11.11.2024
Reflect on Jesus’ teachings for peace and unity amid life’s pace and societal divides.
Sermon Series:
Summary:
Reverend Tamika Jackson shares a powerful message from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, reminding us that God’s grace is sufficient and His power is made perfect in our weakness..
Transcript:
Good morning journey. My name is Reverend Tamika Jackson and I am so blessed that Pastor Jonathan has given me these opportunity to speak to you this morning. Unfortunately, I regret I cannot be there. I am a little bit under the weather, but I still wanted to be able to bless you with the word that God has given me to speak to you about this morning. So if you would please stand for the reading of the word and it comes from Second Corinthians chapter 12 verses nine through 10. When you have it say Amen and it reads, 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. That is why for Christ's sake, I delight in weakness, insults in hardships and persecutions and difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong. I'm going to say that again for when I am weak. I am strong. Tell someone that's sitting next to you. When I am weak, I am strong. Amen. Let's go to God in prayer this morning dearly Father God, we thank you Lord. We thank you Lord because you are a God who loves us. Lord, you sit high and you look low dearly. Father God, we just thank you for the message that you're going to bring for the people this morning dearly Father, the people of God who loves you so dearly, God. Lord, I just pray that you let the words out of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing and acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, and my Savior and my redeemer, Lord. Lord, I just pray that your word goes forward dearly Father Lord, that it may just transform lives. Heavenly Father, Lord, that when they leave this place that they'll forever be changed. Heavenly Father, they'll be transformed by your word, Lord, that they are not only hearers of your word Lord, but they'll be doers of your word. Lord. Lord, we thank you for what you're about to do, how your Holy Spirit is just going to move in this place, God, and we'll forever give you the praise and the glory. In Jesus' name we pray, amen to God be the glory.
Here in this text, the apostle Paul is speaking to the church of Corinth and he speaks about the revelations of God and his visions, but also he makes note of his ships and persecutions and he calls it the thorn in his flesh. I think I can relate to the apostle Paul because sometimes it's just a struggle for me just to even get up in the morning and go to work throughout the week because sometimes I stay up too late and I probably shouldn't have stayed up late. I probably should have went to bed on time and sometimes I just don't want to go. Maybe some of you may have felt like that before, especially those of you who are still working and also, and sometimes when I get up and I go to my closet when I have to get my clothes ready in the morning, I don't like anything that I see.
I'm just not in the mood to even pick anything out. And sometimes when we're supposed to work out when it comes to those things like that, even times when I don't even desire to work out because of my arthritis, yes, I said it guys, my arthritis, I just want to rest. So those things for me, I can admit that these things are sometimes a struggle for me. I don't know about you, but maybe some of you guys have struggles that you often deal with on a day-to-day basis. So even though I can laugh about these things now, when I look back at everything that we have endured as Christians from early church history until now, through our persecutions, our ridicule, slander, mockery, our hardships, struggles, and even setbacks, I am reminded that as we continue to live out this Christian journey, call life and as we move toward the future, we will continue to have our hardships and struggles. If you don't believe me, remember what your grandmother said or my grandparents who said all the time, baby, if you don't believe it, just keep on living. So we are reminded of this.
So as we continue to live out this Christian journey through our struggles and tribulations, Christ offers us strength. When we feel incapable of moving forward by empowering us in our weaknesses, we are reminded that it is Christ's strength that pushes us towards the mark, as Paul said, and it is our words that ignite our power to change the way we view our circumstances. So this morning I would like to speak to you from the topic. There's a blessing in the struggle and from the subtopic, power up your words. Struggle and opposition is not something that we can always avoid, whether it's guilt from our past, instability on our jobs, or we can even say our financial obligations or bad habits that we just cannot seem to break. Our struggles can also be physical or even spiritual. See, some of us are battling sicknesses, sickness in our body that we have been enduring for many years or our struggle may be dealing with an eternal battle within ourselves such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, loneliness, shame, guilt, fear, hatred, unforgiveness, or even revenge.
See, in second Corinthians, the apostle Paul calls these battles a thorn in the flesh. When we experience these thorns or struggles, Christ reminds us that his grace is sufficient and that his power is made perfect in our weakness. In other words, his grace is enough and it is abundant. Christ gives us the gift of protection and unconditional love that we are not deserving of. I know I'm not deserving of it, but he places a covering of divine favor over our lives. So when we feel as if we don't have the power or strength to make it through our obstacles that we face, he powers up his strength and in us, us who help us become stronger. We can often see the hand of God as Christians have gone through early persecutions trials and even false imprisonments through difficult times. This is a thorn that is still occurring today around the world and was not removed from some Christians, but God's grace was manifested in their weaknesses, which gives strengths for the journey ahead.
See, some of you can most likely testify that God's graces kept you when you were one day behind prison walls or while you were running the streets or from losing your mind or being in an early grade because you weren't always in the spiritual place that you are today. You can also testify that if it had not been for the Lord on your side, where would you be? See, some of you have been through some things that you know it was only God that got you through. I know I can testify to that. It may have seemed like a burden at the time, but God's grace was a blessing since he carried you. Sorry. Not only does God carry us during our struggles, but he allows us to help others who are experiencing the same thing.
Don't think that your struggle is all about you because it's not. God will allow our thorns to remain present so that his power is manifested in our weakness and how his grace covered us so he can get all of the glory. See, many of you have heard the story about Queen Esther. See, before Esther was a queen, she was a young lady trying to survive and help her people as the queen. She faced opposition as she struggled with fear before going before the king unannounced to speak on behalf of her people so she could free them from excel. It was known during that time if anyone approached a king without being summoned or called, they would be sentenced to death. The only exception to the law all was that the king held out a ghost skeptic to the person to spare his or her life.
See, at first I can imagine that that Queen Esther struggled with fear because of the unknown. Can you imagine going to bat for someone one, but the end result could be death? I don't know about you, but I can. But now that was a struggle and where she was weak, she relied on God's power to make her strong. And the second part of verse nine, the apostle Paul says, therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses. Excuse me, so that Christ's power may rest in me. When we encounter our struggles and we are weak without any energy left in us to fight against the spiritual attacks of the enemy, the only thing left for us to do is to trust God and let the power of the Holy Spirit rest upon us. See, there's something great about allowing the power of God to strengthen you when you're at your worst.
I told you that at first, queen Ether struggle with fear. However, in chapter 14 verses 16, it tells us that she instructed all the Jews to fast and pray for her for three days on her behalf before she approached the king. See, here's the beauty. In Queen Esther's story. As soon as Queen Esther acknowledged her fear or struggle that she needed God and rested on the power of God, God gave her the strength in her weakness and intervened on her people's behalf and on her behalf. She was willing to stand in the gap for her people so they could be set free from bondage just like Christ. Sit in the gap for us when he died for all humanity so we could be set free from sin and have eternal life with him. Amen. See, God's power rested on Christ just like Christ power rests within us. Esther received a blessing in her struggle because when it came time for her to approach the King Gun announced he spared her life and he set her people free, all because she trusted in God's plan.
We may not always want to have a thorn in our flesh, or when I say a hardship, a struggle or a trial tribulation, but we always must know that God has a plan. He has a purpose for our lives, and his grace is enough. He may not always remove the thorn, but he will give us strength to bear it. You may have felt each time you try to land the job you wanted, but God is still strengthening. You may have cancer or sickness in your body, but God is still strengthening you for the journey. You may be still battling depression or even anxiety, but God is still strengthening you for the journey. He says in his word that we be may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning and for every dark night there is always a morning light people of God. So in verse 10, Paul tells the church that he delights in his weaknesses, insults, hardships, and difficulties. See, when he is weak, he is strong.
When there is a struggle, our words can power up a blessing. Psalms 1821 reminds us that our words have power. Tell someone sitting next to you power up your words. It tells us that the tongue has the power of life or death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. See, in our struggle, we must recognize that our words have power. They have the power to curse or bless us during hardships. Therefore, we must watch what we say. When we encounter struggles, we know that words can be the most powerful things that come out of our mouth or that enter our mouth. Paul tells us to delight in our we. So we must first be aware of what we say during opposition. We need to recognize if we are speaking life or death over our lives, and if the words we speak are building us up or tearing us down, are you complaining or are you thanking God during your struggles?
See, your mind has to shift from Lord, why are you taking me through this and I won't make it through to Lord. I may not understand why I'm going through this, but I'm depending on you to get me through this. Instead of allowing our words to stir up defeat, we need to speak words of power to conjure up blessings in our lives. Amen. We must also have discipline when we experience hardships so we do not give into self-defeating thoughts. It's easy to say, I'm not equipped for this when life trials come at you, and I'm not strong enough to get through this, but we can't allow defeat to flow out of our mouths, but instead speak power during this time. Lord, I thank you for my financial burden because you will meet every need according to your riches and glory. Lord, I praise you because you said that you have not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. It may seem easy to power up your words when things are going well and when you are not in a struggle, but I'm challenging you when you go through praise God through your circumstances and give him the glory and watch Him turn things around from you and get you through any thorn that you carry.
See, our words can have a cause and effect relationship. So last, when we speak life over our circumstances, we'll produce good fruit that will bring about blessings in your struggle. You won't focus on what you are going through or the thorn in your flesh, but you will see the end result where the blessing is waiting. By allowing Christ to be your focal point, keep your eyes on Christ, not your thorn. Many of you may remember the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He said it best in his famous speech. I have a dream. As he spoke of his aspirations for equality amongst all races of people in his struggle for equal rights, he never lost his dream and he powered up his words by speaking life. In his current situation, he could have given into his hardships or struggles he faced with self-defeating thoughts or bore bad fruit because life seemed impossible for change. But instead, he rested on the power of God by powering up his words and he gave God and God gave him strength to continue the fight. He ended his famous speech with free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, we are free at la.
Even though he was not at the point to where equal equality was made, he still spoke those words into existence and from past history. Everyone has come a long way for equality. This is how we need to see our thorns that are inflicted by the enemy. When we are in our own struggles, we must understand that God's grace is all we need and when we are weak, God's power has the ability to make us strong. We must delight in our struggles by powering up our words, by first being aware, then being disciplined and by last speaking life over our circumstances to produce good fruit in our lives. So no matter what oppositions you face, remember that there is a blessing for you in the struggle. So I want each of you to rise up to the occasion knowing that Christ is all you need and that he will give you strength for the journey. God says, it is where he will never leave you nor forsake you. No matter how hard things may appear to be, no matter how dim your light may seem, God is upholding you with his righteous right hand. He is making a way for you out of the wilderness. He is with you every step you make. He's walking right beside you. He's walking right in front of you, and he's also walking right behind you. No, that he may not remove the thorn, but he will allow you to get through it.
Every attack of the enemy, God has conquered that. He conquered it through Jesus Christ who died on the cross for our sins. There is nothing too hard for God to manage. Know that each and every thorn that you carry, each and every condition that you have, your problem is small. God is bigger than any thorn, any trial, any tribulation that we have, and just know that He is going to get you through. Praise God. How many of you can testify to that, that God is carrying you and that he's with you? I want to encourage someone today that if there's a thorn that you are carrying, give it to God.
God didn't say because we are Christians that we won't have any problems. We won't have any thorns. The apostle Paul tells us that, but what he did say, we will have trials and tribulations for Christ's sake, but he did say that he will never leave us nor forsake us, and we that we can cast all our cares on him. Come today and give it to God. Maybe you need Pastor Jonathan to pray with you or the other ministers of the church. Take it to God in prayer. Whatever you are going through, God can get you through no matter what opposition you face. Remember that there is always a blessing in the struggle, so rise up to the occasion knowing that Christ is all that you need and that he will give you strength for this journey. May God bless you and may God keep you. Let us pray. Dear heavenly Father, God, I thank you for this message of hope. I thank you, God that our thorns is being carried by you dearly follow. Lord, I thank you for the thorns that we carry because we already know that you may not remove 'em, Lord, but you're going to get us through it. Lord, you said, for your grace is sufficient, and when we are weak, we are strong,
And through everything we go through, we must put you first and depend on you so your power can rest upon us. God, I pray for those who may be struggling with something today dearly Father Lord, whether it's a physical battle or a spiritual battle, dear heavenly Father, God, you have the authority. You have the power to change it dearly. Father God, we thank you God for the lies that you're touching. We thank you for the healing that will happen on your behalf. God. God, we thank you because you were wounded for our transgression sword. We thank you God because there's healing
Through you dearly Father, God. Lord, we just pray that you continue to manifest your power in our lives. Lord, continue to let your Holy Spirit live in us and dwell in us dearly. Father God, we thank you dearly father for everything that we go through, knowing that you're going to bring us out. God. Lord, we forever depend on you. We thank you because you're our savior. You're the alpha, you're the Omega. You're the beginning and you are the end. You are ELs Sha die. God, we thank you dearly father because you are amazing. Heavenly Father. Heavenly Father. There is none like you on earth and in the heavens, heavenly Father, Lord. Lord, we thank you. We praise you, we worship you. We give you all the praise and the glory, Lord. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
I just want to sing a song with you and it just says, I'm going to try my, I mean, if you know it would like to sing it along with me, can the musicians may want to play it along with me. As I sing, it goes, you are my I strength like no other strength, no other. It reaches me. You are my strength. Strength. Like no strength. I no other. It reaches to me. Then it goes on to say in the fullness of your grace, in the power of your name, you live me up. You live me in the fullness of your grace and the power of your name. You lived me. You lived me. You are my strength. Strength, like no other strength, like no reach. You are my high strength. Strength, Noah. Strength like no other. It reaches to me. Amen. Praise God. Thank you journey for this opportunity.
May God bless you and keep you.
Thank you.
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