GOD'S POWER WORKS BEST IN WEAKNESS

7. “even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
8. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.
9. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. MY POWER WORKS BEST IN WEAKNESS.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
10. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT)

• Whoever wants to be strong in the Lord must become weak.
- The weaker you are in self, the stronger you become in Christ.
- Those who are strong in themselves cannot be strong in the Lord.
- God's power works best in weakness. The weaker you are, the greater the power of God you wielded and demonstrated.

• Whoever God will work through or use to do exploits, must be thoroughly broken.
- If you want to be used of the Lord mightily, you will undergo baptism of fire 🔥; drink the cup that Jesus drank (Mark 10:35-39)
- Baptism of fire is baptism of suffering!
- Apostle Paul said he takes pleasure in infirmities, reproaches [Insults], needs [hardships], persecutions, distresses [troubles]; for Christ's sake (2 Corinthians 12:10).
- Whoever would walk in power, manifest power, will suffer for Christ (2 Timothy 3:12).
- Your depth in God is determined by the level of sacrifice you are willing to make, that is, your readiness to suffer, endure, for Him.
3. "You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
12. If we ENDURE, we shall also REIGN with HIM. If WE DENY HIM, He also will DENY US.”
2 Timothy 2:3,12 (NKJV)

• Many complain about sufferings and challenges, yet they want God to equip them with power— they want to have visions and revelations.
“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, A THORN IN THE FLESH was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet [beat] me, LEST I be EXALTED ABOVE MEASURE.”
2 Corinthians 12:7 (NKJV)
- God allowed a thorn in the flesh of Paul, a messenger of Satan, to keep him from becoming proud.
- The sufferings and challenges you experience as you grow in power, anointing, revelations, and visions; are meant to keep you humble, that you might not forget your source, God.
- That you might know all you have is given you by God (1 Corinthians 1:29).
- The challenges would compel you to keep looking unto God, that you might not rely on self. You avoid self-aggrandizement (Hebrews 12:2).

• Therefore you must be glad in weaknesses; the lesser you depend on self, the stronger you become in God.
- God needed to break Jacob that he might no longer depend on his human wisdom, craftiness—he had used it against his brother, Esau, and his father, Isaac (Genesis 27:30-38).
- Before God could bless Jacob, He had to touch, strike, his hip socket; then he began to leap. God weakened him that he might know how to depend on Him, not on human wisdom, craftiness (Genesis 32:24-30)
14. “But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
15. This WISDOM does not descend from above, but is EARTHLY, SENSUAL, DEMONIC.”
James 3:14,15 (NKJV)

- God would need to touch, strike, some people's hip socket; make them cripple, walk with a limp, before He could use them.
- They will need to lose the use of their limbs, that they might rely, depend, on God solely.
- When God does that they become dependent on God; for He does not want us to live independently of Him (John 15:4,5).
4. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5. “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
John 15:4,5 (NKJV)
• Thus, if you desire to be used of the Lord, expect weaknesses, reproaches, hardships, persecutions, distresses or whatever.
- His power, strength, works best in weakness!

• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!