Today we continue our new series entitled, “Press through it!”
We have been looking at the following passage for a few days. Let’s go back to it again this morning. The Apostle Paul said:
“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 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.”
(2 Cor 12:2-10 NIV)
So what does this mean to you today? A few things.
1. Paul did not earn his trip to heaven.
a) When Paul talked about the amazing trip he took to heaven, all the emphasis was on God. He took no credit for the trip. Actually, the fact that he took no credit is one of the reasons why God allowed him to go. God wants to know that you can handle the blessing without making what He did all about you. Some people can’t. They ask God to bless them, but when He does, and they tell the story (the testimony), they make it all about them and they leave God out. Never make this mistake.
b) God wants to bless you richly. But He also wants to know that you are humble enough to receive it without pridefully thinking you did it on your own.
c) Can you stand to be blessed? Can God bless you richly and you still rely on Him? Or will you receive the blessing, only to make it about you?
2. Paul acknowledged that he did not have the power to deal with the messenger from satan.
a) After Paul’s trip to heaven a messenger of satan was assigned to trouble him. In his own strength Paul had no power over this satanic messenger, but that was actually Paul’s true strength. He did not claim to be able to handle the satanic messenger on his own. Since he could not do it, Paul was open to God doing it through him. This is how we are supposed to live. Where your power ends, God’s power is free to flow.
b) God is NOT free to release His power through you when there is too much of YOU in the way. When you know you can’t, He can. When you know you are weak, God is free to make you strong.
3. Paul’s strength was found in his weakness.
a) Paul said, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” If you want God’s power to rest on you, and to flow through you freely, you must die to self.
b) Where you know you are weak, God will make you strong. But in the areas where you think you are strong, you run the risk of NOT relying on God. This is dangerous, because God does not want you to DO LIFE without Him. Jesus was God in the flesh, and He still refused to do anything without the Father. We are supposed to live the same way.
c) I will use myself as an example. I have been doing Today’s Word for over 21 years. I know how to write. By this point I know a few things about the Bible. If I am not careful, I could attempt to do this without God. That would be a major mistake. This is God’s ministry. This is His platform. He told me to do this. He wanted to give me the words on a daily basis. But if I ever think I am good enough to do it without Him, I won’t see Him. If I don’t seek Him and I do it in my own power, then there won’t be any power in it. The true power is in knowing that it’s NOT about me. The true power is in knowing that It’s All About HIM! The true power is in knowing that when I am weak, God is able to make me strong. When I can’t, He can through me. This is how I live as a human conduit of the divine! That’s the goal!
Declaration of Faith:
Father, I thank You for NOT only teaching me about Your grace, but for actually pouring out Your grace on me every day. You called me by grace, from the foundations of the world, before I did anything to deserve it. You saved me by grace, when I was living in sin. You now use me by grace, despite my faults, flaws, and failures. You empower me by grace, when I acknowledge the fact that my power is limited and my strength is not enough. My life is NOT ABOUT ME and embracing that truth is liberating. My life is ALL ABOUT YOU! Where I am weak, You make me strong. Where I can’t, YOU CAN through me. I decrease, that You may increase in, with and through me. I enter this day as a human conduit of the divine. You can bless me richly, because I will never take credit for what You do through me. I declare this by faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
This is Today’s Word. Apply it and prosper!
