Bible Study: Victory Through Weaknesses

King James Bible Study Devotional
Message Title: Victory Through Weaknesses
For: Tuesday November 30, 2010
Chapters: II Corinthians 9-13
Click Here to Read Them or Go to: http://www.imfollowingjesus.com/bible-november-30

Details of Today's Chapters: Sowing and reaping, thanksgiving, Paul's spiritual authority, false teachers, Paul recollects his afflictions, the thorn in his side, and reprobates.

Hello My Friend/Guest,
The word infirmity is defined as a physical or moral weakness, or failing at something. We all have infirmities of some sort and while they may make us feel as though we are a failure God sees them as victories. The Bible says, “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” - II Corinthians 13:4. Weakness brings us closer to God, it not only gives us His power to overcome our infirmities, it also brings life to us. Think about it. When you feel as though you have failed you feel awful and kind of dead inside and do not want to do anything, but when you succeed you feel great and lively inside and as though you can do anything. You can do anything, through Christ that is. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” - Philippians 4:13.

So, how do we overcome our infirmities? First, we need to give ourselves over to God, the more we do for God, the more we are strengthen to overcome our infirmities. “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:..Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.” - II Corinthians 9:6-8,11. The Bible teaches us that we are to tithe ten percent of our income to God (our home church), but giving to God is more than just tithe, it is also giving your time. So, if we were to give ten percent of our time to God that would be two hours and forty minutes a day. Can you give two hours and forty minutes to God each day? It only needs to start with one and before you know it everything you do puts God on your mind.

Why is it so important? We are fighting a war, a spiritual war against God and Satan, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” - II Corinthians 10:3-6. The more time we give to God the harder it is for Satan to corrupt us and Satan will do anything, including twist God's Word a little bit to get us to question the truth.

Paul continues to warn us to avoid things that corrupt our thinking, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles...For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.” - II Corinthians 11:3-5,13..

A couple of weeks ago I had someone say to me, I agree with you about Jesus, but you should read the Quran. Now, people are free to follow whatever book they want, but the only book I follow is the Bible, it is the only true Word of God. Since I am a missionary and a teacher of God's Word I have to do a lot of research to back up what I teach. I have to be careful not to allow myself to be corrupted by what I research, my only guard is remaining in God's Word. Only God's Word can prepare us, armor us to fight the battle. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” - Ephesians 6:16,17.

There is only one book that contains the Word of God, every other so called holy book written was written by a person paraphrasing the Bible. Incidentally, the Quran was written by one man named Muhammad, said to have been given to him by archangel Gabriel. Islamic people are descendents of Ishmael, the illegitimate child of Abraham and his wife's handmaid, Hagar. However, the Bible was written through forty men who God spoke to Himself through the Holy Spirit. God's people are descendents of Isaac, the blessed child of Abraham and Sarah. “And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.” - Genesis 17:19-21. Notice the similarities between Ishmael's people and God's people, this is how people can get corrupted.

Our only victory through infirmities is Christ, the only way to know the truth for yourself is to know Christ yourself, which can only happen if you ask Him to come into your heart. If you know Christ and give yourself to Him you will have the power to overcome any physical or moral weakness. If you are questioning your faith think about what Paul said, “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates. For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.” - II Corinthians 13:5-8.

The word reprobate means a person rejected by God and beyond hope of salvation. While God wants to see everyone in heaven with Him, He knows that there are some that are too wicked and will never see salvation. He also knows who are His and the amazing thing is that our greatest victory over anything that Satan will corrupt us with is being one of God's people. Praise God! “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” - Revelation 21:7,8.

Be blessed, enjoy the rest of your day/night and week.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina

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