GOD’S POWER IN

YOUR WEAKNESS

Section 35
Pages 272-278

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 2 Cor 13:4 For to be sure, he was crucified in
weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are
weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him
in our dealing with you.

2 Cor 12:9 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
about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest
on me.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 GOD LOVE TO USE
WEAK PEOPLE

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Everybody has weaknesses - physical,
emotional, intellectual, spiritual - added
to circumstances which weaken you too.
What do you do with them?
Denial means God cannot use them.
God often acts in ways that are opposite
to the ones we expect - Isa 55:9
1 Cor 1:27 But God chose the foolish things
of the world to shame the wise; God chose the
weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 God allowed weaknesses in your life -
so he can demonstrate his power in
them.
Matt 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit...”
God loves using ordinary, imperfect,
flawed people - the Bible is full of
them.
They are not sin - they are limitations
for us, but not for God. God puts his
power in the ordinary - 2 Cor
12:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay
to show that this all-surpassing power is from
God and not from us.
Tuesday 16 November 2010
 ADMIT YOUR WEAKNESS

Don’t pretend - be
honest about yourself,
don’t make excuses -
identify them.
Two secrets - know
who God is, and
know who you are.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 BE CONTENT WITH YOUR
WEAKNESS
2 Cor 12:9-10 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 about
my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.That
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.
“Delight in weakness” - expressing contentment with
the way God has made you - he knows best

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Weaknesses:
Cause us to depend on
God - 2 Cor 12:10 TM I
just let Christ take over! And so
the weaker I get, the stronger I
become.
Prevent arrogance - 2
Cor 12:7 TM ...so I
wouldn't get a big head, I was
given the gift of a handicap to
keep me in constant touch with
my limitations.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Gideon - had 30,000 which
became 300 - to fight 135,000
Midianites - only God’s power
can do this. Your weakness can
encourage other believers -
strengths tend to breed
independence, when we are
weak we need others.
“Christians, like snowflakes, are frail,
but when they stick together they can
stop traffic” Vance Havner

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Increase our capacity
for sympathy and
ministry - compassion
and consideration of
others often come out of
weakness - other people
find healing in your
wounds.
“All God’s giants are weak
people” Hudson Taylor

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Heb 11:32-34 And what more shall
I say? I do not have time to tell about
Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah,
about David and Samuel and the
prophets, 33 who through faith conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and
gained what was promised; who shut the
mouths of lions, 34 quenched the fury of
the flames, and escaped the edge of the
sword; whose weakness was
turned to strength; and who
became powerful in battle and routed
foreign armies.

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 HONESTLY SHARE YOUR
WEAKNESS
Ministry begins with
vulnerability - take off the
mask and be real.
Paul admitted:
Failures Rom 7:19
Feelings 2 Cor 6:11
Frustrations 2 Cor 1:8
Fears 1 Cor 2:3

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 Beware though - vulnerability
is risky and can lead to
rejection or other problems - the
good news is that God gives
grace to the humble - and
humble people tend to be more
attractive to others.
Impressing people can be
done from a distance,
influencing them takes
closeness (not perfection, but
honesty)

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 GLORY IN YOUR
WEAKNESS

There is no need for self

confidence - you are a
trophy of God’s grace.
2 Cor 12:5
Heb 4:1
Rom 8:26

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 In Jacob, God turned his
strength into a weakness -
God touched Jacob’s thigh
and hip (strongest muscle
in the body) and made it
weak - never again could
Jacob run, he leaned on a
staff in weakness for the
rest of his life - he then
had to lean on God.
Great men of God
walk with a limp

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 POINT TO PONDER

God works best when I admit

my weakness

Tuesday 16 November 2010

 VERSE TO REMEMBER

2 Cor 12:9
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 about my weaknesses, so that
Christ’s power may rest on me.
Tuesday 16 November 2010
 QUESTION TO CONSIDER

Am I limiting God’s power in

my life by trying to hide my
weakness? What do I need to be
honest about in order to help
others?

Tuesday 16 November 2010