When we are weakest, He is strongest

SCRIPTURE:

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. Philippians 2:17

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. 2 Corinthians 12:9

OBSERVATION:

I was just watching an old Chinese movie where the hero started off as a nobody, a loser, a weakling, an utter failure from childhood. However, after an incident where he was beaten up to a pulp and left for dead, the innate power within him came forth, and he rose up to become the great hero he was meant to be, with the incredible ability and skills to defeat the greatest villain, who had conquered everyone else up till then.

Somehow, the immense persecution this hero received was the catalyst for the release of his innate power. At the moment of his complete helplessness, he found out how immeasurably strong he could be. Looking at this from a Biblical angle, this is also true regarding persecution and the believer, regarding Christ being strongest when we are weakest.

In Old Testament times, heroes like Joseph became greatly used by God after long periods of suffering. King David, before taking his throne, suffered immensely under the persecution of King Saul who hunted for him zealously and drove David to become a fugitive in the wilderness for many years. Prophets like Jeremiah also suffered greatly in serving God, but out of that, produced the great books of Jeremiah and Lamentations in the Bible we have today.

Then, as told to us, in the marvelous four Gospels, our Lord Jesus Himself set the greatest level of sacrifice by his painful death on the cross. And from this sacrifice, He made the way to heaven possible for all who would believe on Him. At the moment of his ultimate physical weakness and death, He finished God’s mission for Him and gained the right to have His name exalted above all other names, at which every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord!  

Wherever the church has been persecuted throughout history, she has blossomed tremendously, receiving supernatural power and anointing to do the work of God and extend His kingdom. In the first 300 years of church history, under immense persecutions and executions by the Roman empire, the church grew at such a rapid rate that Christianity became the number one faith in the world in just 3 centuries. Although the church was weak and poor physically, she was full of power spiritually, and spread like wildfire across the whole known world, simply on the word of the testimony of Jesus Christ.

In recent times, we have seen the phenomenal growth of the church under tremendous persecution in China. In one of the greatest martyrdom stories in the 20^th century, Jim Elliot and four other missionaries were killed by the previously unreached Aucas that they had tried to reach out too. However, from their sacrifices, God brought tremendous revival among the Aucas through the ministry of the widows, with a strong Christian presence continuing to remain in the community up to this day.

In all this, we see a clear connection through the Scriptures between suffering and persecution with anointing and spiritual power. Where we are weak in ourselves, God becomes strong in us. The more we lose in our natural selves, the more we gain spiritually in God. When we fast, we lose energy and strength physically, but we become more attuned to God spiritually, and better able to receive His anointing for His glory.

Once, the apostle Paul cried out to Jesus to take away what he called a thorn in his flesh which afflicted him, but the Lord told Him “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness”. When we are weak, Jesus is strong in us.

In the Beatitudes, Jesus told us blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those who mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are the persecuted for righteousness. When we are weak in ourselves and surrender to God, His power comes alive in us.

APPLICATION:

Why is it that in the West, where people have abundant wealth and possessions, the church is weak? Remember the church of Laodicea, who said that she was rich and did not need a thing. The Lord found her lukewarm, distasteful, so that He felt like spewing her out of His mouth. In contrast, Jesus commended the church of Smyrna, who was afflicted and poor, yet was rich in the Lord’s eyes.  

Some of us are like church of Laodicea. We have all we need materially. We enjoy good food, good entertainment, and a rewarding career, but spiritually we are empty, and God is not real in our lives. Perhaps it is time, we need to pray that God will lead us to become weak in our flesh that we might become strong in His spirit. How do we do that?

Remember how King David said that He would not offer a sacrifice to the Lord that cost him nothing. For those who seek the reality of God in their lives, there must be sacrifice. For different people it may involve different things. For one, it may involve sacrificing a regular breakfast habit to spend time with the Lord before work. For another, it may be choosing a less demanding job to spend more time doing the Lord’s work. Another may be called to fast for an extended period to seek God’s will. Some may be called out to cut out certain hobbies. Others may have to forego a promotion. Each one must pray to God personally to see what He may lead him or her to sacrifice before God.

In time to come, great persecution may come upon us, and to stay true to our faith may mean going to prison or every losing our lives. However, right now, where we are, we need to start being faithful in small things, to start being willing to sacrifice small parts of our lives to please God. Only then, will we be more ready, when heavy persecution comes to take the stand for Him. 

PRAYER:

Heavenly Abba Father, precious Lord Jesus, we thank You for Your lesson in Scripture that teaches us that when we are weak, You are strong, and when we are persecuted for you, Your grace and blessing abound in us more and more to do Your will. Help us start now, we pray, to bend our will to submit to You even in small things in our daily lives. Lead us to know where we must change, and give us the grace and will to give up what we need to in order to go deeper in You. We praise You, and love You, Lord. Sustain us we pray. Teach us to be living sacrifices for you. In Jesus name, Amen.