*…..Strength In Our Weakness…by pastor Charles Elliott
Foolishness and weakness are interchangeable words in the scripture, So, scripturally, as I set the groundwork for my scripture text today, we could be correct in saying “Strength in Our Foolishness” as the title…..(of course, no one here has done anything foolish, those were the folks in another church which I pastored!!!!
(Anyhow) If you have flown on an airplane, then you have been asked something foolish, at security check in, “has anyone put anything in your luggage, with or without your knowledge”….. (I’m sorry, but if they did it without my knowledge, then I don’t KNOW…?)
Or perhaps you’ve heard of the lady who requested that a deer crossing sign be moved to a safer location, because too many deer were being hit by cars there….. (did she actually think that the deer were reading the sign?)
Or how about the woman who’s land line was out of order, so she went to a pay phone to schedule a repairman. He told her that they could come between 9am and 7pm. She asked if they could give her a smaller window of time, and he said, we’ll call you before we come…(will that really work?) .We probably wouldn’t like it if someone told us that we were being foolish, ignorant, or sounding stupid, as a matter of fact, we would probably resent it, and yet, that is exactly what the bible calls us, it says that God chooses foolishness…..but then, who are we to argue with God.
1 Corinthians 1:26−29 “For you see your calling, (klay-tos' ….. assignment or appointment) brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called, but God has chosen the foolish (mo-ros'…absurd, stupid, insipid) things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty and base (shameful and disgraceful) things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, even things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are… that no flesh (personal agenda or ego) should glory in his presence”.
Paul could write these words because he understood this truth of ministering in his weakness. Paul received many incredible revelations from the Lord. And at one point he was even taken up to a place he referred to as the “third heaven” where he heard something so divine that he was not allowed to repeat what it was that he heard.
Paul had asked God in 2 Corinthians 12:9 to remove a very troubling problem that was a hindrance to him, (I wonder how many times God sees how foolish our prayers are, when we request things that let Him know we have no clue as to what He is actually doing in our lives or the lives of others we’re praying about)….after praying three times about it, God’s answer was…..“My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in your weakness” .
More and more, I am realizing that I need to begin my prayers in every situation, requesting that God would allow me to understand and accomplish His intended purpose and outcome and I bind, annihilate and nullify anything that would hinder His intention and His plan, whether it made sense or not.
Why is it that God prefers to reveal His strength in our weakness? Perhaps we will have a better understanding as we consider the story of Isaiah when he was about to be ordained into the prophetic ministry. Isaiah 6:1 “In the year that king Uzziah died, I saw the Lord…” Uzziah was a king who died in pride, for he had become diseased in his mind. It is recorded that He had entered the temple and offered incense on the altar, although he was strictly forbidden to do so. ……
King Uzziah had mistakenly thought he could do whatever he pleased, however he pleased, and still suffer absolutely no consequences. The year King Uzziah dies, represents the year that pride dies.
It’s synonymous with the defining moment when we finally realize we don’t have any strength in ourselves—it is when our natural tendency to do our own thing, even doing it in the name of God, dies. It is when we realize that we don’t have the right or the knowledge and insight into the future, that is adequate enough to chart our own course in life. That’s the point when we truly get a revelation of the Lord!
At the time Isaiah had his vision, he was just beginning to operate in the office of the prophet and God was about to commission him…..just as the Lord is about to commission us as His church in a new fresh way, to move more in the gifts and callings upon our lives, as the coming of Christ draws near. God is on the verge of releasing a fresh anointing as He commissions us to represent Him at a new level, in our generation.
There are many who might argue, saying “Oh, God, I have known You for so long, but I am so weak. I am not as smart as other people, I don’t have the finances, and I don’t have the pedigree, like others have. Lord, don’t I need to have my act all together to be effective? How are You ever going to use me Lord?” …..
When we are tempted to look in dismay at our weaknesses, consider what followed in Isaiah’s vision.
Isaiah 6:1 “…I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up ..And his train filled the temple…”
The Lord is high and lifted up. That means He is above every name that is named, every kingdom that ever will be, every power, every principality, every circumstance, every trial—He is above it all! Nothing escapes His attention, and nothing is allowed to happen without His permission. Isaiah said “... his train filled the temple…” What an incredible picture, of the power of this image of God’s glory sweeping and billowing and moving throughout the entire area of the temple…….It is especially illustrated for us in light of the story which we are given in…
Matthew 9:21 “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind Him, v22 For she said within herself, If I may but touch the hem of His garment, I shall be made whole”. This woman had to press through all her mess, her cultural status, the stigma of her condition, and the pressing of the crowd to get to Jesus. She pressed through her long and costly affliction, and she kept a faith filled confession through her weariness, and when she finally touched the hem of His garment, immediately she was made completely whole. This woman touched the hem of Jesus garment, but Isaiah’s revelation brings something much more encompassing to us here… Isaiah said that the hem of His garment filled the temple.
In other words, there was nowhere in the temple where you couldn’t touch Him and be healed! So, let’s consider how, you and I are the temple of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament church. The presence of Christ is within us, and what Isaiah saw, is now a reality in the Spirit occupied, Spirit filled body of a New Testament believer—The hem of His garment fills the temple and His Spirit’s power is accessible and available to every believer! That means there is no area of your mind, your body, your past, present or future that God can’t touch. In other words, the healing of Jesus is in every part of you!
Isaiah 6:2 “Above it stood the Seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly”. Notice that the Seraphim were not even looking where they were going, for they were covering their faces with two of their wings. They were not traveling in natural strength, for they covered their feet with two wings as well. They were moving in, and operating in God’s divine power and by His Spirit. It is incredible to imagine that there are thousands, of these created beings flying around the throne, yet there is no confusion or competition among them! Where God is, everything is in divine order. All that is created and remains in subjection to Him knows its course in life and moves together in harmony within their God designed purpose and destiny. They live and exist to be in the glory of God…..
Paul said, Acts 17:28 “For in Him we live, and move and have our being” These mighty angels which Isaiah watched, had one word which they declared over and over.
Isaiah 6:3 “And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory”. They did this non stop, and it was a continual back and forth declaration which resounded over and over, endlessly…
This word “HOLY” in Hebrew, conveys the thought of being separate from and far above and removed from the grip of sin and death; nothing comparable, without any equal; completely perfect; free from imperfections and the flaws and the failures of humanity. It also means that God is absolutely faithful with perfect integrity in every promise He has spoken. I prepared my message on Wednesday, so I was thrilled when the guest speaker on Thursday night had us act out this very scripture… to give it impact, I want us to do what he was showing us in that meeting. He divided us into two groups and had us face one another and we shouted in relay back and forth, what the angels did….. How could the earth be full of His glory? It is clear that the heavens declare the glory of God, so also, is the order we find in nature, working within and underneath everything. But as we read today’s newspapers and look around our society, we might well ask, “how can we possibly conclude that the whole earth is full of His glory”?
The power of Isaiah’s statement lies simply in this: The church of Jesus Christ (you and I) is still here on earth, as a powerful force, and the glory of God abides within us, His temple, and the church of Jesus Christ with a capital “C” is all over the earth, filling up the entire planet. This is one of the reasons why the earth is full of His glory. The main problem is that we don’t know who we are in Christ. We don’t truly understand, what we have inside of us. We live so much of our lives trying to be and do what only God can accomplish in our lives. If we don’t know who we are in Christ, we can never access all that is available and accessible. It is important that we know and believe this.. as we come before Him in prayer.
We come to a throne that is above every other throne of power, or seat of authority, a place of absolute and complete divine order, a place where healing flows constantly and powerfully. We come to a holy God who is absolutely faithful to all of His promises, the One who has commissioned us to be His representatives on the earth until the day He takes His church home to be with Him forever.
Albert Einstein, world-renowned physicist, said “Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life feeling like a failure.” Of course, this could happen but God hasn’t gifted and called a fish to climb a tree. A fish doesn’t have arms or legs and can’t survive for long outside the water environment. However, if we focus on the fish’s ability to swim, then we are amazed at it’s graceful form, and it’s ability to maneuver as it glides through the water. As Einstein has said, everyone is a genius. God has given each of us incredible gifts through which He can work through us to transform our lives and the lives of others.
A large, well established, Canadian lumber camp advertised that they were looking for a good Lumberjack. The very next day, a skinny little man showed up at the camp with his axe, and knocked on the Foreman’s door. The Foreman took one look at the little man and told him, “I need a lumberjack, not a paper shuffler”. "Just give me a chance to show you what I can do," said the skinny man. "Okay, see that giant redwood over there?" said the lumberjack. "Take your axe and go cut it down." The skinny little man headed for the tree, and in five minutes he was back knocking on the lumberjack's door. "I cut the tree down," said the man, what next?. The foreman couldn't believe his eyes and said, "Where did you get the skill to chop down trees like that?" …."When I worked In the Sahara Forest," replied the puny little man. "You mean the Sahara Desert," said the Foreman. The little man laughed and said, "Oh sure, that's what they call it now!"
If we focus on what we can’t do...if we focus on our limited human nature and weaknesses.. and then compare our weaknesses to the strengths and abilities of others, then often we will feel like a failure. However, if we focus on God and what we can do when we partner with Him, when we allow Him to have His way and work in us and through us...then amazing things begin to happen.
Isaiah 6:5 “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.” Isaiah might have correctly wondered, “What do I have to offer this heavenly kingdom? It is so far beyond me. This place is so holy, it operates in divine order with absolute truth, integrity and perfection…..Isaiah came from perhaps the most religious, scholarly people on the face of the earth, yet he came to the conclusion that all their personal efforts, and their sacrifices to be righteous fell far short.
It popped the balloon of their inflated religious ego’s. Isaiah, was influential, he was a prince, he was educated and he claimed to be smart and learned, but in God’s direct presence he realized he was ignorant and less than nothing. We like to think we are strong and self-reliant but we are weak and helpless. When our eyes have seen the King, we know all our boasting is worthless. No matter how many zeroes you put after zero, it’s still worth zero, until God puts his “ONE” IN FRONT OF IT!!!! We claim to know what God is like, how He feels, and what He thinks, but it all falls far short, in the moment when our eyes have finally seen His glory and holiness! It was actually at this point of being brought to the place of feeling like a BIG ZERO, that Isaiah was about to be given the greatest revelation of HIS LIFE.
Isaiah 6:6–7 “Then flew one of the Seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this has touched thy lips; and my iniquity is taken away, and my sin is purged”. Through the work of the cross of Christ, the Lord says to each of us, “I have touched your lips, I have given you my redemption. Now come to Me, knowing who I am. I am above your weakness, I am above your frailty, I am above your circumstances, I turn your zero thing into everything you could hope for or imagine…..with eternity thrown in as a bonus.” Isaiah had all the training that was available through the schools of his day, he had been indoctrinated, saturated, and bloated with the theology of man, but now he came to the revelation that the kingdom of God is about grace and mercy and the Spirit’s enduement of power...Standing in the presence of God, he finally realized, “if God does not do it, then we are doomed.”
His immediate response was “I’ll go!” He knew the people needed to realize that all of their goodness and self-righteousness was as filthy rags. They needed to understand that the only way they would ever make it through to the place of being clean and being able to stand in God’s presence, was if He were to come and touch their lips, their motives, their abilities and talents and their lives. It is not because we have memorized verses or because we go to church, and do good works. We stand by the mercy of God alone, plus nothing!!! When you know the answer, you are excited about sharing it with everyone you know. You become a powerful, passionate evangelist of His grace, His mercy and empower-ment.
……A young preacher, was about to preach his first sermon and got himself pumped up and filled with positive thoughts, then went charging up to the pulpit, with his head high, expounding at full voice and going full throttle. About half way through, he began to flounder around and was grasping at something to say that was meaningful, hopping for a good closing. Finally, he wound down to a whimper, and humbly slipped out of the pulpit, with his face down. A veteran pastor, who was in the meeting came over after the service had ended, put his arms around the young man’s shoulders and said, “If you had gone up the way you came down, you would have come down the way you went up”… God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness.
When we are at our weakest…. when we realize that we can’t do it on our own, that is when God can do the most amazing things through us. When we stop focusing on what we CAN’T do and focus on what God can do and is, even now doing through us...that is when God can shine His brightest through us. But, it takes a change of focus...from us and our humanity, our hurts and our agenda, to God and His power.
A change of focus from the weaknesses we deal with as a result of being human, to the God breathed, God inspired gifts He gives us and the ways that God can use those gifts to work through us to transform the circle of our world.
We must let the power of the cross touch us and allow the sacrifice of Calvary to become sufficient for all of our sin.. That is why the Christian life is a life lived in mercy which is undeserved in and of ourselves. This realization will deliver anyone from a critical spirit, from the desire to gossip, gripe, judge others and complain.
Paul said that God allowed the weakness in his life to protect him from pride, assuring him that, “His grace is sufficient, because His strength is perfected in our weakness.”
.If you feel weak today, you can give God praise for it. You’re on the launching pad, to incredible things. You can say, “Lord, thank You for protecting me from spiritual pride and keeping me in a place where I can represent You. Less of me, more of You!!!
You can go to anyone in the city and say to them, ‘I’m not the person I used to be, for The Lord has been merciful to me, He has touched me, He is changing me sovereignly by His power.”
What are some ways that your struggles have made you see God clearer as you have allowed Him to work through you?
Think about your strengths. What gifts has God given you? If you’re not sure what those are, what do other people say that you’re good at? What brings you the most joy and fulfillment? How has God worked through you in touching other people’s lives in a deeper way.? This should show each of us, how God can work through and in spite of our limitations.
When we acknowledge our own weakness and our need for God’s strength, that is when God shines the brightest through us. God calls us to give our weak selves over to Him, so that we can partner with him to transform the lives of others and show ourselves and the world His strength, His love, and His perfection. The biggest question is, are we going to get out of the way and let his power, grace ad mercy do it?
.What good would it do us, to have a great car, but have no gas to put in it….you would still be walking. You could have a beautiful home, with the latest appliances and gadgets, but without electricity they would all be pretty useless. You could have the very latest computer, but if we didn’t know how to use it, it would just become another dust collector. We would say that any of these things under these conditions would be foolishness…..
.How foolish would it be for us to give the keys to our car to a 5 year old child and ask them to run an errand for us…. It’s the same way with God when we ask Him for some of the things we ask…..That’s why God has only 4 answers to any requests we make to him…it’s YES, NO, WAIT AND YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!! But as we grow, develop, surrender and learn through the things He brings to teach us, He hands us the keys…..
.Chief Joseph was the chief of a very poor Indian tribe, but one day they discovered oil on the Indian land, and everything changed. For the first time, they were able to have things that other folks around them enjoyed. Chief Joseph wanted a new Cadillac convertible and now he had the money to get one. He was one happy Indian, and was excited about cruising down main street and showing off in his new car. Sure enough, everyone’s head turned as he approached, but it was because *……the chief had hooked up a team of horses to his big, new car, and they were towing it around town, because he had never learned how to use and operate the power that was under the hood. All that power under the hood and he was settling for two horses, because he didn’t understand how to tap into all the power he had available to him!!!
In Hebrews chapter 11 and verses 32 to 34, we read these familiar words, “And what more shall I say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Samson who through faith subdued Kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, and out of their weakness we’re made strong”.
These two men who are mentioned, had some serious faults and flaws…Gideon was too weak to be of any use. And Samson was too strong to be of any use. Gideon didn’t believe that he couldn’t accomplish anything, and Samson believed he could accomplish everything. It is the contrast of The man who feels that he has nothing to offer and the man who feels that he has everything to offer. Two men; opposite extremes. One is weak and becomes strong; the other is strong and becomes weak.
God uses the humble, the fearful, the timid, the cowardly, empowering them through faith; and he humbles the mighty, and the bold for His own purposes.
.Hebrews 11:34 says this, “Out of weakness, they were made strong.” And we look at our lives and we wonder, “Can God use us in our weakness?” Oh yes, As a matter of fact, He prefers it to demonstrate His strength in our weakness….
.When a country is at war, often two types of people arise. There are those who make every effort to enlist in the cause of defending what they believe in their hearts is right, even if they are not yet of age, or if they have physical problems which might disqualify them.
There are others, however, who sit at home living in dread of receiving a letter that will compel them to join the fight. Many of these might simply be overwhelmed and are lacking the courage or confidence to be able to stand and complete that which will be asked of them as they think of the disciplines and dangers of war.
.God is commissioning His people in this hour. He is looking for those who are willing to say, “Here am I, send me”— “Who will go? Who will speak for me? Who is it that will not be ashamed or overwhelmed?
He needs hands to touch through…feet that will go… mouths to declare, teach, and edify…hearts to be moved with compassion…Those who respond are those who will believe that, despite their own frailties, the Holy Spirit will guide and operate through them. Do you know how God gets glory? He sends you and uses you….. perfecting His strength in your weakness and revealing His power in your imperfections….and He gets all the glory…. and that is how His glory fills the earth! Hallelujah! So, if you feel unworthy, you’re in exactly the right place for a mighty demonstration of God’s strength and power! You are positioned to discover His potential in you…..
.Do you receive it?......PRAYER IN AGREEMENT….
Lord Jesus, I put on Your love and walk in absolute trust and confidence in Your power, wisdom, and goodness. I no longer have to flinch in sacrifice, hesitate in adversity, negotiate with the enemy, or wallow in the maze of mediocrity. I now leave the past behind and walk in new life with You. Let Your Divine Wisdom and blessings flow through me Lord, as You position me for favor and blessing. I know that the thoughts You think towards me are thoughts of good and not of evil, thoughts to give me a future and a hope.
Lord, I praise You and thank You that You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that I ask or think as you restore to me all that has been lost in a double measure in the coming days.
The fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily within me, for I am seated in heavenly places with Christ and my life is hidden in Christ. I am a joint heir with God in His plan concerning every living human being that I encounter. I have the ability to communicate to others the power of His life. I have access to His total supply for my body, soul, and spirit. I am not of this world, but I am a citi+zen of heaven and His ambassador in the earth. I overcome evil with good, for I am created for His glory, and I have been given the power to manifest His glory, nature and character on earth.
.I declare and decree that there shall be a performance of His living and creative Word and His people shall have a revelation of an abundance of peace, truth, health, prosperity, deliverance, safety, and abundant life. Every day is appointed, set apart, and designed for me to accomplish His will and as I yield myself as the instrument God, fill me with Your unlimited grace, power and love. Strengthen and use me more and more in the days to come. Enlarge my vision as You enlarge my territory, so that I can influence more and more lives for Your Kingdom and Your Glory.
In Jesus Name,
Amen!
