When I am Weak, I am Strong

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Key Verse 12:6

In this passage the Apostle Paul works on the good old truth that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so that it is only by “relying on” the Lord that one can be saved from the power of sin and Satan, and the glory of God be restored to him.  

Read verses 1-6. What does Paul mean by my “weaknesses”? Why is it important: 1) for you to know your own weaknesses; 2) for you to let others know about your weaknesses; and 3) for you to know others’ weaknesses? 

** The word “weaknesses” is the same as “imperfection”.  God is in the business of perfection.  Salvation comes with the perfected state of a man who is made perfect in every way conceivable, both in his body and spirit, in the way a man’s person exists and functions. Another way to describe man’s weaknesses is to say that man falls short of the glory of God. 

** It is necessary because otherwise you do not seek the Lord, the Savior. This is like a man having cancer needing to know of the cancerous condition, so that he would wake up about his bodily condition, and thereby seek a remedy such as medial assistance. 

** Others must know that you are also a sinner, so that you would not “mislead” them, like causing them to rely on you, rather than on the Lord.

** You also need to know their weaknesses, so that instead of relying on the unreliable, you would rely on the reliable, that is, the Lord. 

Read verse 7. What does it mean to be (or become) “conceited”? What risk/dangers are involved in being (or becoming) conceited? 

** Conceited = ingeniously contrived; having or showing excessively high opinion of oneself. [Or simply it means for one to think more highly than one really is]

** You rely on yourself when in fact you are not reliable, so that as you rely on what is not reliable, you end up not being able to reach the perfection which God has in mind. 

Verse 7 indicates that revelations (or visions) can cause a man to be conceited. What else can cause a person to be conceited?

** One of the common causes is one feeling superior to others by comparing oneself with those who are inferior to him. So based on what he has (such as physical appearance or money) or can do or on what he or she has already accomplished, one can so easily think more highly than he really is. In fact some people get so puffed up that they say, “I am god”. 

Read verses 8-9a. What did Paul do with his bodily discomfort? What does ‘my “grace” is sufficient for you’ mean? What does “my power is made perfect in weakness” mean? 

** He prayed to the Lord three times.

** Arguably it refers to the (sickly) state of his physical body. 

** Most likely Jesus refers to the room that needs to be created on our part, that is, the room for him to hold a grip on us, so that he would start working on us as much as we ask him to come in and help. 

The truth is that God gave us the free will, so that unless we ask him (meaning business) he is categorically unable to help. 

This statement does not mean that Jesus’ power is sometimes imperfect or limited in any other ways; his power is always perfect; but his perfected power cannot become fully manifest in our lives, when we restrict him from working within us, or even prevent him from working by us becoming proud, rejecting him. 

Read verses 9b-10. What does it mean to “delight” in something? How do people normally respond to the “weaknesses”, “insults”, “hardships”, “persecutions”, and “difficulties” ? For whom does Paul delight in them? 

** A high degree of gratification; something that gives great pleasure; the power of affording pleasure

** They feel afraid of them, and even feel horrible or paranoid for them, so they want to avoid them as much as possible. They also feel bad about them and about God saying, “Why this or why that, or how come?” 

** For Christ’s sake

Read verse 10 again. What does “weak” or “strong” mean? 

** By weak or strong, Paul means one being either weak or strong in regard to one’s capabilities to deal with the challenges that are involved in waging war against the devil, and attain to the perfected state of one’s being in the Lord. 

The end