” But there’s one thing that can’t be rushed: God’s process of renewal. Isaiah tells us that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength—not those who rush ahead or depend on their own abilities, but those who wait.

Waiting is challenging because we’re wired to fix things and move forward quickly. But God’s way often involves waiting. And waiting on God isn’t passive inaction; it’s an active, faith-filled trust in His timing.

Picture a farmer planting seeds in the soil. He doesn’t return the next day expecting to see a full-grown plant. Instead, he waters the soil, pulls the weeds, and waits for nature to take its course. Similarly, waiting on God is not an idle process; it’s active trust—like the farmer who believes that in due time, growth will come. And while we wait, God is nurturing us, growing us in ways we can’t see.

Think of it like planting a seed. You place it in the soil, water it, and then you wait. You don’t know what’s happening beneath the surface, but something is taking root. In the same way, our spiritual renewal requires time. We may not see changes right away, but God is at work.

I know some of you are in a season of waiting right now—waiting for healing, for direction, for a breakthrough. And it’s hard. It feels like nothing is happening, like God is silent. But Isaiah promises: “Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.” That’s not a maybe; it’s a certainty. God is at work in your waiting. He is shaping you, preparing you to receive His strength. So, keep waiting in faith, knowing that His timing is always perfect.

Where do you feel restless in your spiritual life? Perhaps you’re waiting for clarity about your purpose, a breakthrough in a relationship, or an answer to prayer. It’s easy to grow impatient and try to force results, but Isaiah reminds us that strength comes from expectant waiting, not rushing ahead of God.

Picture waiting like a traffic light. Sometimes, we’re stuck at the red light, ready to move. What we don’t see are the cars speeding through the intersection from the other direction. That red light is there for our protection. Similarly, God holds us in seasons of waiting, not because He’s forgotten us, but because He’s preparing us.

Throughout Scripture, waiting is a part of God’s renewal process. Take David, for instance. He was anointed king but had to wait before he ascended to the throne. Waiting wasn’t wasted time; it was God’s time to prepare him.

The question isn’t whether you’ll wait; it’s how you will wait. Will you wait in faith, trusting that God is working behind the scenes? When you wait on the Lord, the promise is clear: You will be renewed.

And here’s the good news: when God renews your strength, you won’t just survive—you’ll soar.

IV. Soar on God’s Power

This brings us to the final part of Isaiah’s promise: Soar on God’s power. In the second part of verse 31, Isaiah writes, “They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

There’s something remarkable about an eagle in flight. It doesn’t flap its wings frantically or struggle to stay airborne. Instead, it glides effortlessly, lifted by the air currents. Isaiah uses this powerful image to show us what it looks like when God renews our strength. We don’t just get by—we soar.

When an eagle spreads its wings, it catches the thermal updrafts that lift it higher. It doesn’t rely on frantic flapping or exhausting effort; it glides, allowing the currents to carry it. And when we trust in God’s strength, we are like that eagle, lifted by His power, not by our own striving.

Picture it: the struggles that once weighed you down are now beneath you. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable now appear small. You’re not just enduring life’s challenges; you’re rising above them, carried by a strength that is not your own. This is what it means to mount up with wings like eagles.

Isaiah contrasts our human strength with God’s power. On our own, we are like a runner who eventually tires or a traveler who becomes weary. But when we rely on God’s strength, we soar like eagles, unlimited by our human capabilities. Think of soaring on God’s power like a hot air balloon. It doesn’t struggle to ascend; it rises effortlessly, lifted by the heat. Similarly, God’s power lifts us above our circumstances when we trust in Him. It’s His strength that carries us, not our efforts.

Imagine a person facing overwhelming financial burdens. They’ve been working hard, taking on extra hours at their job, cutting down their expenses, but it feels like they’re stuck in quicksand. The more they struggle, the deeper they sink. In their frustration, they finally come to God and pray, “Lord, I can’t do this on my own. I need Your help.”

Instead of a sudden financial windfall, they sense God urging them to wait and trust in His timing. So, they decide to pause, stop striving, and commit to trusting God’s promise of renewal. Over time, they begin to notice small changes. Opportunities arise that they hadn’t considered before, and unexpected blessings come their way. While their situation hasn’t changed overnight, their attitude has. They’re no longer fighting against the current; instead, they’re soaring above their worries, lifted by God’s strength.

By waiting and trusting, they find a peace that is far beyond their understanding. It’s in this soaring that they realize God’s renewal was never just about the financial situation—it was about transforming their heart and teaching them to rely on His power.

Isaiah also promises: “They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Life has its seasons. Sometimes we’re running uphill, and sometimes we’re just walking through the everyday. But in both, God provides the strength to keep us going. When we wait on Him, we find the endurance to run the race and walk through each day.

So, where do you need to soar today? Is it in your family, where stress has become a heavy burden? Is it in your finances, where ends seem impossible to meet? Or perhaps it’s in your faith, where you feel distant from God?

What’s stopping you from spreading your wings and letting God carry you? Are you still flapping your way through life on your own strength, or are you ready to soar on His power?

Here’s the truth: God didn’t create you just to get by. He created you to soar, to rise above the storms, to run without growing weary, and to walk without fainting. This is only possible when we trust in His strength, wait on His timing, and surrender our weaknesses to Him.

As we close, remember that God’s strength is not just for the big, dramatic moments—it’s for everyday life. When you trust in Him, He will give you the strength to face every challenge.

Conclusion

We’ve journeyed through a powerful message today—learning to recognize God’s strength, admit our weakness, wait for His renewal, and soar on His power. This isn’t just a message for today; it’s an invitation to live in God’s strength every day, experiencing ongoing spiritual renewal.

Real renewal starts with a relationship with Jesus. No amount of self-effort can bring lasting change if we’re not connected to the source of true life—Jesus Christ. We all get weary, and we all need the grace that only He can offer. And here’s the good news: Jesus has already done the heavy lifting. He lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose again so that we could have new life.

If you’ve never accepted Jesus as your Savior, today is the day. Admit your need, believe in His sacrifice, and surrender your life to Him. If you’re ready to take that step, come forward when we sing, or fill out the connection card, and let’s talk this week.

For those already walking with Christ, this message challenges us to keep growing in His strength. As a church, we are starting a six-week journey of spiritual renewal together. Each week, you’ll receive a personal guide to spiritual revival. This guide will help you reflect on where you are spiritually and take steps to grow in your faith. And it’s not just for adults—we’ve got something for the kids too.

Here’s the practical challenge for this week: set aside just ten minutes each day to wait on God. Not on your spouse, not on your kids—wait on God. No distractions. No agenda. Just you and the Lord. Use those moments to quiet your heart and allow Him to renew your strength. As you experience renewal, share it! Encourage someone in your Sunday school class or Bible study group by sharing what God is doing in your life.

As we continue this series on renewal, let’s make it a priority to daily renew our trust in God’s strength. This isn’t a one-time event; it’s a daily decision to rest in His power. Imagine the change in our lives, our families, and our church if we all committed to waiting on the Lord each day. What a powerful testimony that would be to the world around us!

For those of you needing ultimate renewal, it starts with Jesus. Don’t wait—let Him begin the transformation in your life today.

For the rest of us, let’s commit to being intentional this week: waiting on God, leaning on His strength, and encouraging one another as we grow together. Remember this: God did not create you just to get by or to struggle through on your own strength. He created you to soar on His power. When you trust Him, wait on Him, and surrender to His will, you will experience a renewal that will lift you above every trial and carry you through every storm.

Let’s pray.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the renewal You offer us. We don’t have to walk this life in our own strength. God, help us to recognize Your power, admit our need, and wait patiently for Your renewal. For those needing salvation, draw them to Yourself today. And for Your church, give us the strength to soar this week as we wait on You.

God, let this series be a time of deep spiritual renewal for us all. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.