08-20-2025 PART 3: Strength Through Weakness

Section 1

The teaching begins with Paul’s testimony in 2 Corinthians 12:7–10, where he speaks of receiving abundant revelations and then being given a thorn in the flesh—a messenger from Satan—to keep him humble. Despite pleading three times for God to remove it, the Lord answered, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power works best in weakness.” Paul’s conclusion was not despair but joy, choosing to boast in his weaknesses so that Christ’s power could rest on him. This passage highlights the paradox of strength: the more one acknowledges weakness, the more God’s strength shines through.

Section 2

The message pushes back against common misinterpretations, stressing that the thorn was not merely a physical ailment but a demonic opposition allowed by God. Rather than focusing on the specifics, the key lies in God’s response—grace and power manifesting in human frailty. Paul’s declaration, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” is presented as the ultimate reversal of worldly thinking. Unlike the self-reliance promoted by culture, the believer’s power is not their own but Christ’s life working in and through them.

Section 3

The practical application is clear: Christians must accept weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles as contexts where God’s power can be displayed. Far from being a mark of failure, dependence on God is the foundation of true strength. Tying back to earlier lessons on surrender, the message reinforces James 4:7 and John 15: apart from Christ, believers can do nothing, but in Him they can bear fruit. The Christian walk is not about personal greatness but about partnership with God, who delights in His people and longs for fellowship with them forever.