KJV Sermon Outlines

Strength out of Weakness

2 Cor. 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

From G772; feebleness (of body or mind); moral - frailty:—disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.

So often we deal with our weakness according to our human wisdom.

We hide it.
We try to make it stronger with human means.
We may even determine it useless and try to live or cope with it by our own resources.

I. My grace is sufficient for you. 2 Cor. 12:9
A. What is grace? The freely given, unmerited favor and love of God. The influence or spirit of God operating in man. A virtue or excellence of divine origin. The condition of being in God’s favor or one of the elect.
B. God is telling Paul that His favor is all that Paul needs.
C. But how does that comfort us when we are struggling with weakness?
D. Some of our weaknesses can be resolved with a littler help from God.
E. Some weaknesses are like Paul’s thorn in the flesh. They don’t seem to let up.
F. How do we know if a weakness is removable or a thorn?
1. Paul laid it before God three times.
2. Pray fervently
G. If at some point it is determined it is a thorn then rely on God’s grace to sustain you through it.

II. God’s power is made perfect in weakness.
A. We are strangers in this sinful world. Because we are, we must suffer under the chains of weakness and suffering.
B. Because of this world there are things that we just have to live with.
C. Because of God and His Grace we don’t have to live on our own strength.
D. As God’s children He will lift us up. He will enable us to hold up under our load.
E. Just like the disciples asking about the blind man." Who sinned? Jesus says this man was blind so that God can be glorified for His healing.
1. If we allow God to use us despite weakness and shortcoming, He takes center stage.
2. God has got to take center stage so that others will see His power and know He can work in their lives as well.
3. Just like Mosses, Do we give Mosses credit for the miracles? No
4. But we do see how God can take a man slow of speech and make him the mouth peace of the nation.
5. God gives us this same example over and over and over.

III. When we are weak then we are strong.

Whenever archeologists discover something unique. Like a clay pot. They clean it up and put it on a marble stand and surround it with lights and security and display it for the whole world to see.

We have got something more precious than gold. God wants it to be displayed in our lives.

To be weak also means to be humble.
Because it is when we realize how weak we are that we realize the need for a savior.

More often than not we run long and hard before we are finally at the end of our rope and that is when we call on God for help. We must realize that we are weak before we will know God’s true power in our life.

1. You are powerless to deal with your weakness and struggles alone.
2. Man’s wisdom in these matters only leads to discouragement.
3. God’s grace is sufficient.
4. God’s power is made strong in your weakness

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