2 Corinthians 12 New International Version (NIV)
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn
12 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord.
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows.
3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—
4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.
5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.
6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say,
7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations.
(a) Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.
8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.
9 But he said to me,
(b) “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
(c) For when I am weak, then I am strong.
LETS MAKE A CONFESSION WITH OUR MOUTH….. LETS TURN AROUND AND SAY TO THE NEIGHBOUR… FOR I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG…
Everybody has weakness less - Not the character or moral weaknesses -- but Human limitations -
Weakness is power?
• What are you good at?
• What are you weak at?
What is your expertise? When was the last time someone said .. You are awesome because you did it?
What is your weakness ? When was the last time you expected if someone will appreciate you for something you did but it did not happen?
SELF REFLECTION : TO ME, WHAT WAS THE SERMON I THOUGHT I PREPARED TO MY BEST… I THOUGHT I AM GONNA ROCK TODAY, BUT NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE ALTAR CALL?
WAS THERE A SERMON THAT I WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT, BUT A FLOCK TURNED OUT AT THE END TO BE PRAYED FOR?
Ephesians 3:20 New International Version (NIV)
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
Paul is well pleased with weakness because it is a
Prerequisite for the display of divine strength.
FIRSTLY, GRACE is paralleled with divine power in V9.
Jesus said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
When does the power become perfect?
- In weakness? Where there is no weakness, there is no power
SELF REFLECTION :
DOES BEING A PASTOR FEEL GREAT? IS THERE A MOMENT TO BE PROUD OF?
WHAT ABOUT SOMEONE WANTED TO BE PRAYED FOR?
- DOES EVEN GOD QUESTION ME IF I CAN?
WHAT ABOUT WHEN I DID NOT PRAY FOR SOMEONE WHEN GOD ASKED ME TO?
WHAT ABOUT I DID NOT MINISTER TO SOMEONE BECAUSE MY PREJUDICE WAS BIGGER THAN GODS SUPER POWER?
WHAT ABOUT WHEN I MET SOMEONE WHO I PRAYED FOR FOR A HEALING?
- DO I HAVE JOY? DO I HAVE AN EXCUSE, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO HEALING MY EYES COULD SEE?
SECONDLY, GRACE and DIVINE POWER works well with human weakness.
- THIRDLY, HUMAN WEAKNESS is a pre requisite for this DIVINE STRENGTH
THE POWER IS NOT IN HOW GOOD I AM, BUT IN HOW WEAK I AM
As we feel weaker HUMANLY, we see the power of God spiritually.
Look at those people who felt strong humanly…
Moses … Exodus 4 talks about the initial dialogue that God (Jehovah) had with Moses.
He started with a Miracle
In Chapter 3, God calls Moses…. He was just a shepherd… taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro
He met him at the burning bush… He called Moses to deliver his people from the bondage…
What was first Moses FIRST word EVER?
Exod 3:11
But Moses said to God, “I am nobody. How ? can I go to the king and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
THE I (ME) FACTOR THAT DEMONSTRATES HUMAN STRENGTH….
THE HOW , WHAT, WHY AND THE BUT FACTOR
Keep reading and continue into Chapter 4. It was impossible for Moses to convince God to escape from his calling.
Moses asked the Lord.. Suppose they did not listen to me… They did not believe me? What will I do?
God showed Moses the first and the second miracle…. (V 2-10)
God did not show the third miracle, but he gave him a discourse of how to do it…..
God told the third miracle, because he wanted to test the faith of Moses. He said
8 The Lord said, “If they will not believe you or be convinced by the first miracle, then this one will convince them.
9 If in spite of these two miracles they still will not believe you, and if they refuse to listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the ground. The water will turn into blood.”
Still, what did Moses say?
10 But Moses said, “No, Lord, don't send me. I have never been a good speaker,
And this is even fantastic
and I haven't become one since you began to speak to me.
I am a poor speaker, slow and hesitant.”
11 The Lord said to him, “Who gives man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? It is I, the Lord. 12 Now, go! I will help you to speak, and I will tell you what to say.”
THE LORD KEPT HIS WORD. HE DELIVERED THOSE PEOPLE FROM THE BONDAGE OF EGYPT AND BROUGHT THEM SAFE AND SOUND TO THE LAND OF CANAN.
HE WAS ABLE TO USE MOSES TO DO GREATER THINGS..
But was he able to step into the promised land. The bible does not record this as a reason for Moses not to enter the promised land, but I believe spiritually, this could be one too….
The rebellious spirit started off even before his salvation. It cropped up here and there….
What about Gideon,
The angel of the Lord said, "
Judges 6:12
12 The Lord's angel appeared to him there and said, “The Lord is with you, brave and mighty man!”
Gideon replied….
13 Gideon said to him, “If I may ask, sir, why has all this happened to us if the Lord is with us?
BUT GOD KEPT HIS WORD.
Gideon started with 30,000 , but God ended it with 300
Judges 7:7
7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands.
NOW LISTEN CAREFULLY…. THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS TO GIDEON (Judges 7:2)
2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’
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Many at times WE ARE LIKE MOSES AND GIDEON
God is bored with what we want to tell him…
We are trying to convince him all the time with our arguments …
But he says to us today…
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So, now what? What should I do now?
The bible says…. In Matthew 21:22
Matthew 21:22 New International Version (NIV)
22 If (a) you (b) believe, you will ( c) receive (d) whatever you ask for in (e) prayer.”
5. ASK - Matthew 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you;
6. ASK IN HIS NAME John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
7. ASK ACCORDING TO HIS WILL 1 John 5:14-5:15
This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
8. ASK WITH FAITH Mark 11:24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
BEFORE WE END, I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU….
TO ASK WE MUST BE WORTHY (OR ELIGIBLE)
John 15:7
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
Phil 4:13
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
