Many quotes, poems and sources of advice can be found within the pages of the
Holy Bible. Listed here are the passages that I often refer to as a
source of personal strength and perseverance. Many of these quotes
carried me through the hardships I faced in Army Basic Training – some even
became my personal cadences, giving me the ability to carry on when I thought
I would fall. My personal favorites are highlighted in light purple. I
hope that they touch you in the same way they have me
: )
The cords of death entangled me;
The torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
The cords of the grave coiled around me;
The snares of death confronted me.
In my distress I called to the Lord;
I cried to my God for help.
From his temple he heard my voice;
My cry came before him, into his ears.
Psalm 18:4-6
The Lord is my light and my
salvation - whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of
my life – of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against
me to devour my flesh,
When my enemies and my foes
attack me,
They will stumble and fall.
Though an Army besiege me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war break out against
me,
Even then I will be
confident.
Psalm 27:1-3
In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your
sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for
mercy when I called you for help.
Psalm 31:22
Be strong and take heart,
All you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:24
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted,
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm
34:17-18
Contend, O Lord, with those
who contend with me;
Fight against those who fight
against me.
Take up shield and buckler;
Arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin
against those who pursue me.
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation.”
Psalm 35:1-3
If the Lord delights in a
man’s way,
He makes his steps firm;
Though he will stumble, he
will not fall.
For the Lord upholds him with
his hand.
Psalm 37:23-24
The salvation of the
righteous comes from the Lord;
He is their stronghold in
time of trouble.
The Lord helps them and
delivers them;
He delivers them from the
wicked and saves them.
Because they take refuge in
him.
Psalm 37:39-40
God is our refuge and
strength,
An ever-present help in
trouble.
Psalm 46:1
The Lord Almighty is with us;
The God of Jacob is our
fortress.
Psalm 46:7
Cast your cares on the Lord
And he will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous fall.
Psalm
55:22
When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
In God I trust; I will not be
afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
Psalm 56:3-4
My soul finds rest in God
alone;
My salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my
salvation;
He is my fortress, I will
never be shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2
For the Lord will never
forsake his people;
He will never forsake his
inheritance.
Psalm 94:14
The Lord is with me; I will
not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
Psalm 118:6
Let the morning bring me word
of your unfailing love,
For I have put my trust in
you.
Show me the way I should go,
For to you I lift up my soul.
Rescue me from my enemies, O
Lord,
For I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will;
For you are my God;
May your good spirit lead me
on level ground.
For your name’s sake, O Lord,
Preserve my life;
In your righteousness, bring
me out of trouble,
In your unfailing love,
silence my enemies;
Destroy all my foes,
For I am your servant.
Psalm 143:8-12
He is my loving God and my
fortress,
My stronghold and my
deliverer,
My shield, in whom I take
refuge,
Who subdues peoples under me.
Psalm 144:2
The Lord is faithful to all
his promises
and loving toward all he has
made.
The Lord up holds all those
who fall
And lifts up all who are
bowed down.
Psalm 145:13-14
The Lord is near to all who
call on him,
To all who call on him in
truth.
He fulfills the desires of
those who fear him;
He hears their cry and saves
them.
The Lord watches over all who
love him,
But the wicked he will
destroy.
Psalm 145:17-21
Many are the plans in a man’s
heart,
But it is the Lord’s purpose
that prevails.
Proverbs 19:21
He gives strength to the weary
And increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
And young men stumble and fall;
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.
Isaiah 40:29-31
I took you from the ends of
the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
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.
"All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
For I am the LORD , your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will help you," declares the LORD ,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
Isaiah 41:9-14
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
And when you pass through the rivers,
They will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
You will not be burned;
The flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord, your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
Isaiah 43:2-3
Since you are precious and
honored in my sight,
And because I love you,
I will give men in exchange
for you,
And people in exchange for
your life,
Do not be afraid, for I am
with you.
Isaiah 43:4-5
“Listen to me, O house of Jacob,
all you who remain of the house of Israel,
you whom I have upheld since you were conceived,
and have carried since your birth.
Even to your old age and grey hairs,
I am he, I am he who will sustain you.
I will sustain you and I will rescue you.
Isaiah 46:3-4
“Though the mountains be
shaken
And the hills removed
Yet my unfailing love for you
will not be shaken
Not my covenant of peace be
removed,”
Says the Lord who has
compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10
“The Lord will guide you
always;
he will satisfy your needs in
a sun-scorched land
and strengthen your frame.
You will be like a
well-watered garden,
Like a spring whose waters
never fail.
Isaiah 58:11
“Come to me , all you who are
weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and
learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30
“I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can
say to this mountain, ‘move from here to there’ and it will move.
Nothing will be impossible for you.”
Matthew 17:20-21
“ ‘If you can’ ?” said Jesus.
“Everything is possible for him who believes.”
Mark 9:23
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but
not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Mark 10:27
"Have faith in
God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain,
'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but
believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I
tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it,
and it will be yours.”
Mark 11:22-24
Everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord will be saved.
Romans 10:13
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;
Perplexed, but not in despair;
Persecuted, but not abandoned;
Struck down, but not destroyed.
2 Corinthians 4:8-9
All this is for your benefit,
so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving
to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose
heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed
day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving us an eternal
glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes, not on what is
seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is
unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians
4:15-18
Do not be anxious about
anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:13
“My son, do not make light of
the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines
those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he
accepts as a son.”
Endure hardship as
discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined
by his father? …No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful.
Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those
who have been trained by it.
Hebrews 12:5-8,
11
Consider it pure joy, my
brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the
testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish
its work so that you may be mature can complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:2-4
Blessed is the man who
perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive
the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12
