The Power of Weakness - Bola Olu-Jordan
When you are too weak to stand, it is time to kneel and pray.
The time of your weakness is the time of your greatest strength.
The disciples of Jesus saw Him walk on water. What a marvelous miracle that was! However, rather than to rejoice and give praise to God for such a wonderful manifestation of God's power, they were terrified: they thought a ghost was heading towards them in the boat, for no man ever walked on water before.
Sometimes too, God does such miracles in our lives. And rather than for us to rejoice and give praise for the manifestation of the power of God, we are like the disciples: terrified and afraid, thinking it’s something that would swallow us (Psa 126:1). Even though you see a ghost walk on your water, your sky turn black, or the ground shake under you, as a child of God, know that primarily, all things work together for good, even when you don’t know the good there. This is what David means when he said: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early (Psa 46:1-5). God may never be early, but He is rarely late. Therefore, do not be afraid of the terror that will not come, because it will not come. Jesus later revealed Himself to the disciples that He was the one walking on the water and not a ghost. They loved to have such once in a life-time experience. But the water was still water and has not changed its character. It was a hindrance to their dream and also an obstacle to reach Jesus. But Peter did not focus on the trouble (water), his gaze was on the miracle (Jesus). He saw Jesus, not the water! What you see in every situation determines what you get in that situation. If all you see is water (trouble), it will confine you to your boat and you will never take a step to experience a miracle with Jesus. But if you can see Jesus on the waters of your life, then, it becomes a means to getting to your miracle. There is always a miracle in your water, no matter how turbulent. There is always a miracle in your boat, no matter how stormy. Twelve men were sent to view the land of Canaan. God had said He had given the land to the children of Israel. But they did not see the “milk and honey” God said the land was flowing with, they saw giants. They said they looked like grasshoppers beside them. However, two of them, Joshua and Caleb saw beyond that, they saw what God promised and they were the only one who got to the Promised Land, all others died on the way. It’s time you began to see the promise of God and not the barrier of men. What God has promised, He will do it because He is faithful, even when you are faithless. It may be a fact that the waters surround you, but the truth is that God has given you power to walk on the water (Luke 10:19). Do not allow the trouble and limitations around you to prevent you from getting to the miracle ahead of you. The miracle may look like a ghost or a terrifying situation, but if you look closely (with the eyes of faith), you will see Jesus there. It took King Nebuchadnezzar to look more closely before he could see that there was a fourth Man in the furnace of fire that only Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into. Choose to see beyond the natural. Jesus is always in every of your situation whether you see Him or not. He said, “When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Isa 59:19). God is always going ahead of you. It’s not about your weakness, it’s about His greatness and power. You are probably focusing in the wrong area for solution to your problem. That may be your weakness, but there is a provision beyond the weakness. The bread, healing, miracle, prosperity, peace, job, partner, etc, are good but so temporal they will not even follow you to eternity. Jesus is all you need. He is the “very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). God is not only your provider, He is your provision. You must defy the odds; the waters, the limitations around you and reach out to Him like the disciples did. He was in their boat when the wind was against them and they called out to Him and He answered and save them (Mar 4:38). You have been too long in the boat staring at the water, hoping for an escape. You need to step out of that sinking boat and walk on the water by faith to reach Jesus. He is there in the water with a stretched hand waiting to hold you through. Do not wait until there is strength or something good in you to come to Jesus. Do not wait to do some good things before you reach out to Him. You will be surprised that those good things will only disqualify you because there is nothing good that exist in us that we can give to God. If you have anything good in you, then, you do not need a Savior or God. In this context, therefore, your weakness is not a barrier to coming to Him but rather a strength and qualification. Do you need healing? Then, come to Jesus with your sickness, for only "they that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick" (Matthew 9:12). Come to Jesus with your sickness or weakness and not without them. Don’t try to clean up or makeup. The worst it is, the greater the grace available for you, for where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (Rom 5:20). Are you weary, frustrated, tired and ready to give up? You got some qualification. He calls out to those who “labor and are heavy laden.” His promise to them is “I will give you rest” (Mat 11:28). Why don’t you bring them to Jesus? Peter saw more of Jesus than the water. He saw miracle, not trouble. Although the water would naturally prevent him from getting to Jesus, the desire to meet with Jesus made him overcome the immediate trouble. The same with Zacchaeus: he couldn’t see Jesus because of the crowd. He had to climb a tree to get a glimpse of Him because of his little stature. He was the most disadvantaged person there by stature, yet he was the only one Jesus entered into his house (Mat 9:1-8). What about that! Weakness is a qualification to receive strength. The more of that you have, the more qualified you are to receive strength from Jesus. Jesus told Paul in his time of utter weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10: "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." The understanding of this powerful truth makes Paul to say: "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." This must also be your confidence. When you are too weak to stand, it is time to kneel and pray. The time of your weakness is the time of your greatest strength. Have you given up on something or yourself because of a sin, habit or vice in your life? Have you concluded that God cannot save or use someone like you? Do you see a class of people God might answer their prayers or be pleased with and your name is not on the list because of the sin in your life? It is true that God hates sin (He really does), but also true that He loves the sinner and wants him to come to Him just as he is without any makeup. God wants you to come to Him with those weaknesses, lack, needs, problems, etc. There must be something to present to God and it is not your good works. Bring those inadequacies and inabilities to Him right now and give them over to Him. Talk to Him about them as you would talk to a close friend. Don't be ashamed. Weep if you must but bring them anyway. Peter heard only one word that propelled him from the boat to above the water, the word, “Come!” Jesus is telling you the same word right now, “Come!” There would be a million reasons and barriers that would prevent you from taking that action. But they cannot be greater than the voice of the Lord. Jesus’ word is life. It shot Peter out of the boat straight into the very water that threatened to swallow him. And behold, he hit the water walking! You can experience the same. How sweet to walk on top of your problem! Jesus is telling you the same word now, “Come!” He says, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mat 11:28). “Oh, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1). Come! All you need is all you got. Come, there is power in your weakness; you can turn it to a miracle only if you come to Jesus. The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come!” |
God may never be early, but He is rarely late. It may be a fact that the waters surround you, but the truth is that God has given you power to walk on the water (Luke 10:19).
Do not allow the trouble and limitations around you to prevent you from getting to the miracle ahead of you. Weakness is a qualification to receive strength. The more of that you have, the more qualified you are
God is not only your provider, He is your provision. When you are too weak to stand, it is time to kneel and pray.
God wants you to come to Him with those weaknesses, lack, needs, problems, etc. There must be something to present to God and it is not your good works. Jesus’ word is life. It shot Peter out of the boat straight into the very water that threatened to swallow him. And behold, he hit the water walking!
Are you weary, frustrated, tired and ready to give up? You got some qualification. He calls out to those who “labor and are heavy laden.” His promise to them is “I will give you rest” (Mat 11:28). Why don’t you bring them to Jesus? |