It Is His Strength

I was thinking tonight we are fragile beings. No matter how tough we think we are in our natural state, we are fragile. Oh, we bear up under some heavy loads by His Grace, then something comes along and hits that little hole in our armor. That one little spot we keep concealed over our hearts... and we are brought down in our weakness...

That is where his strength comes through in a mighty way, if we look to Him!

The much debated thorn in Paul's flesh, has been much overlooked in how we apply that scripture to our own lives...

Paul never disclosed what his problem was... Yet I think it had to do with his past which clicked hard on his heals... The accuser went from town to town looking for that opportune time to take a shot at Paul with its fiery arrows....

2 Corinthians 12:

8 I begged the Lord three times to take it away from me.

9 But he told me: "My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak." So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ's power will live in me.

10 Therefore, I accept weakness, mistreatment, hardship, persecution, and difficulties suffered for Christ. It's clear that when I'm weak, I'm strong.

When I Pastored a Philippine Congregation year ago I was told their old Cultural proverb..."You make Your own ghost".. that stuck with me many years and during that time I have made my own ghost too, as we all have, and do... and there the adversary will try and enliven that ghost every chance it gets. Yet we have a "ghost buster" in Jesus. The Anointing of The Holy Spirit.

The key is this.... In verse 9:

9 But he told me: "My kindness is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak." So I will brag even more about my weaknesses in order that Christ's power will live in me.

He works with us and in us.... and He pulls for us. In those times of testing, which we all have. When we feel we have been beaten down or stretched to breaking... His Strength shines through! Hope arises and we grow!

Romans 5:

1 Now that we have God's approval by faith, we have peace with God because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done.

2 Through Christ we can approach God and stand in his favor. So we brag because of our confidence that we will receive glory from God.

3 But that's not all. We also brag when we are suffering. We know that suffering creates endurance,

4 endurance creates character, and character creates confidence.

5 We're not ashamed to have this confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

We keep our eyes upon Jesus... as I shared a verse with someone I hold dear to my heart tonight. Colossians 3:

1. Since you were brought back to life with Christ, focus on the things that are above--where Christ holds the highest position.

2.  Keep your mind on things above, not on worldly things.

3.  You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

4.  Christ is your life. When he appears, then you, too, will appear with him in glory.

Keep Your eyes upon Jesus! When the tough times hits, pray in The Spirit and with understanding and He will bring You through!

In Heaven there is no pain or lack...His Peace resides there, and He is there to give You that peace of The Holy Spirit , if You look to Him!

Isaiah 26:3,

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you: because he trusts in you."