Sermon Central
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Overcoming Your Weaknesses
Contributed by Carl Palatino on Feb 14, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: How to overcome weaknesses
OVERCOMING YOUR WEAKNESSES
Introduction:
The subject of 2 Corinthians is ministry, the church's work of service in the world. This is the central concept Paul dealt with in this epistle. What did he say about ministry?
He spoke of ministry in two ways. There is ministry per se (philosophy of ministry), and there is ministry to the world (practice of ministry).
Body:
I. BE REMINDED OF YOUR LIMITATION. (V. 5-6)
5 On behalf of such a man will I boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. 6 For if I do wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 And 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 buffet me-- to keep me from exalting myself!
a. Keep Humble
v. 5 “I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses”
b. Be In Truth
v. 6 “I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth”
II. BE KNOWN THAT OUR GOD IS OUR SUFFICIENCY (V.7-9).
8 Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
a. God’s Grace is our sufficiency
v. 9 "My grace is sufficient for you,”
b. God’s Power is Perfected in Weakness
v. 9 “that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
This is one of the most important lessons every ambassador of Jesus Christ must learn. Both natural weakness and supernatural power are constantly at work in us. The Cross is the greatest example of divine power working through human weakness. The greater we sense our weakness, the more we will sense God's power (cf. Eph. 3:16; Phil. 4:13).
III. BE DEPENDENT ON GOD (V. 10).
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
a. God brings contentment in weaknesses.
v. 10a “Therefore I am well content with weaknesses”
b. God makes you strong when you are weak.
v. 10b for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Conclusion:
To overcome our weaknesses, make sure that we are always reminded about our limitation, be known that our God is our sufficiency and let us be dependence on God, for God brings contentment in every weaknesses because, God makes you strong when you are weak.
