The Reason For My Weaknesss

Intro

It’s easy to feel insufficient in middle school, high school, college - don’t measure up, missing something; not good enough;

Not cool enough, pretty enough, handsome enough

Popular enough, athletic enough, rich, tough enough

Smart enough

If only I was taller, shorter, slimmer, not so skinny, had better skin, better teeth, different nose, better financial situation, I had parents who . . .

and it continues past school, into adulthood, If only I . . .

was younger, made better decisions, didn’t have this disease

didn’t have this condition, wasn’t fighting this addiction

it affects families, if only

my family was from the right side of the tracks

so and so was still alive, things fell apart when they passed

it applies to church, if only our church

was bigger, had more young people, didn’t go through the pandemic

God has a word for you, me, your family, our church

Background

Arguments over who is the greatest and best apostle; preacher

Paul trying to teach what is really important . . . so he says I could say a lot about why I am somebody, but let share a weakness

2 Corinthians 12:7 7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:7 NASB95

7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!

Paul is being honest about himself: God has revealed such awesome things to me, that I would have gotten the big head, if he hadn’t allowed some trouble in my life

Paul is not alone, we easily fall into being conceited – the big head; prideful

get a new house, fancy car, extra money, a little fame, a couple of degrees . . . and we start to look down on folks, act different

they need to get their lives together

if God speaks to us, reveals something to us, uses us in a mighty way . . . we start to look down on folks, act different

the church needs to get itself together . . . .

those church members

but Pride goes before a fall

The Bible says, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

So God determined that Paul would not get too full of himself, and sent a thorn in the flesh,

Paul never details what this thorn is, but he does reveals that it is in the flesh . . .

not a spiritual hindrance, but a hindrance in the physical realm

a physical situation, circumstance, sickness, addiction, injury . . . we don’t know

a messenger of Satan, God allowed satan to attack his life, to torment him

This is no minor irritation - this is something very concerning and problematic

2 Corinthians 12:8 NASB95

8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.

You’ve gone to God numerous times, others have interceded

Pleaded - you were passionate

But nothing changed, God said no

God fixed other situations, but not this one

9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,

Definition of grace: unmerited favor of God; get something good you don’t deserve; chosen but unqualified

The fact that I picked you is enough; chose you

The fact that I am with you is enough to get you through

God is saying, I accept you

In marriage it really doesn’t matter if you think the bride is not good enough for the groom, if he says “I do”

Don’t have to try to fit in with somebody, you already fit in with God

Sufficient to uphold, strenghtn, comfort, give victory, bring you out,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

I can use more power, if you are weaker

The more I have to carry you, the more people are impressed with my strength

Phil 4:13 I can do

God doesn’t want to take away some things; he wants to streghthen

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The weaker I am, the stronger Christ shows himself

I am excited because when I see a weakness, I know God is about to do something

Just relaxing in my weakness

Paul says now I am Totally depending on God

Chair example; harder to push somebody resting in chair

Spiritual maturity and human maturity

Human – more mature, more independent

Spiritual – more mature, more dependent

The closer I get to God, the more I got to pray, study, listen,

If you find yourself totally dependent on God every year, month, week, hour, sec, moment…..the better your relationship with God

If you got something to keep you looking for God 24/7 congratulations

I’ve been wondering for a long time how people can make it without the Lord

Intro

We are a family and we are going to talk like family . . . talk plain

Not only am I saddened but I am shocked

Why am I shocked? I expected a full recovery

We prayed, fasted, believed, anointed, we spoke

Even in the last week, had she recovered I would have been amazed but not surprised

Like when I go to a circus, I am always amazed at the acrobatics, animals, and so forth

But I am not surprised because that is what I expect from a circus

Same with God, I expect to be amazed, cause it started with his amazing grace

So when I got the final word, I was shocked that our prayer was not answ

Now some prayers are not answered because we ask amiss

We just want more stuff to consume on our own lust

Our only agenda is materialism, more, more, more

But this was not the case here

Some prayers are not answered because they don’t line up with the word of God

Like praying for help on test that you are about to cheat on

But this was not the case here, healing from sickness is in the Bible

And the Bible says Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today, and forev

some prayers are not answered because we don’t believe

but this was not the case here

we prayed in faith, fasted, spoke, we anointed with oil, did not give up

So how then church do we take this/deal with this? How do we understand this, and look at this?

First, the why did God allow this to happen?

The simple truth is that God is sovereign and that he knows what he is doing . . . .his thoughts are not our thoughts, his ways are not our ways, his plans are different from ours

So we have to learn to trust him even in the most difficult times

Trust that he loves and cares for us, for Rev. Kay

Sometimes he shares with us his reasons, and sometimes we must wait until we see him face to face

But I can tell you something about what is happening, and that’s what this word is for

You can turn to 2 Corinthians 12:8-9a

In today’s scripture text, Paul talks about a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan,

People can only guess what this problem was: temptation, recurring sickness, hunched back

The greek word for thorn derives from the word stake, tent stake, sharp affliction

This was more than an irritant, this was a big issue/problem in his life

And he began to pray about it

2 Corinthians 128 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away (NLT)

Reminder of who Paul is

Met the resurrected Christ, an apostle and evangelist

wrote large share of the New Testament

started many churches, main missionary to the Gentiles

used by God to perform miracles even brought a boy back from the dead in Acts 20

Paul was shown great spiritual truths by God

At the beginning of this chapter he mentions that he was caught up into the 3rd heaven and saw things too awesome/astounding/wonderful to tell

A true servant of Christ

But he prayed earnestly 3 times and his prayer went unanswered

This Bible hero, his prayer went unanswered

this true servant of God, his prayer went unanswered

it was not a materialistic prayer, but his prayer went unanswered

it lined up with Scripture, but his prayer went unanswered

Though he asked in faith, his prayer request went unanswered

And our prayer also went unanswered

Though it was not materialistic, though it lined up with Scripture, though we asked in faith . . . . it went unanswered

And She like Paul was a true servant of God

So what was God’s response to Paul?

9a And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:

9a Each time he said, “My grace is all you need (NLT).

Paul, My grace is sufficient

Paul, My grace is all you need

What is the definition of “my grace”? - Grace is getting something that you don't deserve/haven’t earned

The greek word also means favor – again, something not earned

getting a $1,000 paycheck that you worked for is not grace – you deserved that for your work

Now receiving a $1,000 gift is grace – you did not earn, work for it, nor deserve it

Ephesians 2 8For by grace are ye saved through; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God

Grace in this scripture causes us to get salvation that we don’t deserve and have not earned – A Gift of God, from God

So God is saying to Paul, “you did not get the gift that you asked for, but I did give you gifts . . . and what I gave you and what I will give you is sufficient

World Missionary, God is saying, “I did not give you the gift that you asked for, I did not give you the help that you prayed for, I did not give you the healing that you had in mind . . . .but the gifts I did give you and will give you will be sufficient

What does He give when the answer to our prayer is not what we hoped for? I’ve learned that he gives . . .

the strength to endure

peace for your mind

faith to trust that in his love

hope to know that there are still bright days ahead

God will send more than just spiritual gifts. He will send people, finances, wisdom

God used many of you as a gift to the family. Your words of encouragement, phone calls, texts, your prayers, your presence . . . When I would visit, I would constantly hear, “Sis. So and so just left . . . .Bro. so and so were here earlier”

People helped Deacon Dennis in his duties at the church, and so on

You became an expression of God’s grace, you were one of the gifts to help prop and hold them up

I will use the example of my wife, since I know her story best

About three months ago, It looked like my wife might lose her job because she was too honest (healthcare) – so we prayed that she wouldn’t lose her job, but God did not give us what we asked for and she was laid off

So we prayed for new employment, and God again did not give us what we prayed for – doors of opportunity kept closing

So we did not get the gifts we were looking for, nor the blessings we were hoping . . . but his grace was sufficient

It just so happened, that her former employers offered her a couple of paychecks as severance (I think hoping she wouldn’t file a complaint) – his grace is sufficient

It just so happened, that this occurred around our pastoral anniversary, and the money you gave also helped to keep us afloat - his grace is sufficient

Then the church voted to give me a raise, and that helped some – his grace is sufficient

Notice that we still did not get what we asked for (new good paying job with benefits), but we got what we needed – his grace is sufficient

As I said earlier, God does not always gives us the why, but in this case we learned they why God did not give us what we wanted

Since my wife was not working, it gave her the time to help Sis. Kay, so as we were receiving grace, God used 1st lady to become a gift of grace to Rev. Kay – his grace is sufficient

On many days, she could take the morning shift at the Dennis home to help Rev. Kay, or take afternoon shift while other members of the family had to go to work

She became a personal health care expert for the Dennis family – providing expert advice on admission to health facilities, running errands, getting paper work together, keeping staff on their toes with her questions

God did not give them the healing, but . . .

He did send my wife by

He did send other members by

He did send other family members by

He did strengthen their hearts

He did encourage their souls, you’ve seen them here yet praising the Lord!

His grace is sufficient!

And just two days ago, this past Friday, the last day that my wife could be of assistance to Rev. Kay, it is as if God said, “Sherry you have completed your assignment”, and that same day my wife was offered a new job

God kept us, so that we could help keep them . . . his grace is

And we often were encouraged by their example of faithfulness towards God in hard times, it helped us . . . his grace is

So what are you trying to say? I’m trying to say, be encouraged church!

It’s ok to be hurt and it’s natural to grieve, but be encouraged and know that God still loves you and his grace is sufficient

Be encouraged to keep praying. Don’t stop believing that God can and will do the miraculous!

The fact that Paul kept praying those 3 times, shows that he was used to God answering his prayer, and giving him the gift he did ask for

You can still pray for healing, finances, deliverance, restored relationships, a way out of now way . . . God still works wonders!

Still expect the amazing!

Still look for the miracle, expect the impossible!

But if God doesn’t give you want you asked for

If God doesn’t give you what you prayed for

If God doesn’t give you what you cried for

Just know that his grace is sufficient!

Though it may not feel like it, his grace is sufficient

And though it may not seem like it, his grace is sufficient

Because when you trust God . . .

then at the very best – you will get what you asked for

At the very worst – you will get all that you need

That’s why as Christians, we can hurt but I still have peace

grieve but still have joy

have unanswered questions but still have faith

be disappointed but I still have a praise

Because we know that his grace is sufficient!

You are gonna make it

You are gonna come through

God won’t leave you nor forsake you

So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.