October 14, 2026
The Power of Adaptability
Deuteronomy 8 is a fascinating and very significant passage of Scripture. The chapter speaks of God’s faithfulness and supernatural provision for Israel during their 40 years in the wilderness as they waited to possess their inheritance. He gave them water from rocks and manna from heaven (verses 15-16)! Their clothing and shoes didn’t wear out, their feet didn’t swell (verse 4). He was now about to give them their promised inheritance, a good and plentiful land:
“For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass.” (Deuteronomy 8:7-9)
While promising blessing, the Lord also gave them a stern warning:
“Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage…And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth.” (verses 11-14, 17; see also 19-20)
In the midst of these incredible reminders and warnings, the Lord made an incredibly profound statement in verse 18, one filled with the promise of abundant blessing:
“But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.”
This verse has far more depth and revelation than most believers understand. An explanation of 4 words in the verse will give us enlightenment. “Give/giveth” is the Hebrew word nathan, and includes more than simply bestowing a gift; it also means to “give an assignment.”(1) God‘s gifts are often also assignments to steward. The gift of children is a clear example of this: children are gifts, but also incredibly important assignments God entrusts to us. The concept of authority is another example; when God gives us authority, He expects us to steward it well.
Nathan also means “to appoint or designate.” This verse tells us God had “appointed” or “designated” Israel to “get wealth.” It is easy to see the concept of responsibility inherent in this promise. Their ability to produce wealth would not only be a privilege, but also an assignment and responsibility.
“Power” is the unusual Hebrew word koach. Although it does mean strength, power, or might, it is also a Hebrew word for a lizard or chameleon!(2) What?! Yes, a koach is a chameleon! This creature wasn’t named “Strong” because of physical strength, but because of its adaptability - the ability to adapt to its environment for protection and survival. Used in this verse, God is saying He has given us the ability to prosper in any environment and under all circumstances. He had just reminded Israel that even in the challenging conditions of the desert, He had been able to protect and prosper them.
I realize that difficult times come throughout life, and that we are at times impacted by those difficulties. I am not indifferent to this, nor is our Heavenly Father. Yet despite them, He promises victory. Yes, sometimes plans take time to unfold, and seeds we plant take time to grow. But God tells us, “If the economy becomes troubled, I’ll enable you to adapt and succeed. If you lose your job, I’ll give you a better job, causing all things to work together for your good” (Romans 8:28). “I am giving you adaptability in order to prosper in any situation,” the Lord says in this verse.
Amazing. But there is more.
The words “get wealth” in this verse are asah chayil. Asah means “to create, generate, or produce.”(3) Chayil means “wealth, power, or army.”(4) The root word from which we get chayil is the Hebrew word for travail or giving birth. God was saying to Israel, “You will have the ability, regardless of the circumstances, to create, generate, and give birth to wealth. I am giving - and assigning you - this ability. It is in you!”
And now the “why.”
God wants to take care of His children, of course, just as He did for Israel. According to Philippians 4:19, He wants to meet all of our needs according to His riches in heaven. But this is not the reason He gives for this promise in Deuteronomy 8:18. In this verse, He says the purpose is to enable His covenant to be “confirmed.” The word is qum, which means literally “to arise, stand up; be firm, fixed, and established.”(5)
“I’m going to need you to prosper,” He was telling Israel. “We are going to work together to establish My covenant in the earth - My will, purposes, and redemptive plans.” I am sure these Israelites did not realize it at the time, but the Messiah, the Savior of the world, would come to earth through them. They were His partners in the great plan of redeeming humankind!
And so are we!
This promise is every bit as true for us today as it was for Israel centuries ago. We have every right to believe God has given us the ability to adapt to any climate or situation and remain strong and victorious. His ability to generate and produce is in us. Yes, it will require faith, action, and obedience, but success is in us through Christ, and we can find it – always!
And He has gifted us with the assignment of prospering, spirit, soul, and body, to see His covenantal love and redemption established on earth. Yes, we can and should enjoy this success personally. But even more incredibly, we can partner with the Creator in His great quest to redeem the world and establish His kingdom here.
What an honor!
Pray with me:
Father, thank You for this incredible promise in Deuteronomy 8:18. And thank You for the unspeakable privilege of partnering with You to redeem humankind. You gave us a role in the greatest drama ever written. We accept this gift, assignment, and responsibility. Through Christ within us, we are more than conquerors, can do all things we are asked to do, and can always triumph.
We also embrace Your ability to adapt. We are not at the mercy of life’s difficulties and negative circumstances. We are at YOUR mercy, and YOUR word over our lives is the final word. You are always willing to make all things work together for our good. We declare over our lives now: “We have victory-generating adaptability through Christ and the power of Holy Spirit!”
And Father, though America has strayed from You, You didn’t give up on us. A remnant repented and, along with our President and other leaders, re-dedicated this nation to You. We are now on a path of recovery and restoration. This will not stop! And America will fully recover her assignment to help establish Your covenant in the earth. We will!
We pray and declare all of this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Our decree:
We declare once again that we have victory-generating adaptability through Christ and the power of Holy Spirit!
Click on the link below to watch the full video.
James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. no. 5414.
Ibid., ref. no 3581.
Ibid., ref. no 6213.
Ibid., ref. no 2428.
Ibid., ref. no 6965.
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