When life brings impossible odds, God offers a supernatural strength that defies circumstances. Discover how to tap into His power for your breakthrough.
It’s a story that never fails to arrest me. A brilliant, young Cambridge student, at the very cusp of his life and career, hears a devastating diagnosis. He has ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. The doctors tell him he has but a few years to live. His body, they say, will fail him. His mind, however, remains a universe of untapped potential. We all know this man—Stephen Hawking.
The world saw a man in a wheelchair, bound by physical limitations of the most severe kind. But what we witnessed over the next 55 years was a testament to something… more. It was a display of a will, a determination, a strength that seemed to defy the very laws of nature as he studied them. While not a testimony of faith in Christ, his life poses a powerful question to us as believers: What do you do when your body, your finances, your relationships, or your circumstances tell you, “You can’t”? The world offers grit and perseverance, and these are good things. But God offers something far greater: a supernatural strength that empowers us not just to endure, but to excel and breakthrough for His glory.
Inthis post you will find all the details you need on Where to Find Supernatural Strength When Your World Says “Can’t”, Discovering Supernatural Strength in Our Weakness, The Paradox of Supernatural Power, The Anointing to Break Through Limitations and so much more.
🕊️ The Paradox of Supernatural Power
The world’s formula for success is simple: rely on your own power. Be strong, be capable, be self-sufficient. But the economy of God’s kingdom operates on a completely different principle—a divine paradox. The Apostle Paul, who faced his own “thorn” of suffering, heard from the Lord these foundational words: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV). Let that truth sink in. God’s supernatural ability is not added to our strength; it is perfected, completed, and made most evident in our inability. Our weakness is not a barrier to God’s plan; it is the very platform upon which He chooses to display His majesty. When we have nothing left to offer, when our own resources are exhausted, we are in the perfect position to discover that His resources are inexhaustible. This is the starting point for a genuine breakthrough—the admission that we cannot, but He absolutely can.
✨ What is Supernatural Strength?
So, what do we mean by “supernatural strength“? It’s not about becoming a spiritual superhero who never feels pain or fatigue. It’s not a divine zap that removes all our problems. Rather, it is the enduring, overcoming, and resilient power of God infused into the human spirit. It’s the strength to hold onto hope when despair is the logical choice. It’s the ability to choose joy when sorrow is knocking at the door. When you have been wronged, it is the ability to love, and it is the ability to continue moving forward in faith even when every external indicator says “give up.” This spiritual enablement is typically calm and consistent; it is a peace that is beyond comprehension, a joy that defies circumstances, and a patience that outlasts the test. According to Colossians 1:27, it is the very life of Christ, the Hope of Glory, that is living in and through us right now. The anointing that breaks every yoke is not something that removes the burden; rather, it is something that gives us the strength to wear it with the dignity that comes from God.
🔥 The Anointing to Break Through Limitations
Stephen Hawking’s mind was able to break through the limitations of his body and explore the limits of the cosmos without any limitations. As believers, we have access to an anointing that enables our spirits to burst past the constraints of our circumstances and take hold of the promises that God has made. A “garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair” is expressed by the prophet Isaiah in the book of Isaiah chapter 61 verse three. This is a transaction that breaks new ground! We are able to exchange our weakness for His strength, our despair for His praise, and our limitations for His unlimited potential because of the anointing that God has placed upon us.This anointing isn’t reserved for a select few spiritual elites; it is the inheritance of every believer who dares to believe that God is who He says He is. It is the divine enablement to live a life of excellence—not perfection, but a consistent, faithful overcoming—even in the midst of immense difficulty. It is what enables a person to be a source of comfort when they themselves require consoling assistance, and it is what enables them to be a light in a dark area.
💪 Cultivating a Lifestyle of Divine Dependency
What are the practical steps that we can take to access this extraordinary power? The first step is to make a deliberate and consistent decision to remain dependent on God. The posture of the heart is what it is. When we are confronted with a difficult situation, we do not simply pray to God; rather, we learn to remain in Him similar to how a branch remains in the vine (John 15:5). Consistent and fundamental practices that put us in a position to accept His grace and power are the basis upon which this way of life is founded. The strengthening of our faith and the revitalization of our spirits are both results of adopting these heavenly habits. Permit me to go over three essential pillars with you:
- The practice of persistent prayer is not a wish-fulfillment machine; rather, it is the communication network through which the power of God is transferred into our circumstances. It is the place where we recognize both our own frailties and His ability to overcome them.
- God’s Word is not only ink on a paper; rather, it is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12), in the context of an immersive engagement with the Bible. The world’s “can’t” is replaced with God’s “can,” and our faith is nourished as a result of those changes.
- Members of the Spirit-Led Community: We were never intended to travel this road by ourselves. Oftentimes, the very channel via which God’s supernatural strength pours to us is the support, prayer, and faith of our brothers and sisters from the Christian faith.
The following table contrasts the source and outcome of human versus divine strength:
| Source of Strength | Nature | Outcome in Adversity |
|---|---|---|
| Human Grit & Willpower | Finite, easily depleted | Burnout, frustration, conditional endurance |
| God’s Supernatural Power | Infinite, renewed daily | Sustained peace, joyful perseverance, and purposeful breakthrough |
🌟 Stories of Supernatural Success
Throughout the course of history, as well as in our very own church, we have witnessed the manifestation of this divine principle.We think of Joni Eareckson Tada, who, after a diving accident left her quadriplegic as a teenager, could have succumbed to despair. Instead, through a profound encounter with Christ, she found a strength beyond her own. She founded Joni and Friends, a worldwide ministry that has brought the Gospel and practical help to millions of people with disabilities. Her life is a testament to supernatural success—not defined by physical healing, but by a spiritual vitality that has produced eternal fruit far beyond what a physically able life might have accomplished. Her excellence in her calling shines as a brilliant beacon of what God can do with a surrendered life, no matter the limitations. As she herself has said, “God’s power is illustrated and perfected in our weakness.” (Source: Joni and Friends Ministry)
🛐 Your Trial is Your Platform
Your greatest point of pain, your most frustrating limitation, the very thing you wish God would remove—this could be the very platform from which His glory is most clearly seen in your life. Do not despise your weakness. Do not see your diagnosis, your financial struggle, or your broken relationship as a sign of God’s absence or displeasure. See it as a potential canvas. God is the master artist, and He specializes in creating masterpieces out of broken pieces. When you feel you have nothing left to give, that is the moment you can truly say, “Jesus, I need you to be my everything.” That is the prayer of faith that heaven cannot ignore. You will discover a supernatural power rising up within you when you surrender, a resilient hope that whispers, “My God will supply all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, paraphrased). This is the circumstance in which you will find that miraculous strength.
💖 A Pastoral Call to Lean In
The world has given you its prognosis, and it feels final. But I am here to declare over you a different word: God is not finished with you. His plans for you are for a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). I want to invite you to a new level of dependency today. Let’s move beyond just asking God to remove the difficulty, and start asking Him to reveal His power within it.
Your Call to Action:
- “Heavenly Father, I come to you in my weakness and my weariness,” I pray. Please join me in my prayer. I freely admit that I have relied on my own power for an excessive amount of time.Today, I choose to lean on you. I ask you to perfect your power in my weakness. Fill me with your supernatural strength to not just endure, but to overcome and testify of your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
- Reflect this week: In your quiet time or with your small group, consider these questions:
- What is one area of my life where I have been relying on my own strength instead of God’s?
- How can I shift my perspective to see my current challenge as a platform for God’s glory?
- Who in my life needs to be encouraged with the testimony of God’s sustaining power?
- Share your story: When you experience a moment of God’s supernatural sustenance, share it! Your testimony of faith has the power to ignite hope in someone else. Share this article with a friend who needs this encouragement today, and let’s build each other up.
References
- The Official Stephen Hawking Website. Hawking.org.uk.
- Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Biblica, Inc.
- “Joni Eareckson Tada’s Story.” Joni and Friends. https://www.joniandfriends.org/jonis-corner/
- The Stephen Hawking Estate Official Website
- John C. Maxwell on Resilience and Adversity
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