HELP IS NEAR

“But when he noticed how strong the wind was, he became afraid and started to sink. He shouted, “Lord, save me!”” (Matthew 14:30, GW)

It is easier to give up and give in to destructive forces than it is to hold on by faith and fight back for a life worth living. To live, you have to overcome your fears, your doubts, your feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness, and resist every force intent on pulling you down and under.

Life sometimes does feel like Peter must have felt as he walked on water in Matthew 14:28-32. He started out full of confidence and enthusiasm, but before long his steps began to be tentative as his attention shifted and he became aware of the strength of the wind around him. By focusing on what the wind was doing his fear was fed, his faith starved, and he began to sink.

WHEN I AM WEAK

“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ” (2 Corinthians 12:10, ESV)

The life of a Christian presents an inescapable paradox that will perplex the casual observer. This paradox relates to the enigmatic juxtaposition of weakness and strength in the believer's life: “when I am weak then I am strong”.

Weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities are visited upon every believer, and as in the case of Apostle Paul, these are intent on interfering with our ability to serve God faithfully. But one of the great lesson God would have us learn from Paul’s experience is that physical weakness should not hinder our ability to serve God effectively.

Why was Paul content with being weak? Why did he consider his weakness strength? The answer is that he had received a promise from God. Paul pleaded with God three to deliver him from an affliction he described as a “thorn in the flesh”, a weakness, but God said to him:

 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:8–10, ESV)

God gave Paul a promise – not an explanation of the affliction, and so on, but a promise of the supply of grace! This grace is sufficient and it strengthens. God did not answer Paul’s prayer, as we would generally expect, by substituting the affliction, say, sickness with healing. Instead, God gave Paul a promise of grace to withstand and be effective despite the affliction.

God said to him, “My grace is sufficient…”, and the significance of this promise to us is immense. By this we understand grace to imply that God will provide for all our needs when we need them. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV)

Whereas the devil, through affliction (the thorn in the flesh), came to convince Paul of weakness; God, however, had a message of grace for Paul. Spectacularly, therefore, we learn about this power that is made perfect in weakness; grace that is strong enough to overpower any weakness so that we do not surfer any loss of effectiveness in performance.

Hold on to God’s promise and be fully persuaded like Paul when he confessed, “when I am weak, then I am strong”. Paul lived on God’s promise, his faith was stirred up and his expectation fired up! He was bold to say, “I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV)

O what joy it is that in our insubstantial and frail human bodies, and as yielded vessels, the power and the glory of God by grace can be so amplified, that despite weaknesses, and with Apostle Paul we are able to say, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13, ESV). Make this your daily confession of faith and may it become your daily reality also!

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WALKING WITH GOD

“[The Lord] holds victory in store for the UPRIGHT, he is a shield to those whose walk is BLAMELESS, for he guards the course of the JUST and protects the way of his FAITHFUL ones.” (Proverbs 2:7–8, NIV)

“Upright..., Blameless..., Just..., Faithful...!” These are adjectives that God uses to describe His people. In Christ, we are all that and more. And because God has called us by these names, he says “I hold victory in store for you, I will be your shield from every adversity, I will guard the paths you walk and protect you.

What a wonderful portrait the Father paints of His children in their walk. It now remains for us to live the truth and appropriate these blessings as our daily experience! In every trial, temptation, opposition, the challenge is stay true to who God says we are.

Do not call yourself any name that God has not called you, neither walk unworthily of the Lord. But let your walk, course &; way of life be morally upright. Receive grace to walk with God and be who He says you are; and He will do what He has promised!

May the Lord respond to you today with favour and keep you safe from the world, the devil, and even your own flesh.