Living Hope Church
9 Nov Sunday Service
  • Sing Sing Sing
  • Open the eyes of my heart
  • You Are My King (Amazing Love)
  • Here Again

  • Recap

    We continue our series on being Battle Ready.
    We started with Knowing God, then Knowing Your Enemy,
    Last week was Powered by Prayer.
    We are almost getting to the actual armor pieces that Ephesians 6 says we are supposed to put on.
    This week, we need to talk about knowing our Strengths and Weaknesses. If you know who God is, you are functioning fearless in the calling He has given you. If you know your enemy, you know the ways he attacks you. But if you don’t understand your strengths and weaknesses, how can you know how to
    Capitalize your Strengths
    Build up your Weaknesses
    Last night, I felt led to move away from Ephesians, where I intended to preach from chapter 5. Instead, as we look at our strengths and weaknesses, one of the best examples we have is Paul in his letter to the 2nd Corinth church.
    We will be a little out of order in our reading. Let’s start with this passage.
    2 Corinthians 12:9–10 NIV
    9 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. 10 That is why, 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.
    —

    I - Acknowledge Your Weaknesses

    2 Cor, chapters 11 and 12 reflect Paul’s acknowledgement of the struggles and hardships he faced along with the weakness he was willing to boast in.
    For us today, there are different kinds of weaknesses that we must acknowledge and address in our lives.
    Weakness that requires Reliance
    Paul’s weakness reflected God’s strength. This was hard learned over many years.
    In Chapter 11, Paul expresses his frustration over others who came in to lead the church a different way. Listen to his frustration, and the struggles he went through for the Gospel.
    2 Corinthians 11:22–30 NIV
    22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
    Paul recognized that people needed to see his weakness and his need to rely on God for strength.
    This kind of weakness is where we are reliant and vulnerable, inviting God to take HIS rightful place in our lives.
    2. Weakness that Invites the Enemy
    This is an area that, if ignored, becomes the space the devil uses to hurt us and the message of the Gospel.
    This kind of weakness requires
    Healing
    Confession
    Accountability

    II - Recognize Your Strengths

    Strengths are meant for Service - Not Self!
    Romans 12:6–8 NIV
    6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
    When you discover your strong areas and your gifts, you can discover your purpose in the mission God has given you.
    Your Strength covers someone else’s weakness.
    Not for boasting, Your strengths are for building up the Body.
    Your Gifts are spiritual weapons in the Kingdom of God.
    Perhaps your strength is you care a lot - then pray a lot.
    Perhaps you love to serve - Ask God to lead you in serving.
    Perhaps you naturally see the best in everything - Encourage your brothers and sisters in the Lord.
    Perhaps you see everything that is wrong - Let God keep you from pessimism and hone the skill of justice (this is where many of our Evangelists come from).

    III - Train for Battle, be Ready for War

    1 Corinthians 9:24–25 NIV
    24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
    Hebrews 12:11–13 NIV
    11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.
    To be Battle Ready requires training.
    Did you see the correlation between discipline in, verse 11, and healing.
    2. Training Requires Discipline.
    3. Discipline Requires Humility.
    Along with Accountability
    4. Humility Requires Surrender.
    **If you only focus on your strengths, you get prideful.
    If you only focus on your weaknesses, you get discouraged.

    Action Plan:

    Rely on God and Others to strengthen and cover where you are weak.
    2. Use your Strengths and Gifts for God’s glory and the good of others.
    3. Train and Grow in your faith and relationship with God

      • 2 Corinthians 12:9–10NKJV

      • 2 Corinthians 11:22–30NKJV

      • Romans 12:6–8NKJV

      • 1 Corinthians 9:24–25NKJV

      • Hebrews 12:11–13NKJV

Living Hope Church
pastor@livinghopecogop.org
325-500-4763
http://livinghopecogop.org
3 members