“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

Stop running! Don’t you know who you are?  You are a child of the Most High God. You are more than a conqueror! You were born to win! Instead of throwing in the towel every time you are challenged, it is time to step up to the plate and defeat what has been defeating you.

As believers, I believe we often forget that the power of God has been made available to us in our daily lives.  Much like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, we try to avoid dealing with challenges that come our way.  When we are not avoiding them, we try to play God in our own lives and do it all in our own strength.

Our salvation is not based on our works, but on our believing!  It is all through faith.  Remember upon the finished work of the cross, the Grace and Power of God was made available to you and me as we accepted the sacrifice of Jesus.   IT IS FINISHED!  When He uttered those 3 words on the cross it gave us access to that Grace and Power. What good news!

Again, we find Paul asking God each time to take away his weaknesses, his frailties, his mess-ups, only for God to respond; “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” This would have angered many of us. We want to be free instantly.

Take a look at Titus 2:11-12 (AMP) “For the grace of God (His unmerited favor and blessing) has come forward (appeared) for the deliverance from sin and the eternal salvation for all mankind. 12 It has trained us to reject and renounce all ungodliness and worldly (passionate) desires, to live discreet (temperate, self-controlled), upright, devout (spiritually whole) lives in this present world.”  His Grace is Power!  It instructs us, equips us and empowers us.

It is by the grace of God that we are destined to conquer, destined to win. It is not by our own might, nor by our own power, but by the Spirit of Almighty God.  Take a lesson from Paul today and be a winner! From this point on, learn to boast in your weaknesses and allow His Grace and Power to be manifested in your life.

Father, forgive us for running from our challenges. I pray that we will begin to face every obstacle head on knowing and trusting that you have already equipped us with the Grace and Power needed to overcome every obstacle in Jesus Mighty Name Amen.

What are you afraid of?

Are you ready to embrace those fears and allow the power of God to be made known in your life? Do you realize the need to deal with your fears before moving forward?

By Mary Pinckney
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

1. A Bible Study on Waiting on God
2. The Names of God – A Bible study
3. The Names of Jesus – A study

The post What are You Afraid of? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

We often give up on ourselves when we are faced with insurmountable odds. We lose the fight it takes to keep ourselves in the race to our destination. Yet, God has given us the grace and the strength we need to persevere even in hard times.

If you find yourself at the point of giving up today, encourage yourself to get back up again. You are worth the effort it takes to get to your expected end. You are worth the fight that it takes to move from a place of mediocrity and begin living the life you were destined to live. There is hope for you.

Father, I thank you for encouraging the hearts of your people today. Many find themselves at a place of giving up on life. They see no hope for them. They struggle with loneliness, heartache, and pain. I pray that you will begin to heal their wounded hearts. Speak peace to the turmoil they feel at this moment. Help them to see the good things you are doing in their lives. I pray that their eyes will be open to the truth of who they are. I pray that they will begin to see the endless possibilities you have placed around them. Thank you for binding up their broken hearts and leading them to a place of peace and hope as only you can. In Jesus name Amen.

By Mary Pinckney
used by permission

FURTHER READING

God’s Strength to Persevere

Quiet Courage

Press On

If  you don’t have a relationship with Jesus, you can learn how to start one at this link:
https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws

The post Get Back Up Again appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“But he said to me, ”My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Are there areas in your life you have begged God for relief? Paul begged the Lord three times to take away what was causing him to struggle deeply. We aren’t told exactly what it was. It could have been a physical or emotional weakness. However, it was causing severe physical or mental suffering. Paul referred to it as a messenger of Satan to torment him. Can you relate to being in a season of life in which you feel so tormented that it’s hard to find pleasure in what usually brings you joy?

In light of Paul’s suffering, Jesus’ answer to his plea is not initially comforting. However, when Paul realized the implications, his outlook on what was tormenting him changed so much he was ready to boast gladly about his weaknesses. He chose to find pleasure in them because he knew it meant that Christ’s power would “rest in him” — in other words, that it would dwell in his soul. Paul wanted Jesus’ power.

Paul accepted his current reality, including the suffering, and he stopped begging for relief. He took all the grace that Jesus would give him. Paul said in verse 10 that, “for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Jesus says His grace is sufficient – no matter what you are going through physically or mentally. You can delight in your weakness. For when you are weak, then He is strong. Are you relying on Jesus’ all sufficient grace to get you through your suffering?

Lord, thank you that your power is made perfect in my weakness. Thank you for the grace to persevere in my current reality. Help me to gladly accept all the grace that you want to give to me. May your power rest upon me for Jesus’ sake! Amen.

By Donna Mitchell
Used by permission
https://thelife.com/devotionals

Do you have Jesus in your life?   Would you like to have a relationship with Him? If you do,  you can start today by committing and submitting your life to him. It starts with a simple heart felt prayer:

Lord, thank You for dying so we can be set free from all of guilt and sin — no matter how big or small.  Your blood has erased all of our sin. Thank You so much! Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life to you and ask you to come in as my Savior and Lord. Take control of my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Make me the kind of person you want me to be. Amen

FURTHER READING

The post Embrace Your Weakness appeared first on Thoughts About God.

We’re all on pilgrimage with God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. I do not want to miss the lessons of the journey or forget His words of intimate delight, wise counsel, and gentle correction.

God means what He says.
God is serious with us in the matter of complete obedience.  Ninety-eight per cent conformity to his will and his ways is not obedience. We want to say, “Cut us some slack, God,” but it costs not to obey him all the way. Remember Lot’s wife. Remember King Saul in the matter of the king of Amalek. If we compromise and treat God’s holy character lightly, we lose.

Only weakness will break strongholds.
God asks us to lead from weakness, not strength. God loves us too much to let us succeed in our own strength.  William Gurnall said, “We have embezzled his strength, and he calls an audit.” His name is I AM. I rest in the fact that He is. Without Him, I can do nothing, a big zero. God asks of us what He can do.

I try to live by grace, but unless God does a work of grace in me, I can’t.
I try to speak grace words, which are words of life, and only God is sufficient for that in me. I fully take all His love, but my life presents at best only snapshots of His grace.

God will not go any further than His children are willing to be pure.
Purity before God is the cutting edge. We must obey Him and not reserve the right to discard any part of His truth. We reject His holiness at our own peril and that of others in our sphere of influence. It is not just a personal issue. It also has consequences for those we will affect in this generation. King David sinned against the counsel of his closest adviser. It cost the whole nation of Israel thousands of lives (1 Chronicles 21). That is sobering. God says to us, “I can do all things. Will you repent of your willful ways and see My glory?”

God has been gracious to cover our ignorance.
God has been merciful up till now, but He may no longer cover us concerning what we are not ignorant of. Presumption will result in disaster. God is doing a new thing which will lead to more freedom and at the same time require greater accountability to Him. He has new directions for us and deeper levels for us with Him, if we have ears to hear and eyes to see Him and respond to Him. He wants new wine skins for a outpouring of His Spirit in this generation.

I must not listen to seducing voices.
Seducing voices will suggest we take the easy road, or take matters into our own hands by our own power, or follow the dramatic or sensational. We must give no ground to comfort, deception, or denial of reality. This will require a very fine-tuned antenna, homed in on God’s voice alone.

I have missed eternal moments that sneaked up on me when I was oblivious.
We often expect Jesus to come in the front door, and He comes in the back way and tries to tap us on the shoulder to turn around and see Him. I feel dull of hearing, about as sharp as a bowling ball much of the time, so it all has to be God. We know nothing but Him. We are clueless without Him. I am as weak as I have ever felt. I am exposed and vulnerable. I don’t want to miss God as He moves in power among His people.

I am passionate about ministering to God, tuning into His heart, honoring Him, receiving from Him.
The heart of Jesus is ravished for His bride. He is jealous for our affection. He will not share us with another love. He wants to captivate us for Himself as His beloved.

Get still with God in your favorite “Bethel,” your place of meeting with Him.

Let Him open up His heart to you personally, between you and Him.

Prayerfully reflect on your life in Christ. What is He saying to you? Let Him review the traces of His hand in your life. Ask Him to speak to you intimately and powerfully in a key of music you can hear.

By Sylvia Gunter
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• How to Pray

•  Prayer is Talking to God

•  Salvation Explained

SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL: FOLLOW THIS LINK

Follow Us On:  Facebook  • Twitter  •  Instagram  •  Pinterest

The post What Is God Saying To Me? appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 Corinthians 12:9

We know our own weaknesses only too well. They are the areas that trip us up over and over. We often try to hide those weak spots. We hate to even acknowledge them. They may be areas we like to gloss over, like procrastination; or they may be serious life threatening addictions.

God tells us that when we invite Him into those very places of weakness they become the entry point of His amazing strength in us! What a promise! Acknowledge the weakness today that is dragging your life down, invite Jesus into that very area and watch the truth of His word become real.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, that Your amazing grace is ENOUGH to cover all the weak areas of my life and character. Thank you that my weaknesses, though hard to admit to, are the very entry points of Your grace and power. Help me to change the way I view my weaknesses and rather than shrink from them and try to hid or cover them, may I bring them to You to fill with Your power. I look with confident expectation for Your help and Your hope. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Thought: Challenge yourself to openly acknowledge the specific weakness that tends to drag you down. Now pause and agree with God that you will let Him pour His strength into that very place. Trust God to go to work in you. Make a note to re-visit this issue next week and re-affirm your prayer weekly until you see the fruit of Christ’s strength in the middle of your weakness.

by Gail Rogers

Used by Permission

Email Visitors, Please send us your comments at https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/gr_gods-strength/ or click on the Title.

Learn more at:
https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws

Follow us by:
       
   

The post God’s Strength in Your Weakness appeared first on Thoughts About God.