Forgotten Promises Resurrected, 2 Corinthians 12:10

2 Corinthians 12:10, “…For when I am weak, then I am strong”.

This verse is very near and dear to my heart.  It’s because the truth of this verse that I’m still here today and functioning in any shape or form at all.  There was a time where everything was easy for me, where I took so many things for granted.  Where I was a leader and ready to break trail where ever I went.  I was physically, mentally and emotionally strong.  God made me almost an unstable machine.  My wife called me crazy and her Superman.  I had the world by the tail and life was good, even great.  Then…things changed in literally a blink of an eye.  At age 52, at the peak of fitness I suffered a Hemorrhagic Stroke.  I went from crazy Superman to paralyzed right of center, I couldn’t speak and I couldn't swallow. That was October 6, 2019.   So many things I took for granted and that I loved just disappeared in an instant.  As my wife called 911 and talked to the operator and held up my head so I could breathe we waited for the emergency crew to arrive.  It seemed like forever but was probably less than 10 minutes. 

When the fire department EMTs arrived the picked me up from being slumped over a dining room chair and laid me on a stretcher to wait for the ambulance.  That’s when God literally talked to me and He told me three things.  First He said, “You are going to be alright”.  Then He showed me a “video” or a “vision” of what was happening to me and some of the things I was going to go through. At that point all fear went away.  Lastly He said, “There are going to be a lot of people come to Me because of your testimony and the things you go through”.  Then we were waiting for the ambulance to arrive.  When the ambulance crew arrived they loaded me up and took me to St. Pats Hospital in Missoula and my wife followed in my truck.   When I arrived at the Hospital they took a brain scan and found out I was having a Hemorrhagic Stroke and basically prepared me and my wife to be life flighted to Seattle for emergency brain surgery.  I was induced into a coma for the flight so I don’t recall that at all.  When we arrived in Seattle about two hours later, another brain scan was done and we found out the bleeding stopped before we left Missoula. The good part was I didn't have brain surgery but we were in Seattle.  I was awakened out of the coma the following day and it was my turn to talk to God.  I said, “I know what you told me last night, I know what kind of shape I’m in, not very good, but apparently You have a job for me.  Whatever it is I’m all yours"

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Fully Submit to God's will

I’ve been a Christian since I was a child, but I hadn’t fully submitted to God until this very moment.   At that point I knew I was nothing without Him and if He wanted me, and loved me so much to actually talk to me at the start of what was to be the biggest trial of life, who was I to resist?  At that point in my life I gave Him all I had to give, my willingness.  His will became my will.  At that point I ran to Jesus’ arms.  Figuratively, remember I was paralyzed right of center, I couldn’t speak, I couldn’t sit up or even roll over, and I couldn’t swallow. I knew, no matter how strong I thought I was, I was no match for this without His being part of my everyday existence.  Again, without Him I was nothing but a leaf blowing in the wind but with Him anything is possible.  The meaning of 2 Corinthians 12:10 became reality to me that day, “In my weakness, I became strong”.  Not because I was strong but because Jesus is strong and I submitted to Him and to His will.  His strength became a part of me and who I was.  All of a sudden I was fully under His protection and I knew without a doubt I was home and in good hands. 

A Relationship Beyond Imagination

That is just the beginning of how my relationship with God, God the Father; Jesus; and Holy Spirit, has bloomed since that time of my life.   before my stroke, I never imagined how powerful the spiritual connection could be with God.  My relationship today is way beyond my wildest dreams and I know I’ve only scratched the surface of what is possible.  I absolutely love being in the presence of God and the time I spend with them. I look forward to an eternity with them and everything that goes with it.  

A reader’s digest version of what makes a person strong when they are weak:

• It's NOT you but Christ in you

• You can’t defeat the worldly temptations but for Christ

• You can’t stand firm in the truth but for Christ

• It’s not your strength but His strength in you

• The power and authority you think you have is nothing without Jesus

• It doesn’t matter what you’re struggling with, He gives you the strength to get through it.  By yourself your a sitting duck for Satan’s disposal of you!

• ALL glory goes to God!

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What are:

Infirmities:  physical weakness or debility; frailty 

Reproaches:  To express disapproval of, criticism of, or disappointment in (someone). synonym: admonish.

In needs:  Self explanatory 

In Persecutions:  the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook

In Distresses:  pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind : Trouble

What Corinthians 12:10 doesn’t say!

It doesn’t say you are strong because of the weakness of the following:  

• Not in sin

• Not by lies

• Not by deception

• Not by manipulation

• Not by thievery

• Not by corruption

• Not by pride

• Not by arrogance

• Not by greed

• Not by lust

• Not by sexual immorality, ect…

The fact of the matter, sin creates a barrier between individuals and God, preventing a close relationship with Him. This separation is emphasized in the Bible, particularly in Isaiah 59:2, which states that iniquities hide God's face and hinder His ability to hear us.

Another example:

James 4:17

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

HOWEVER

What happens when you totally submit your will to God:

• Addictions are destroyed 

• Evil thoughts are made holy thoughts 

• You no longer live for yourself but rather you live to glorify God

• Hate, jealousy, malice are replaced by love

• Greed turns into generosity 

• Fear turns into courage

• Lies are replaced with truth.   (There is nothing more powerful than the truth!)

• False power and authority is replaced with real power and authority 

• Pride and arrogance is replaced by meek humbleness 

• You stop blaming others for your faults and take responsibility for your actions and you repent of your sins 

Ephesians 2:1-10

In short, the old man dies and the new man is born… Ephesians 2:1-10

A Chaotic World

The world is a chaotic place and is going to continue to be a chaotic place until Jesus returns.   You have a choice of who you are.  God gave us all free will and you can choose to walk alone and deny your creator or you can choose to walk in His authority.  But to walk in His authority you must submit your will to His will. The choice is yours.  I wholeheartedly recommend, from my own experience, choose to submit to God’s will.

Let me leave you with this thought, “The only thing we really own are our decisions and our decisions directly makeup our character”.

May You Always Walk in the TRUTH!