When I Am Weak I Am Strong

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.