Inadequate
Notes
Transcript
When we feel inadequate
When we feel inadequate
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. 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.
I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.
Insufficient for a purpose is the meaning of inadequate.
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.
2 Corinthians 12:
Intro:
Z- Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong somewhere?
That you were way of your league?
Not prepared for a test or a presentation
Going against a tough opponent in sports.
Talking to a kid who higher on the social ladder.
Taking care of your neighbors dog when you can’t even keep your own goldfish alive for 24 hours.
Serving on your first weekend.
Giving your first talk on the weekend.
Z- Taking on my first youth ministry role.
B- I am torn between being honest and vulnerable here verses ruining my credentials and losing your respect. I’m going to go with honest and vulnerable.
I have no Bible degree. I actually don’t have a college degree at all. I dropped out. I have no career. I can be pretty bad at being disciplined in reading God’s Word. I have really good streaks of reading and then what seems like even longer streaks not reading.
I’m just a stay-at-home mom who makes cupcakes and goofs around with crazy teenagers every week.
So how could I be worthy enough to give any input at a Cluster meeting? I don’t have much to bring to the table. I don’t feel adequate.
B- And guess what? You are not adequate either.
And that is our message… Good luck...
(WALK OUT)
Just playing— While that might be how we feel at times, the truth is that we are not adequate but there is one who is.
Flip open to verse 6
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
Z- A little background on Paul as he was writing to the Philippians.
The church of Philippi was doing a lot of great things.
Paul was writing to encourage them.
And while that was his task, that is ultimately our task tonight as well.
As may people in here are probably gearing up for a weekend, or have just started to meet for theirs, we want to encourage you.
We want to encourage you by telling you that you are not adequate, but God is.
Paul wrote in
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.
Paul knew that in his weaknesses that God was sufficient.
Paul knew that when he was weak Christ was strong.
I know we all get anxious.
And sometimes we forget that we are to give our anxieties to God.
So, yes we want to encourage you by telling you a couple of things you can do in your own spiritual life when you feel inadequate.
1). Do not be anxious
Paul talks about the
Assurance that the Lord is near also encourages Christians to stop being anxious.
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
This may be a habit for some of us.
We all know what it is like to feel that stress come over us, to feel that feeling of anxiety where it is hard to breath.
We play all these different thoughts in our head and we psych ourselves out.
Paul is saying to stop it— stop obsessing stop worrying— and instead be...
2.) Be a Prayer Warrior
When we pray the peace of God will come upon us, and we will have understanding through the Holy Spirit.
The peace of God is the opposite of anxiety.
When we go to God in prayer we will experience peace and understanding which in turn will drive our lives.
The heart as Paul is using this term refers to the center and source of the whole inner life- your soul.
While we are prone to be anxious, and self-centered Paul is encouraging them to not fall into this pitfall.
3.) Be Discerning
You have heard the expression “you are what you eat”. Well, that can be somewhat true of our spiritual walks as well.
We are what we fill ourselves, our minds, with.
If we are focusing on things that are not true or honorable or pure or lovely or commendable… if we focus our attention upon things that are mediocre and do not keep an eternal perspective, what will we be full of?
What are some things that maybe you have filled your minds with that perhaps you shouldn’t?
Fill your mind with God’s Word. His promises for you. His plan. His mission.
Focus on people using God’s eyes. See them as God sees them.
If we aren’t dwelling on the magnificence of who God is constantly, we will miss the chance to let Him use us. To see how great His works are in person. To experience, to actually feel, His peace.
4.) Model after Him and find peace
4.) Model After Him and Find Peace
Yearn to live like Christ. Try to know Him better so you can model Him better.
You can’t impersonate someone you don’t know or imitate someone you have never seen.
Know Him. Let Him use you. Because you won’t be able to do anything beneficial without Him. You can’t change someone’s life forever without Him guiding you.
You don’t have the strength. You don’t have all the answers. You don’t have enough courage.
But HE does. And through your weaknesses and inadequacies, He can work wonders.
When you realize how small you are and how big He is, that’s when He can shine the brightest.
Do you want to change lives forever? Let Him use you.
No matter where you are on your spiritual journey… whether you’re on a 1,467 day streak on the YouVersion app or you haven’t read in
Even though we may not at times feel worthy, or we don’t feel adequate, remember that Jesus believed that you were adequate enough to die for.
So yes, do not be so prideful that you stop communicating with God, and you forget to allow him to point you in the right direction.
But also be confident in the abilities that God has given you.
Rely on Him, trust in him, lean into him, model after him and he will be with you, his peace will be upon you, and for that reason we can rejoice.
Brittni-
I talked earlier about how I didn’t feel good enough to speak here tonight. And I was right. By all rules and standards, I shouldn’t. But I am because I have surrendered myself to the God who can work through anyone. I won’t say that I did an amazing job speaking tonight, because honestly, everything God that came out of my mouth what placed on my heart by the Lord.
We spent time giving up our anxieties and fears to the Lord in prayer. Even though I am not at the top of my spiritual game, I allowed and asked God to use me during this time.
No matter where you are on your spiritual journey…
Pray
Whether you’ve been a Christian since you were still in diapers or you just accepted Christ as Lord of your life in the last five minutes.
Whether you’re on a 1,467 day streak on the YouVersion app or you haven’t read in weeks.
Whether you have clear, open, and constant communication with the Creator of the universe or you feel like you’ve been talking to a brick wall.
Whether your heart is heavy with the burden of an ongoing sin or you’ve been free for months or years.
Whether you are super pumped and prepared for the next Weekend or you’re half-tempted to back out because you don’t think you can do it.
God. Can. Use. You.
If you let Him.
Pray
