Bible Verses About Being Strong . According to the Bible, being strong is essentially a spiritual requirement that goes beyond simple emotional or physical fortitude. Scripture repeatedly exhorts believers to “be strong” by drawing directly from God’s unlimited, sustaining strength rather than by relying on their own limited human will or abilities.
Because the Christian life is portrayed as a spiritual struggle, a marathon of endurance, and a summons to radical obedience, this strength is essential. The passages stress that genuine inner power is a gift from the Holy Spirit that enables people to resist temptation, endure hardship, and resist spiritual opposition without wavering or giving in to fear.
A vital connection between spiritual strength and brave action is established by the fact that many scriptures that call for strength are addressed to leaders or those going through significant life changes. When God commanded Joshua to “be strong and very courageous,” He was preparing him to lead a people into battle and conquer the Promised Land.
In the face of uncertainty, courage and strength are inextricably linked, according to this biblical pattern. Scriptural strength gives one the moral courage to move on in faith, knowing that God’s unwavering presence is the ultimate source of one’s ability to act decisively, whether one is facing personal crises, professional problems, or the difficult work of leading others.
The Bible makes it very plain that the source of enduring strength is a close relationship with God and His unchanging Word, not self-help or transient circumstances. Strongness is often associated with contemplating the law, waiting on the Lord, and believing in His promises. This focus guarantees that the quest for strength stays rooted in covenant fidelity. Believers access an external, limitless resource by immersing themselves in Scripture and adopting a posture of spiritual dependency. Through the Lord, who is their everlasting, powerful shelter, this divine link turns weakness into spiritual potential, allowing people to accomplish their purpose.
40 Inspiring Bible Verses About Being Strong (2025)
1. Joshua 1:9
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
This foundational verse provides the divine command for courage during major life transitions. It links spiritual strength and boldness directly to the promise of God’s personal, unwavering presence, making this connection the ultimate antidote to fear and discouragement.
2. Ephesians 6:10
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”
This command emphasizes the source and nature of true Christian strength. It clarifies that a believer’s power is not inherent but is derived entirely from being rooted “in the Lord” and relying on His external, limitless “mighty power.”
3. Isaiah 41:10
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
This verse is a powerful promise of divine support and reinforcement. God not only commands strength but guarantees He will actively provide it, confirming His role as the helper who sustains and upholds the believer through all challenges.
4. Philippians 4:13
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
This verse declares the sufficiency of Christ-given ability. It serves as a personal affirmation that one’s capacity to handle any situation—whether abundance or adversity—is entirely dependent upon the empowering strength received directly from Christ.
5. Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
This verse defines God as the believer’s permanent, dual resource. He is simultaneously a secure “refuge” (protection from harm) and “strength” (inner capacity), always available as an immediate source of help during times of difficulty.
6. 2 Timothy 1:7
“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”
This verse provides the Holy Spirit as the source of mental and spiritual fortitude. It assures believers that the Spirit actively drives out fear, replacing it with dynamic inner “power” and a sound mind (“self-discipline” or “sound judgment”).
7. Psalm 27:14
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
This verse links strength to the patient act of waiting on God. It commands the believer to proactively “be strong and take heart” while enduring periods of uncertainty, recognizing that perseverance and renewed courage are found in confident, expectant waiting.
8. Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
This command, given before entering the Promised Land, stresses strength for facing intimidating adversaries. The antidote to fear (“do not be terrified”) is explicitly the faithfulness of God, who promises His perpetual presence and commitment.
9. Psalm 73:26
“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”
This verse acknowledges the reality of human failure contrasted with divine constancy. It accepts the limits of human strength (“flesh and my heart may fail”) but affirms God as the unchanging, eternal power and inheritance for the inner self.
10. Nehemiah 8:10
“Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
This verse defines spiritual joy as the source of practical strength. It teaches that the emotional and spiritual vigor needed for life and service is derived not from personal happiness, but from the deep, abiding delight found in the relationship with the Lord.
11. 2 Corinthians 12:9
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
This verse reveals the paradoxical relationship between weakness and divine power. It teaches that God’s strength (grace) is most clearly demonstrated and maximized in the believer’s own recognized inadequacy, transforming personal weakness into a vessel for Christ’s perfect, resting power.
12. 1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
This four-part command provides a holistic mandate for spiritual readiness and resolve. It summarizes Christian strength as involving vigilance (“be on your guard”), doctrinal stability (“stand firm in the faith”), boldness, and overall spiritual fortitude.
13. Ephesians 3:16
“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”
This prayer highlights the Spirit-driven process of internal empowerment. Paul asks God to strengthen the believer’s “inner being” (the core self) with power, emphasizing that spiritual growth and strength are gifts that flow directly from God’s inexhaustible glory.
14. Habakkuk 3:19
“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”
This prophetic declaration affirms God’s strength as enabling supernatural agility and triumph. The strength provided by the Sovereign Lord allows the believer to navigate dangerous, challenging situations (“the heights”) with stability, speed, and confidence, rather than stumbling.
15. 1 John 2:14
“I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.”
This verse identifies Scripture as the source and evidence of youthful vigor. It links spiritual strength directly to having the “word of God” actively residing within, which is the instrument that grants the power to defeat the temptations and attacks of the enemy.
16. Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy and with my song I praise him.”
This verse portrays God as the believer’s full source of defense and vitality. He acts as both “strength” (offensive capability and inner fortitude) and a “shield” (defensive protection), resulting in a trusting heart and overflowing, joyful praise.
17. Hebrews 11:34
“quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.”
This verse, part of the “Hall of Faith,” celebrates historical examples of weakness transformed by faith. It specifically points to believers whose human frailty (“whose weakness”) was miraculously converted into supernatural capacity (“turned to strength”) to achieve great deeds.
18. Isaiah 40:31
“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
This powerful promise establishes hope in God as the mechanism for renewed endurance. It assures that waiting on the Lord results in a revitalization of strength, enabling the believer to achieve feats of tireless energy in both action (running) and daily perseverance (walking).
19. 2 Samuel 22:33
“It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.”
This declaration, found in David’s song of deliverance, recognizes God as the active agent who equips and protects the believer. It views strength not as an inherited trait, but as a deliberate weapon (“arms me with strength”) placed upon the servant by God for safe passage.
20. Haggai 2:4
“But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
This prophetic command applies the mandate of strength to communal work and service. It encourages the entire community (leaders and people alike) to be strong and labor, reminding them that their capacity for effective ministry is secured by God’s collective presence.
21. 1 Chronicles 29:12
“Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.”
This prayer of David acknowledges God as the source of all worldly and spiritual strength. It confirms that the capacity for power and exaltation, whether political or personal, resides solely in the hands of God, who sovereignly distributes strength to those He chooses to empower.
22. Psalm 18:39
“You armed me with strength for battle; you humbled my adversaries before me.”
The Psalmist recognizes God’s role in preparing the believer for conflict. This verse speaks of strength as a divine endowment specifically given and positioned (“armed me with strength”) to ensure victory over any spiritual or physical enemies.
23. Joel 3:10
“Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, ‘I am strong!’”
This prophetic declaration introduces a radical verbal transformation of identity. It commands the physically or spiritually weak to boldly confess strength, aligning their self-perception with the divine promise of power available through faith for the impending conflict.
24. Psalm 31:24
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
This verse summarizes the prerequisite for spiritual fortitude: hope in God. It encourages the entire body of believers who trust in the Lord to actively bolster their courage (“take heart”) and maintain spiritual tenacity through their expectant faith.
25. Romans 4:20
“Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,”
This verse highlights Abraham as an example of strength found in resolute faith. His strength was demonstrated not through physical action, but through the mental and spiritual tenacity of not allowing doubt to compromise his belief in God’s impossible promises.
26. Ephesians 3:20
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”
This doxology celebrates God’s immeasurable power working internally. It assures believers that the same limitless power that raised Christ from the dead is actively dwelling “within us,” providing an infinite, accessible source of strength for life and service.
27. 2 Timothy 2:1
“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”
Paul gives a direct, final instruction on the singular location of Christian strength: grace. He commands Timothy to root his power not in his own gifts or intellect, but solely in the unmerited favor and enabling grace supplied through Christ.
28. Psalm 8:2
“You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you.” (NLT)
This verse demonstrates that God’s power can be channeled through the seemingly weak. It shows that divine strength is so potent that even the simplest testimony of children can effectively silence and defeat intellectual or spiritual adversaries.
29. Isaiah 12:2
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord God is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
This prophetic affirmation expresses confident trust as the antidote to all fear. The reliance on God as both “salvation” and “strength” produces a settled, courageous heart that chooses trust over fear and responds with worship (“my song”).
30. 1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
This verse guarantees divine provision for enduring temptation. God’s faithfulness ensures that the strength needed to resist and find an escape route (“a way out”) is always available, preventing the believer from being overpowered by sin.
31. Psalm 105:4
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
This instruction defines active spiritual searching as the method for accessing power. It commands the believer to continuously and intentionally seek both the presence (“seek his face”) and the enabling power (“his strength”) of God.
32. Romans 8:37
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
This verse provides the ultimate spiritual status of the strong believer. It declares that through the love of Christ, believers are not merely survivors but are “more than conquerors,” possessing an overwhelming, guaranteed victory over life’s fiercest challenges.
33. 2 Peter 1:3
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”
This verse asserts the completeness of divine provision for the strong life. It states that God’s power has already bestowed “everything we need” for a righteous and effective life, requiring only the faithful application of the knowledge of Christ.
34. Psalm 29:11
“The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
This promise assures the dual blessing of strength and peace. God provides both the internal vigor (“strength”) needed to face the world and the internal calmness (“peace”) that guards the heart, offering comprehensive well-being to His followers.
35. 1 John 4:4
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”
This verse reveals the resident power that guarantees victory over the world. The basis for the believer’s strength and conquest is the Holy Spirit (“the one who is in you”), whose power vastly exceeds the power of the enemy.
36. 1 Chronicles 16:11
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”
A repetition of Psalm 105:4, this quote emphasizes the timeless, unchanging nature of the command to seek strength from God. It confirms that the path to renewal is a deliberate, consistent pursuit of God’s presence and power across generations.
37. Deuteronomy 8:18
“But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
This verse reminds the believer that even secular success is a gift of divine ability. God is the one who provides the innate strength and capacity (“ability”) to achieve results in the physical world, linking all success back to His covenant faithfulness.
38. Zechariah 4:6
“So he said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.’ ”
This famous declaration distinguishes between human effort and spiritual efficacy. It definitely states that true, effective strength that accomplishes God’s purpose is found solely through the working of the Holy Spirit, not through human “might” or personal “power.”
39. 2 Kings 19:35
“That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies!”
This dramatic historical example illustrates God’s sovereign, effortless demonstration of strength. It shows that when God chooses to act, His power is absolute and can secure victory for His people in an instant, far beyond any human capacity for warfare.
40. Romans 5:6
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.”
This final verse provides the ultimate context for God’s empowerment: our initial helplessness. It establishes that God’s greatest act of strength—Christ’s death—was accomplished while humanity was “still powerless,” underscoring that His strength is always given to the weak.
Conclusion
The Bible makes it very plain that the source of enduring strength is a close relationship with God and His unchanging Word, not self-help or transient circumstances. Strongness is often associated with contemplating the law, waiting on the Lord, and believing in His promises. This focus guarantees that the quest for strength stays rooted in covenant fidelity. Believers access an external, limitless resource by immersing themselves in Scripture and adopting a posture of spiritual dependency. Through the Lord, who is their everlasting, powerful shelter, this divine link turns weakness into spiritual potential, allowing people to accomplish their purpose.
In conclusion, the fundamental strategy for conquering both spiritual and material hardship is defined by the biblical emphasis on being strong in the Lord. These passages confirm that discipleship requires strength, which empowers believers to openly declare the gospel, resist the devil, and endure hardships. The source of this power is guaranteed by the constant assurance that “the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,” which is associated with this order. We come to the conclusion that Christian bravery is the choice to act despite fear, based on the unwavering conviction that the all-powerful God Himself is the source of our strength and confidence.
