What other scriptures warn against trusting in human strength over God's provision? A Warning Rooted in Isaiah 17:11 “For in the day that you plant, you will carefully fence them in, and in the morning you make your seedlings sprout; yet the harvest will vanish in the day of disease and incurable pain.” (Isaiah 17:11) Israel worked hard, guarded every vine, and still lost the crop. The loss came because the people “forgot the God of [their] salvation” (v. 10). The same thread runs through many other passages. Passages That Echo the Same Warning • Psalm 20:7 – “Some trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” • Jeremiah 17:5–7 – “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, who makes the flesh his strength… But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD.” • Proverbs 3:5–6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” • Isaiah 31:1 – “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses… They do not look to the Holy One of Israel.” • 2 Chronicles 16:9 – “The eyes of the LORD roam to and fro over all the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” • Hosea 10:13 – “Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.” • Psalm 127:1 – “Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain.” • Deuteronomy 8:17-18 – “You might say in your heart, ‘The power and strength of my hands have made this wealth for me.’ But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth.” • Zechariah 4:6 – “‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of Hosts.” • John 15:5 – “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” • 2 Corinthians 1:9 – “So that we would not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises the dead.” • 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 – God chooses the weak and lowly “so that no one may boast in His presence.” Patterns to Notice • Human resources—armies, alliances, wealth, intellect—look strong but collapse when God is ignored. • The Lord delights to display His strength precisely where human strength fails. • Blessing follows trust; loss follows self-reliance. Living Dependently Today • Start every plan by acknowledging God as the true Builder and Provider. • Measure success not by visible results alone but by whether the endeavor is rooted in obedience and trust. • Celebrate weaknesses as invitations for God to show His power. • Keep gratitude fresh by regularly recalling that every ability, opportunity, and harvest comes from His hand. |
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