“…So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 NLT
What is weakness as it pertains to a person’s character or being?
One definition of weakness is the state or condition of lacking strength (physical). Another definition is a quality or feature regarded as a disadvantage or fault. One distinct definition speaks of an inadequate or defective quality.
“Lord, what is my weakness? my weaknesses?”
I heard the Spirit whisper, “What have you been delivered from? What did you once indulge in that opposed the way of God in you and for you?”
It dawned on me that every weakness that I carried with me before I knew the Lord for myself, I no longer carry.
I no longer carry the burden of shame, rebellion, guilt, sexual immorality, reckless speech/thought, impatience, practicality that hindered faith, timidity, vulgar spirit, self-esteem battles, depression, and everything else that encouraged me to indulge in destructive ways out of a need to protect myself so others do not see my weaknesses.
So I ask you today friend, “Is it still a weakness if you no longer indulge in it? Or is it yet a weakness because you are still harboring that which cause you to battle with your identity in Christ?”
I pondered deeply on whether not having a weakness was something to say out loud. Would it not sound arrogant of me to make such a claim? Then I recalled the heart of the Apostle Paul when he penned his letter to the Corinthians (see above scripture context)
The grace of God is sufficient indeed.
I can boast of nothing because I confess daily that my life, my being, my character is a work of amazing grace, a work that God saw fit to do through Christ and with the Spirit of God that sanctifies us daily.
How then can I live in the knowing of Christ’s finished work and still claim inadequacy or defect in my person?
Whose pressure do we succumb to when we feel the need to state our presumed weaknesses? Are we speaking of weaknesses according to what God reveals? or according to what human being say that we are? Why is that thing really a weakness?
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I believe that God’s way of showing us his work in us is by challenging us to grow and mature in the Spirit. We are called to repent, forgive, and renew our minds. That is no weakness. Rather, I believe it is the strengthening process of Becoming.
Besides, is God still not the Potter and we the clay? Do we really believe that God makes mistakes in forming our person? Once again, I urge us to consider the things we call weaknesses. Will we find that our weakness is in comparison to others and not to Christ? Would a comparison to Christ not leave us all vulnerable and weak in the hands of God’s grace to do the work of sanctification in us?
So why then do we call our cracks weaknesses? Are we still not in the hands of a merciful Potter who is reshaping, remolding, and re-polishing us daily?
I pray that our Father in heaven continues to do a perfect work in us through the Spirit and helps us to receive the grace of not boasting, but humbly confessing that there is no weakness in the strength of Christ Jesus in us. Amen.
I’m so honored to have walked with you on this journey of Grace. These revelations are an awesome testiment to how even in weakness we can be strong in Christ who strengthens us.
I say “can” because I believe it is a matter doing the work of breaking out of how the world sees us and pressing into how our Father sees us. I believe that we all fall short of what He calls us to daily but my strength has come from being able to point out that thing that has made me fall short and speaking to it as though I have overcome it. Not that I am inadequate because I point it out in fact, I am stronger because my eyes were then opened to know that I have help defeating it therefore, I can be unashamed to speak of it. Not claiming it, just simply testifying on the Lords behalf of how He is bringing me out of dark places that will constantly try to pull me away from His marvelous light.
I pray that through these revelations and with the Lord our God on our side this conversation will ring throughout the entire earth. As we approach a new day, week, month and year I pray that these words of truth, honesty, and vulnerability will open eyes and hearts not only to our truiest identities but so that we would trust that we can share our truths gracefully and unashamed.
I tear down the walls of of pride and I release the supernatural free gift of grace that is sufficient to all who believe in the Name of Jesus. I pray salvation to those who have not received their call back into the Kingdom. I rebuke any and all retaliation that would try to approach them (new believer) also I cover those who have a heart to daily commit their lives to this walk of faith. That You Father would release a fresh oil over their minds, bodies and spirit that would strengthen them for the next season and chapters of their lives. That they would be have a patience that could only come from Your perfect peace. I release now charged angels on their behalf that would minister, serve and protect them in all over their ways. Illuminating pathways of righteousness so that along the way helping others come up into new dementions by the sharing of their testimony will become their new normal.
In Jesus Name
Yes!!! I come in alignment with every prayer in Jesus name! God bless you sis!