Well dang, this whole upside-down kingdom mess is quite the concept. It affects every part of our lives, and it messes with each aspect of our engagement with the world. So far, we’ve flipped our math and learned that 6 is greater than 7. Next, we flipped our hierarchy and found that the greatest is actually the least! Last we watched how just a little is a whole lot more in God’s powerful hands.
This week, we turn to a very familiar verse that has been the focal point for thousands of athletes and been made famous by a few specific individuals. You might have guessed already but I want to point out the fault in this misplaced motivation.
“I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength!” Phil 4:13
This mantra has donned eye blacks and wrist bands, tshirts and tattoos for many in the sports’ world and other platforms requiring grit, determination, perseverance, and hard work.
Since we’re flipping the script in this series, today, we’re going to see how being WEAK is actually being strong. And we’ll hopefully gain a better perspective on this famously misused scripture.
Looking at another passage from the same author, we catch a further glimpse of what this is all about. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shares some personal sentiments and perspective. In this, he talks about his own weakness. We don’t get a full scope of the details of his struggles, but it is apparently a consistent and frustrating issue.
He writes the biblical equivalent of “like a million times” referring to how much he prayed and ask God to deliver him. But instead of making the problem go away and giving relief from this burden, God just made him strong.
So, he says, “…when I am weak, then I am strong…” Paul understood and wants us to know as well, that it’s in our weaknesses that we BECOME strong because we STOP relying on ourselves and start relying on God. When we do that, it is now God’s strength working, not our own motivation or determination.
This is the real superpower that we catch in Philippians 4:13. Paul says he has learned the secret of living in peace no matter the circumstances since he “can do all things through Christ” who gives him strength.
So, what are you trying to do on your own? …And continuing to fail at?
What have you tried to get God to take away? …But seems to keep lingering or showing up?
Maybe, it’s time to flex your real strength and start trusting in God MORE than you do in yourself.
Stay Strong!!!
#FlexPatrol
#UpsideDownKingdom
#Flipped
#RestoringWholenessOfLife
Brett
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