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. 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT) Three Benefits of Weakness 1. Your weaknesses keep you Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 2 Corinthians 11:22-28 (NLT) If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 2 Corinthians 11:30 (NLT) 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. 2 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT) Three Benefits of Weakness 2. Your weaknesses draw you to God Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness..”. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9a (NIV) So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:14-16 (NLT) “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 (NIV) “We do not live on explanations; we live on promises. Our feelings change, but God’s promises never change. Promises generate faith, and faith strengthens hope.” ~Warren Wiersbe Three Benefits of Weakness 3. Your weaknesses God’s power “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 weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV) I SURRENDERED MY LIFE TO CHRIST TODAY! If you decided to follow Jesus as a result of today's message, we would love to connect with you, talk about what just happened, and put some great resources in your hand to help you grow in your relationship with Christ! Simply click the link below to get started! https://bit.ly/IwanttofollowJesus I WANT TO BE WATER BAPTIZED! The Bible teaches that baptism is the first step of obedience after making a commitment to Jesus. Baptism allows a believer to communicate to the world their new commitment to Christ. At Painesville Assembly, we encourage believers to be baptized in water. We do this because: Jesus, as the Son of God, set a great example for us to follow when he was personally baptized (Matthew 3.16), Jesus commanded us to be baptized (Matthew 28.19), Water baptism symbolizes the brand new life that Jesus gives (Romans 6.4). Click the link below to go public with your faith! https://bit.ly/Iwanttobebaptized