My Power is Made Perfect in Weakness
(2Co. 12:7~10)
　
　Introduction
During the time of judges there was one period wherein God gave the Israelites over to the Midianites as slaves for seven years. He was angry with his people because they worshipped foreign gods and did evil in His eyes. One day Gideon, in fear of the Midianites, was threshing wheat in a winepress; and an angel of the Lord appeared to him. The angel said to Gideon: “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” At that time Gideon honestly confessed his circumstances and weaknesses. (Judges 6:15)
Shortly thereafter, the Midianites and Amalekites, like a swarm of locusts; joined forces to attack the Israelites.
Gideon blew his trumpet and summoned 32,000 soldiers from the Abiezrites, Manasseh, Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali to follow him. God asked Gideon to tell those who were afraid to fight to go home. 20,000 soldiers left Gideon that day. In the end only 300 soldiers were chosen by God to go to battle with Gideon.
1. Paul pleaded three times but was refused
1) Not to be full of conceit and pride
2) Not to rely on human’s ability or backing
3) To be an obedient servant of God?

2. To rely on God’s grace more
1) To pray more and rely on God more
2) To be driven by Jesus, not by self
3) To have Christ’ power rest on him

? 3. Paul’s enemies that weakened him
1) Weaknesses
2) Insults
3) Disgrace
4) Persecution
5) Hardships
?
Conclusion
God breaks us into pieces to be obedient and then pours out even more grace on us. God uses the weak and incompetent as His great servants. And God makes the strong and smart realize how incompetent they really are in the ways of the Lord.