Paul had an awesome experience of being, “…caught up to THE THIRD HEAVEN…up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which are beyond a man’s power to describe or put in words” (2 Corin. 12:3-4)
Paul then went on to say, “…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. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 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. 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 Corin. 12:7-10)
Does God really show His strength in our weakness? Remember the story of Gideon? He was asked of God to lead an army against the Midianites. Just who were these Midianites? “Now the Midianites and Amalekites, all the people of the East, were lying in the valley AS NUMEROUS AS LOCUSTS (their army was 120,000 strong); and their camels were without number, as the sand by the seashore in multitude.” (Jud. 7:12)
Gideon assembled an army of 32,00 men, God told him that was too many. So, got it down to 10,000 and God said, “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will BOAST THAT THEY SAVED THEMSELVES by their own strength.” (Jud. 7:2) Remember what Jesus said, “My power WORKS BEST in weakness.” With the Lord’s help the army was reduced to 300 men, Gideon, “…put a trumpet into every man’s hand, with empty pitchers, and torches inside the pitchers. When the three hundred blew the trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his companion throughout the whole camp…” (Jud. 7:16, 22) The Lord defeated this great army just like He will defeat the enemy who comes against us, so, whatever the Lord gives us to do, we just need to SEE IT THROUGH.
-Bill Stockham