Take Pleasure, He’s In Control.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10NKJV
A couple was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary. They had both been exemplary people. Suddenly an angel appeared in front of them; “I have come to grant each of you one request: what have you always wished for?”
The woman smiled and said, “I’ve always wanted to travel!” Poof! A pile of airline tickets appeared to destinations across the globe.
The angel looked at the man. He said, “Well, this is a little irregular, but I’ve always wished to be married to a woman 30 years younger than me.” Poof! He was suddenly 90 years old.
Throughout the Bible, God’s Kingdom speaks of a regression; however, regression in God’s kingdom produces progression. Just a few examples. Jesus stated, “Give and it shall be given, The first shall be last, the last first, The greatest will serve the least. Notice the contrast, this contrast are the people who follow Jesus, verses those who choose not to. What can really be said for those who never choose Jesus? However, Jesus followers are those who are weak in themselves; They refuse to rely on their own self significancy. Yes, God anoints those who are totally dependent on Him; God’s anointed resemble their leader— Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote maybe the most interesting book of the NT—2 Corinthians. In fact, I had the privilege of hearing Doctor Archibald Hart. He spent 3 hours speaking on 2 Corinthians, In this 3 hour didactic he made a rock solid case of why 2 Corinthians should be known as the book for the clinically depressed, and how they can recover!
Say, “Recover!”
The religious were saying that Paul wasn’t sincere and that his speech came across rough and sometimes even crude.
Paul even admitted he had learned the Hebrew life from the best of minds, and his OT knowledge was bar-none. However, he admits I wasn’t trained in pulpit skills.
Therefore, Paul was attacked by men who said he wasn’t qualified.
Therefore, 2 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12 were written.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10NKJV And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
As a believer—my growth is measured by weakness’. Weakness’ meaning greater dependance on Jesus. The greatest of all men—John the Baptist, stated, I must decrease, He must increase. So we could say, “Our spiritual growth is measured by our dependance on Jesus.”
Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 12:7-8, that God allowed a messenger of satan to buffet me, to attack me, He goes on to say, “The attacks were difficult, I could hardly stand it "But God gave me grace!” Paul say’s, I ask God to remove the weakness, He replied, “In your weakness’ you will be made strong.
“When a person comes to the conclusion that life is all about Jesus.’ ‘And that Jesus doesn’t want to just shine through you, He wants to be the superstar in you.” P.H
He wants full responsibility, Full custody.
As I mentioned earlier, Paul doesn’t just write about his weakness’ in a full sentence, He actually gave us one of the most relevant books of the Bible—2 Corinthians.
Every year I tackle 2 Corinthians, mainly because it’s a book that speaks Jesus Christ or nothing!
Therefore I want to read some more of Paul’s frustrations, before we finish with todays text.
2 Corinthians 11:21-28NLT But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.
Listen to—2 Corinthians 12:7-10TM Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
Again, 2 Corinthians 12:10NKJBV Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
I want to give you ‘4’ Things You can take pleasure in—no matter what.
1. Take pleasure in your weakness’.—God’s not finished.
Hebrews 7:25NIV Therefore he is able to save completely (to the uttermost) those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
In times of weakness’ it’s good to know that Jesus prays for me. He saves completely!
Again Paul pled to the Lord, “Take this weakness!”
2 Corinthians 12:9NLT Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities.
2. Take pleasure in the fact that grace comes to the rescue.
Grace works best during the frail moments of time.
Matthew 8:16-17TLB That evening several demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus; and when he spoke a single word, all the demons fled; and all the sick were healed. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, “He took our sicknesses and bore our diseases.”
Again, take pleasure in the fact that Jesus is the strong One—He rescues!
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3. Take pleasure in the fact, that grace brings the supernatural.
Grace is only defined as—God’s supernatural touching our natural.
Grace saved you—Ephesans 2:8NIV For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
Grace gifts you—1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4.
Grace keeps you and makes you fruitful.
John 10:28NKJV And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
Grace allows you to finish well.
If you’re fortunate enough to live to your late 80’s and 90’s, you will become aware of the frailty of life. I watched my dad of 93 lift his hands toward heaven.
The Lord gave me this word yesterday about my dad—Dad offered his best as his weak hands were lifted toward the heavens.
Grace carries the believer to heaven. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17KJV For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
4. Take pleasure in the fact that God called you—His call to you is to believe. Just believe.
Believe that Jesus has this thing forever settled. Believe that your faith has been declared righteous because of the blood of Jesus.
Believe that He’s got you during those weak moments. Romans 10:14—Believe the God report…
Believe that God’s grace is enough.
Believe, Believe God. Just believe!
Believe—God’s grace is sufficient, His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Benediction.
