Restore week 3c

“Perspective”

Review:

“Do you believe?”

The gap between prayer and provision

Opening:

Have you ever seen a situation incorrectly?

Paul writes to the Corinthian church to defend his apostleship and address challenges, but here he speaks about a personal struggle—a "thorn in the flesh."

[2Co 12:7-10 ESV] 7 “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Illustration: Playing Basketball

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.”

How do you handle when God says “no”?

Most of us do not like hearing the answer no.

We’ve all prayed for God to take something away—and sometimes, He doesn’t."

Paul prayed three times for God to remove it, yet God’s response was, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

God allowed this thorn for a purpose, not to harm Paul, but to humble him and reveal His power through Paul’s weakness.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

How does God use pain to restore us?

Restoration often begins in our places of perception.

Paul’s pain didn’t vanish, but his perspective shifted.

Instead of seeing the thorn as an obstacle, he recognized it as a place for God’s power to flow through him.

We must admit; pain is a motivator.

Pain, though unpleasant, serves as a motivator.

It forces us to pause, reflect, and assess our lives.

Paul initially thought his thorn needed to be removed.

It is my belief that the sufficient grace of God led Paul to encounter his weakness through a different perspective.

It was God’s answer of no that required Paul to place his thorn in the flesh in God’s sufficient grace. As he did, the reality of God’s view came into place.

“For my power is made perfect in weakness.”

Secondly, God’s sufficient grace leads us to restoration through cooperation .

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Restoration requires us to cooperate.

“Therefore” . . .

“I will . . .”

“So that”

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.”

“For the sake of Christ” . . .

The outcome of restoration is a life that testifies to the power of God.

This statement by Paul indicates that he viewed his trials and tribulations as a praise unto Jesus.

Our weaknesses provide opportunity for the strength of Christ to be witnessed by others.

Close . . .

I started out this morning with a story from High School.

I asked for something that was refused.

As a result, I turned in my uniform.

What I failed to see was that I could have become one of the best back up players for the team.

What I perceived as rejection could have been an opportunity to transform my connection with the team.

When God says “no,” don’t turn in your uniform.

Allow His no to become a yes in a way He sees that is better.