Living With Weakness In the Power of God

Most of us have been there. That point in life where our lives feel as if they are spinning so out of control that we cannot even muster the strength to get out of bed, much less face the day before us. Life is hard and more often than we like, it involves events that are just too hard to bear. It is in those times often even the hardest of people turn to God in prayer. Even our atheist friends will come to us and ask us to pray. So we cry out to God and we ask for one of two things. God please remove this from our life, for it is too hard to bear. Or we ask God to give us the strength to face the day.

In no way are those prayers wrong. We do need God’s strength to carry us through. And it is right to humble ourselves before God and admit on our own we cannot do anything. James 4:2 even tells us “you do not have because you do not ask.” So, yes. It is more than ok to ask for strength in prayer.

But sometimes we forget that it is not our will that we seek in prayer; it is God’s will. Sometimes God’s will does not line up with our prayers. What happens when we don’t feel that strength we know we need? This morning as I was reading in Judges, the story of Gideon spoke to my heart in just this question.

The story is found in the sixth chapter of Judges and there we find Israel once again has done “what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Since God never allows His people to just flounder in sin, He brings discipline to them by handing them over to the control of Midian, who oppresses them by taking their food and their ways of producing it away. As Israel becomes desperate and poverty stricken, they once again, cry out to God. Most of us have done this very thing in our own lives. Things go well, we start to drift in our walk. Then God allows discipline in and things go south, so we cry out in prayer. Israel is so often a picture of our own behavior.

But God does not desert us, nor does He desert Israel. Even in our sinful behavior God shows us mercy and grace. Psalm 103:8-10 reminds us that “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.”

So God sends The Angel of the Lord, a title that describes Old Testament appearances of Jesus and often called a Christophany, to call out a man to deliver the nation out of their oppression. In what almost seems humorous, God’s choice is Gideon. Why is Gideon a strange choice from our perspective? First of Gideon’s family are worshipers of Baal (though we have no evidence Gideon was involved). Gideon self describes his family as the weakest in Manasseh and he reminds The Angel of the Lord that he is the youngest, implying even more weakness.

Not only is Gideon physically weak, he doesn’t even have much faith. He will test God continually by what we have come to know as the fleece test. Rather than accept that God has called him to obey and take charge, Gideon just keeps questioning God. Gideon wants signs that prove God’s Word is true. The simple truth is that Gideon doubts God. He is weak physically, emotionally, and spiritually. So why would God pick him?

The answer can be found in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.

God chooses the weak things of the world to show the world it is His power that rules sovereignly over all things.

Gideon’s story is a fascinating one. He would go on to fight the battle but something crazy in human terms occurs. Gideon begins with an army of 32,000 men and are about to face an enemy of 135,000. Seems like bad odds and we might expect God would add strength to his army. Not our God. He does not think like us. No, God takes men away until Gideon faces a 400 to 1 ratio. Gideon fights with only 300 men.

What’s the lesson for us in this today? I think it’s a simple lesson. Trust God. Obey God. Have faith in God. If God calls you to do something certainly pray about it. But don’t be afraid to move forward even if you don’t feel strong enough. If God called you to the battle, then it is God’s battle and He will provide the power to win.

Satan will tell you God has let you down. Satan will tell you that you are unworthy and you are too weak. Don’t buy it. Listen to God instead. Sometimes when we think we must move forward in battle and we have the strength, we must step back and let God do the fighting. Exodus 14:13-14 is a powerful reminder of who we have on our side. “But Moses said to the people, "Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the LORD which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. "The LORD will fight for you while you keep silent."

Do you feel weak and powerless this very day to even get out of bed? Does it all seem too much? Then you are right where God wants you to be. Have you prayed and prayed and yet it seems God just isn’t answering your prayer? Take comfort and have faith, He has not deserted you. Hear the words that Paul reports on from his prayers in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Let the power of Christ rest upon you. Nothing is too hard for God. If God says go, then go. Forget about your own strength. God doesn’t need it. He is Jehovah Jireh; The Lord who provides.

Seven Things to Remember as seen in Deuteronomy – Part 7 of 7

The seventh and final thing God commanded the Israelites to remember is from Deuteronomy 24:9 which says, “Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on the way as you came out of Egypt.” The story of Miriam’s sin is found in Numbers, chapter 12.

Numbers 12:1-2
Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. And they said, “Has the LORD indeed spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?” And the LORD heard it.

What we see happening in this story can and does happen to us as well. God has ordained certain people to serve Him in positions of leadership. And when they are truly ordained by God, then they speak and lead from His Word and God’s Word is the authority, for it is just that, God’s Word.

Just like Miriam, who harbored jealousy over Moses’ wife, became critical about his marriage, and rebelled against his leadership, we sometimes allow our own envy to lead us into rebellion. The church much too often, looks much like the world, especially inside ministry, where dissension and back-biting occur frequently. Why? Because we are a fallen people who still battle the ways of the flesh. And what are those ways?

Galatians 5:19-21
 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.

As we see in this list, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy are all acts of the flesh, sins that we still allow to exist in our hearts. These things slow down God’s work.

So, if we, like Israel, receive this commandment we will remember what happened to Miriam. Notice that God took notice of what was happening. Numbers 12:2 says that “And the Lord heard it.” God knows what is going on inside our hearts, our minds, and our lives. God would call Miriam, Aaron, and Moses out to the tent of meeting and deal with this sin. Listen to the results of this meeting.

Numbers 12:5-10
And the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the tent and called Aaron and Miriam, and they both came forward.
And he said, “Hear my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the LORD make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed. When the cloud removed from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. And Aaron turned toward Miriam, and behold, she was leprous.

Leprosy in scripture is often the disease that parallels what sin does to man. The leper was shunned and kept separate from everyone else just as our sin will separate us from God. Spiritually speaking until the Blood of Christ has cleansed us and made us pure, we are like lepers to God, unable to approach Him, for He is too holy to be in the presence of sin.

The good news of the story of Miriam’s rebellion is that Moses, the very man whom she offended and rebelled against, cries out to God in her behalf.

Numbers 12:13
And Moses cried to the LORD, “O God, please heal her—please.”

God responds to this prayer of intercession by healing Miriam but only after she spends seven days outside the camp.

In this story, we find several truths we can and should remember as Christians. First of all, when God speaks and commands us through His authority and His Word, we should obey. If not, then we may find ourselves under the hand of God’s discipline.

But the second great news we must remember, is that when we repent and confess our sin, we can be restored. Restoration to God may include consequences of sin and in Miriam’s banishment we see that principle.

But the most important lesson of all we must commit to remembering is that in Moses, we see the story of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. He is our leader now and when he speaks we must obey. But when we fail and fall back into the old fleshly ways, we have an advocate who intercedes for us, even though He is the very one we offend.

Hebrews 7:25
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

The life of a Christian sometimes involves failure. Therefore, we must read the stories of the Bible and remember them. We remember them because in the truth of the scriptures is the truth of our only hope, Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:11-13
 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

We can live a victorious Christian life. But we must learn from the past and the mistakes of those who went before us. We must learn from the past mistakes we have made. But we must also let Christ be our savior. He died for our sins and He took the penalty for us. Yes, there are consequences of our sin. But if our faith is in the finished work of Christ, we are restored to fellowship with our God.

This is why we remember.

Seven Things to Remember as seen in Deuteronomy – Part 6

The fifth thing God had Moses remind the people of was that they must remember their enemies.

Deuteronomy 25:17
“Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt.”

At first glance we could use this advice to justify our bitterness and our desire for revenge. This is not what this admonition says to us. We must never isolate verses and use them to justify our bad behavior and sin. Deuteronomy 32:35 eliminates any idea that the Jews were to be the administrator of revenge as God says, “Vengeance is mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.” Romans 12:19 and Hebrews 10:30 quote this command in the New Testament as well, and it has been wisely said that when God repeats something three times it is extremely important. Revenge is not what Christians must be about.

Then why does God want Israel to remember their enemies? For the same reason, we must; to be prepared when the enemy attacks.

The Christian life is not a peaceful existence while we are on this earth and in this life. The Bible is replete with military metaphors. We have an enemy and we are at war.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

So just like the Israelites, we must remember that we have an enemy. The best way to defeat an enemy is to know him. We must understand his ways, his tactics, and his motive. Satan wants to devour us.

The good news for Christians is found in Romans 16:20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. 1 John 4:3-4 reminds Christians that “…every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” 

Our Savior has already defeated the devil.

We can also find comfort in knowing that Satan does not have free reign to do whatever he wants to us. The Book of Job makes it clear; anything we face that the devil throws at us has been allowed by God. So the real question is will we trust our God to bring us through it?

1 Corinthians 10:13
 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

Ignore the devil? Do not. Remember he is your enemy. Remember and prepare for battle putting on your spiritual armor. Ephesians 6:10-11 says “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”  

Stand firm in the power of the Great Shepherd, Jesus.