“For who is God, except the LORD?  and who is a rock, except our God?” 
                                                                                               Psalm 18:31
Dearly beloved in Christ,
I greet you in the sweet name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
We generally introduce a person by speaking about his good attributes – about his wisdom and abilities. In introducing a player in sports we speak about his past achievements. David too recollects what the Lord had been in his life. David declares “who is God, except the Lord?” as he had tasted the goodness of God in his life. He speaks from his experience. Let us examine the reason for David to declare that the Lord is God. 
1. He Strengthens 
“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32
The Lord gave David His strength in his spirit, soul and body, when he was threatened by his enemies, and emboldened him. Today we find several people shedding tears over their weakness in the body and they are worried about their inabilities.
Dear Brother/ Sister, are you worried and depressed about the weakness in your body? Has life become bitter? Are you shedding tears and ask ‘Why this life?’ The Lord who said, ‘Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand’ (Isaiah 41:10) is capable of restoring your health. Dear depressed Sister, are you worried that you are not able to do your household work? In your weakness the strength of the Lord would manifest. Dear Brother, you who are worried about your inability would say, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). 
Strength does not merely mean physical strength. It includes power in the spirit, soul and body. The Bible says, “But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. ” (Isaiah 40:31). As you wait upon the Lord in His presence, you would have renewed strength in your body. Today we take various vitamin tablets and tonics for regaining the lost strength in the body. But more than all these, if you wait upon the presence of the Lord, you would have strength. But usually you don’t wait in His presence. Wait in His presence to be filled with His strength.
I know a servant of God, who earnestly wanted to do ministry every day. As he was saved late in life, he wanted to do ministry to compensate for the days he missed. He worked day and night. He used to pray fasting for days together before going for ministry. But his body was always strong. This was only because of waiting in the Lord’s presence. He used to pray: “Here I am Your servant. I am waiting for Your instructions as to what I should do. Forgive me for my trespasses. Lead Your servant today.” I know that the Lord equipped him with strength and wisdom to do the ministry to which he had been called.
Today, Brother who is distressed over your lost strength, the Lord who gives strength will protect you by strengthening you on a daily basis. Not only do we need strength in the body but also we need strength in the spirit. Without strength in the spirit, we cannot do anything. We can overcome the temptations of sin only when we are strong in the spirit. Devotee Job was strong spiritually in the midst of loss and suffering, and therefore he could declare, “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:25-26). He had this strength in his heart and spirit to declare his trust in Him, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.” (Job 13:15). 
As we have no strength in the spirit, we begin to talk ill of God and murmur against Him in the midst of sufferings and tribulations. Dear Brother/ Sister, the Lord will give what is good for us. He supplies all your needs at the right time. If you have strength in the spirit, you would know and understand this good Lord and behave properly.
This strength in the spirit is supplied by the Holy Spirit. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8). The Spirit of the Lord will remind you of His words and promises and glorious acts, and comfort you when you are distressed. Thus He strengthens you. When confronted by sin, the Holy Spirit will convict you of sin and of judgement, and help you to overcome temptation. He gives you the strength in your heart to overcome it. There are people who make decisions and want to carry them out whole-heartedly but fail in the midst of circumstances as they lack strength in the spirit. They yield to sin saying that it would be the last time. Only when you have strength in the spirit, you can refrain from sins of the past and condemn those who do it. Micah the prophet says, “But truly I am full of power by the Spirit of the LORD, and of justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.” (Micah 3:8). He had strength in his spirit to do so.
Today as the servants of the Lord lack this strength, they are not able to confront the children of the Lord with their sins and transgressions and let them destroy themselves without repentance.
Once a family came to me for prayer. The Lord revealed that the sister had decided to kill her husband and children, and then commit suicide. But looking at her face, it seemed that she was not of that type. But with the strength that the Lord gave me I revealed her designs in the midst of the family. She accepted the fact to the consternation of the members of the family and wept bitterly. She cried to the Lord for pardon. The Spirit of the Lord gives strength in the spirit.
We need strength in the spirit and soul. Psalm 138:3 says, “In the day when I cried out, you answered me, and made me bold with strength in my soul.” Strength in the soul enables us to live with courage. Only then we can do anything boldly. That is why David says, “Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” (Psalm 84:5). 
Only when we have strength in the spirit, soul and body, we can pass through the Valley of Baca, and go from strength to strength and appear before God in Zion (Psalm 84:6,7). 
David realized this in his life and confessed that the Lord is God who provides us strength in the spirit, soul and body.
2. He Makes the Way Perfect
“It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.” Psalm 18:32
There are two ways before us. “. . . . ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death” (Jeremiah 21:8). The Lord has given us the freedom to choose. The way to destruction is wide. But the way to life is narrow. Jesus Christ said: “I am the way, the truth and the life.” This is the only way to eternal life. In this way, there would crop up several problems. But when you keep the Lord before you and do things, He will remove all impediments in the way and set right the path. 
Dear Brother, you may be confronted with several problems. You may experience delay in marriage, in settling on a job, in constructing a house, in obtaining visa for going abroad and several other things. Do not be dismayed. Keep the Lord before you. Give the first place to the Lord. Psalm 33:9 says, “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” He has the authority to set right things. Sometimes unexpected happenings may hamper your progress in real situations. But the Lord will make straight the crooked paths.
Are there any crooked things in your litigation, in job or in matters concerning your children? Do not fret. The Lord says, ‘I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron.’ (Isaiah 45:2). He will certainly do so. Psalm 97:3 says: “A fire goes before Him, and burns up His enemies round about.” That is the way He acts.
Once a bank official was suspended on certain alleged charges. A lady official was appointed to inquire into the matter. She did not know anything about Jesus. She was proceeding on the line that the official should be permanently removed from service. The Lord removes all the enemies and makes our way perfect. That Brother came to me for prayer. He humbled before the Lord and prayed before the Lord for help as there was no help from anyone else. He was perfect and yet there was none to understand him or present his case. He cried for deliverance from the case. The Lord who hears prayers and understood his pains began to work for him. Then there happened an incident in the life of the lady that came as a bolt from the blue. A similar case was filed against the same lady for what she had done several years ago. She was also placed under suspension and she had to face the case. “No weapon formed against you shall prosper . . . .” (Isaiah 54:17). This is the Lord’s promise. “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways.” (Deut. 28:7). In her place another official was appointed who had faced similar charges in his own life. So he set aside those charges and he was reinstated. 
Dear Brother/ Sister, do not be afraid that your enemies are strong, wealthy or powerful. The One who is with you is greater. He will wage wars for you and remove those who are like Goliath. He will set right your way and guide in paths of victory. Do not be dismayed. The Lord will set right your path.
3. He Strengthens Your Legs
“He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.” Psalm 18:33
David bears witness to the Lord who strengthened him and made straight his path. In our journey or the race set before us the Lord strengthens our feet to run perfectly. 
The Lord Jesus Christ, when He began to carry out the will of God, did His first miracle at the wedding of Cana. He transformed ordinary water into wine. He has the power to transform anything.
Why is He the Lord? He can transform our pain, our sorrows into happiness. He will rebuild your life from brokenness. He will fill your life with happiness and bless you. He can transform your life of the desert into one of prosperity, and your defeats to victory. The Lord Jesus Christ alone has this power to change and transform things into blessings. Then you can declare on the basis of your experience that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Are you worried that your son or daughter has become a thorn to you? Do not be dismayed. Proverbs 21:1 says: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.” He can change the hearts of your children from sin and sinful habits. Do not be afraid.
Peter went out to fish. He met with failure. At that time, Jesus came into his boat and guided him. He was successful. His defeat was transformed into success. Similarly, you may be facing challenges in your life. Is it defeat or failure in business, loss or damage? Today accept the Lord Jesus Christ as God and confess it. Commit yourself to rely on Him. Your failure will be transformed into success. There would be joy and peace in your life.
4.  He Sets on High Places
“He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.” Psalm 18:33
 The Lord who strengthens us, makes perfect our paths and transforms our difficulties is also the One who exalts us. 
I know a person who was close to me from my youthful days. He was endowed with wisdom. Everyone would easily discern the wisdom God had given him. He was a talented singer. He can tolerate anything silently. In school and college he was ranked the best. But in his life he did not reach the heights he should have attained. He was depressed. Even though he was placed well in society, he did not reach the position he deserved. 
Dear Brother, there are such people who are endued with everything that should place them on a high pedestal, but that does not really happen. As a result, they are discouraged and distressed. David was a shepherd boy. He was taking care of them diligently and enthusiastically. He also obeyed his father and was duty-bound. One day his father and his children were called to a feast by Prophet Samuel. The invitation was to all the children of Jesse. But he forgot his son David. He was considered to be of little value in the midst of others. But in the sight of the Lord, he was great. He was exalted to the position of king for a big nation. He was one who went after sheep, but was exalted by the Lord in the midst of them all.
Our Lord would exalt us. Do not be worried that everybody has forsaken you. Do not be dismayed that your higher officials, your family members or your congregation has not recognised your work and faithfulness. The stone which was ignored was made the corner stone by the Lord. He will exalt you in your spiritual, social and financial status. The Lord desires to exalt you in this life by blessing you.
The Lord Jesus Christ was exalted between earth and sky. To exalt you He was exalted on the cross as a sacrifice. If you accept Him as your Redeemer, Shepherd, and everything, He will strengthen you, make perfect your path, transform everything, and exalt you. To receive all these, will you come to Jesus? Would you accept Him as God?
May the Lord bless us!
In the service of Christ Jesus,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.