Strength Comes Through Weakness
Principles of the Christian Life • Sermon • Submitted
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7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Introduction
Introduction
Our weaknesses may seem like a disadvantage to us, but that was not how the apostle Paul viewed his weakness.
There was one area of Paul’s life that he says he will boast about. It’s an area that most people never ever want to boast about. The area of his life that Paul chooses to boast about is his weakness!
2 Corinthians 12:5 (KJV 1900)
5 ...yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities.
He tells us about those infirmities, and one is weakness! Is he crazy? Humans do not like to admit they have weaknesses, let alone go around bragging about them, but he saw his handicap as a helpline for God’s strength.
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.
4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
When we think of someone who God would greatly use, we picture someone who is physically strong, very confident, and a gifted speaker.
But Paul was the opposite of all of these.
He was weak, he was fearful, and he was trembling. His preaching was not eloquent, but it included something better than eloquence—the power of God and the demonstration of the Spirit.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
When you got saved, the Holy Spirit moved in to live the Christian life through you…To access His life, you must quit depending on yourself and start depending on Him.
How exactly do we do that though? How do we exchange our weakness for God’s strength?
There’s three things and we’ll look at them tonight:
I. Admit That We Can’t
I. Admit That We Can’t
The first step to receiving God’s strength is to admit that you are weak.
7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
He wants to help us, but we have to first acknowledge our need for His help.
Paul’s thorn in the flesh was no laughing matter.
It was a serious and constant problem. Paul felt that it was hindering him from effectively serving God and pleaded with God not just once but three times to remove it.
We don’t know what the thorn was he is referring to because the Bible doesn’t tell us, but Paul’s going to the Lord with his problem and asking Him to remove it three times tells us that he recognized he could not handle his problem in his own strength.
This goes back to the infirmities I spoke of in the introduction…Paul infirmities were more than just a physical ailment.
He was also acquainted with numerous other challenges—shipwreck, imprisonment, beatings, false teachers, environmental danger, privation, and church concerns...
If anything is apparent from the life of Paul, it’s that being a Christian doesn’t exempt you from challenges...
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
God uses hardships to reveal our weaknesses and show us that we cannot live without His strength!
Notice, in verse 8, Paul cried out to God for help…That’s the first step in gaining God’s strength, even if God’s answer isn’t what we expect.
The first thing we do is Admit - admit that we can’t...
This brings us to the second thing we can do to exchange God’s strength for our weakness:
II. Acknowledge That He Can
II. Acknowledge That He Can
All of our weaknesses prove that we’re unable and they point us to the One Who is able!
God’s strength will begin when our strength ends!
The difference between the Christian who quits and the one who keeps going is a matter of perspective. The quitter stops with “I can’t!” The one who keeps going moves from “I can’t” to “God can.”
Look in verse 9 of our text tonight:
2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV 1900)
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness...
Though God did not grant Paul’s request to remove his affliction, He revealed that He could accomplish something greater through Paul’s weakness.
When Paul understood this truth, He not only admitted his weakness, but he embraced it.
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
• Infirmities refers to our weaknesses.
• Reproaches refers to times of being done wrong.
• Necessities refers to times when we have a need.
• Persecutions refers to times of persecution.
• Distresses refers to extreme afflictions.
It goes against our nature to welcome infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses, but God teaches us to rejoice as we hand over these burdens to Him who along has the strength to bear them.
Paul realized that God can because His grace is sufficient...
The word sufficient means “enough, to be satisfied.”
Because God’s grace is plentiful, you will never find yourself in a situation that exceeds the measure of grace you need to get through it.
God gives grace for every need!
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
When God promised Paul in verse 9, “My strength is made perfect in weakness,” the word strength refers to dynamic or supernatural power.
This miracle-performing power is made perfect or fulfilled in our incapacity. God gives every believer the perfect measure of divine grace and strength to sustain him in his weakness.
1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
1 The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; And in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!
14 Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; And with my song will I praise him.
We exchange our weakness for God’s strength, first, by Admitting we can’t…then by Acknowledging He can…The third step is to:
III. Allow Him
III. Allow Him
10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
The word “therefore” connects what Paul knew to what Paul did with what he knew.
Paul not only understood what God could do, but he trusted in God and put that truth to work. Paul’s confidence that God would do as He said led him to glory, or to boast, in his weaknesses.
When Paul understood that every weakness was an opportunity for the demonstration of God’s power, he made two choices—to desire God’s power and to depend on it.
Paul made a choice to desire God’s power on his life more than his own comforts. He was willing to embrace difficulty if that would bring God’s power.
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Paul desired to be fully acquainted with the person of Christ—to know Him intimately that he might know Christ’s power.
In Philippians 3:10, we see that Christ’s power is connected to suffering.
But Paul didn’t pull back from “the fellowship of [Christ’s] sufferings” if that would help him to better know Christ and experience His power.
Paul was serious about knowing Christ - Wonder how serious we are?
Paul not only desired the power of Christ, he also wanted it so that he could fulfill the purpose of Christ. You see, it was for Paul’s gain…His motive was right...
He was willing to glory in his weakness and take pleasure in persecution “for Christ’s sake” (verse 10).
14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
In verse 9 of our text tonight, Paul wrote, “…Most gladly therefore will I...”
He knew that God’s work would require His enabling grace, and he chose to depend on it, exchanging his weakness for God’s strength.
Paul was able to rejoice in his inabilities because of what God’s ability could accomplish.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul began, like we do, by asking God to remove his thorn in the flesh. But when God revealed the gift of His grace and the strength that He imparts through weakness, Paul had a change in perspective.
He went from seeking to eliminate his thorn to embracing it. His thorn turned into his triumph because of what God could accomplish through it.
God is not looking for “strong Christians” who don’t need Him.
He desires to use weak people who acknowledge their inabilities and allow Him to demonstrate His ability.
He gives—and will continue to give—His power to those who exchange their weakness for His strength.