Paul discovered the amazing power of God’s grace when it came to him in his pain.

II Corinthians 12:7-9—And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 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.

(MSG) Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

     ‘My grace is enough; it's all you need.

     My strength comes into its own in your weakness.’

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.

 

I Corinthians 12:7-9¾But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

How wonderful it is when the Gifts of the Spirit can be at work in us even in our homes, wherever it is that we may live, where we may be working. Anywhere we may happen to be, the Kingdom of Heaven can be there in us moving in us and through us. I’ve found it especially a good place to minister the gifts that have come upon us from the realm of Heaven’s government when shopping in a large market place, like Wal-Mart for an example. More than once the Holy Spirit has led me to minister to, even pray with, people who are there likewise shopping. It is in the crowded places of life that we find people who are suffering and who long to know the great healing power of the Lord Jesus, even if they don’t know what it is they are longing for.

Isaiah 40:29-31—He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:  but they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

 

DEAR LORD, I am too weak to go through all that I am now facing. So, I am a candidate for the same thing Paul discovered. I am ready and open for what you revealed through Isaiah. I wait before You for Your grace that strengthens.

At the Word of the Lord we can be made strong.
—Daniel 10:16-19; Daniel 11:32b

 

 

 

 

 

 

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