On January 30, 2011 I wrote a blog called Power Through Weakness that is near and dear to my heart and to which I received much positive response. Here is part II.
“Have you never yet learned the lesson that the Holy Ghost works with mighty power, while on the human side everything appears feeble?” – Andrew Murray
Jesus is our example in everything and readers of this blog and those who have attended mission trips with me know that I love to highlight certain areas in Jesus life that are heroic and admirable and encourage the imitation of such. But in re-reading Andrew Murray’s sermon Absolute Surrender, I remembered another area of Jesus life worth exploring. His weakness.
Some of the most anointed and powerful victories in Jesus life and earthly ministry occurred at moments of His greatest human weakness.
Take for example His being tested in the wilderness for 40 days. After fasting, being alone, no comfortable bed, no shelter, with wild beasts, and so on for 40 days Jesus must have been nearly as weak as a human being can get but no one can deny the incredible power of the Holy Spirit that was upon Him as He thrice defeats Satan, the arch tempter of the universe. Luke says, “Luke 4:13-15 When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.” In His human weakness the Holy Spirit was strong. And so with us.
Again, at the well of Samaria Jesus is so exhausted and hungry that the disciples leave Him there and go into town to buy food. But though He is weak in body Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit and He begins to witness to the Samaritan woman and a whole town gets saved. Power through and in spite of weakness.
There are others (asleep in the ship but rises to calm the storm, weary and seeking a quiet place but ending up feeding 5 thousand, and more) but one of the most heart-wrenching examples may be in the Garden of Gethsemane.
About this Andrew Murray says, “Look at the Lord Jesus Christ in Gethsemane. We read that He, ‘through the eternal Spirit,’ offered Himself a sacrifice unto God. The Almighty Spirit of God was enabling Him to do it. And yet what agony and fear and exceeding sorrow came over Him, and how He prayed! Externally, you can see no sign of the mighty power of the Spirit, but the Spirit of God was there. And even so, while you are feeble and fighting and trembling, in faith in the hidden work of God’s Spirit do not fear, but yield yourself.”
And who could miss the significance of Christ’s human weakness at the trial, the scourging, and the cross. And who could deny that though outwardly it appeared that the young Rabbi from Galilee had lost and lost big yet behind the scenes the greatest victory in history was taking place!
Let’s not get distracted with our weakness and our losses in this realm and forget that just behind the curtain God may be doing something incredible as long as we stay submitted to and resting in Him.
Blessings,
Matt
Read Part III HERE
These last two months have honestly been the best experience of my entire 19 years, I cannot thank God enough for the two months He allowed me to share with His precious angels.