Strength in Weakness - Lessons from 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Our Weakness Displays Gods Strength 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Paul had powerful experiences from God 12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don t know only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 NLT

Pauls weakness led to humility 5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won t do it, because I don t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. 2 Corinthians 12:5-7 NLT

Paul asked for his weakness to be removed, God said My Grace is Sufficient 8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NLT

Steps for dealing with weakness and sin 1. Admit the weakness and realize that it may never go away 12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT Trust that God will provide a way to say no to the temptation 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT a. Others may experience temptation to different extremes based on their bents and environment, but all people experience temptations Confess your sin when you fail 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 1 John 1:8-9 NLT a. The fact that we are dead to sin and free from it s penalty, before God, is not because we never sin, it is because God, in Christ, has delivered us from the penalty and reign of sin in our lives. Trust that Jesus is your advocate before God 2 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. 2 He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins and not only our sins but the sins of all the world. 1 John 2:1-2 NLT Trust in God s ability to use you despite your weakness 2. 3. 4. 5.

Samsons Purpose 3 The angel of the Lord appeared to Manoah s wife and said, Even though you have been unable to have children, you will soon become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 So be careful; you must not drink wine or any other alcoholic drink nor eat any forbidden food. 5 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines. Judges 13:3-5 NLT

Jesus Finishes what we are too weak to finish 3 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. 4 Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, 5 for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. 6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:3-6 NLT 18 Yes, the old requirement about the priesthood was set aside because it was weak and useless. 19 For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. 20 This new system was established with a solemn oath. Aaron s descendants became priests without such an oath, 21 but there was an oath regarding Jesus. For God said to him, The Lord has taken an oath and will not break his vow: You are a priest forever. 22 Because of this oath, Jesus is the one who guarantees this better covenant with God. 23 There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. 24 But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. Hebrews 7:18-25 NLT

Gods Law Reminds us of our inability to perfect our faith through works of obedience 18 Yes, Adam s one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ s one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. 19 Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous. 20 God s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God s wonderful grace became more abundant. 21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:18-21 NLT

Our new nature desires to follow our new Master the Old Master leads to death 15 Well then, since God s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. 19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. Romans 6:15-19 NLT

How to deal with sin and weakness 1. 2. Admit our weakness(es) and realize that it may never go away Trust that God will provide a way to say no to the temptation, and when we see it we can flee Confess our sin when you fail Trust that Jesus is our advocate and high priest before God Trust, wholeheartedly, in God s ability to use us even in our weakness 3. 4. 5.