Sermons
It is Possible to Grow from Weakness to Strength
It is Possible to Grow from Weakness to Strength
Introduction: Sometimes we feel inadequate and see limitations in ourselves that causes us to have a defeatist attitude about our service to God. We feel we can’t serve properly because of these limitations. The purpose for the lesson today is to help us throw off our defeatist attitude and to realize that we can serve God acceptably and be pleasing in His sight.
The title of the lesson today is “It is Possible to Grow from Weakness to Strength?”
All of us know people whom we admire as Christians. They are strong in the faith, they are knowledgeable, they are active in the Lord’s work. We may think, “I would like to be as strong as he or she is, but I don’t think I can.” The lesson today is to assure you that YOU can also be strong as a Christian. You do not have to be weak, but grow to strength.
I. Areas of Weaknesses We May Have
A. In Morals
1. Fornication, pornography, lying, stealing, drunkenness, drug addiction may have a hold in your
life. You repent and try to do better, but you keep falling.
2. “Sin always takes us farther than we want to go, holds us longer than we want to stay, and cost
us more than we want to pay.” That is sin.
a. You think you are in control but sin takes you farther than you intended to go. You think
you can cut this off at any time, but you don’t. It takes you further than you wanted.
It holds you, and it costs you.
3. You may be struggling with some moral weakness. You are trying to overcome it. But it has a
hold on you.
B. In Our Faith
1. We pray, but if we would admit it, we really doubt whether God responds, in spite of the fact
that James says, “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5:16)
2. We preach the word of God, but we must admit that we don’t believe it does any good, in spite
of the fact that the Bible says that “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
3. We have a weakness in believing what God says.
C. In Diligence
1. We know we ought to be praying more, studying our Bible more, attending the services of the
church more, teaching our neighbors the truth, but we are not as diligent as we ought to be.
D. We see our weaknesses and conclude, “I guess I’m just a weak Christian.”
E. My point is, you don’t have to be weak. IT IS POSSIBLE to become strong.
II. It is Possible to Become Strong.
A. The example of the apostles of Christ.
1. When we are first introduced to the apostles, we are not that impressed with them. They had
their weaknesses.
a. They didn’t understand the nature of the kingdom to come, and desired positions of
greatness in this kingdom. This is indicated more than once.
Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45 (note verse 41) Don’t you think there was jealousy, indignation,
resentment? When people are motivated by selfish ambition these things will occur.
Luke 22:24
b. They had little faith. Matt. 8:23-26; Mark 8:14-21
c. Several times Jesus told them that He was to die, and rise again. But they didn’t get it.
2. These men became some of the strongest men spiritually this world has ever seen. They were
courageous, strong, faithful unto death. They grew from weakness to strength.
If the apostles can grow from weakness to strength, it is possible for us to grow from weakness
to strength.
3. Someone says, “But the Lord gave them the Holy Spirit.” But the Lord did not give them the
Spirit to make them some kind of super Christians. He gave them the Holy Spirit to guide
them into “all truth.” They still had some weaknesses after receiving the Holy Spirit.
Note Gal. 2:11-13 Peter succumbed to the pressure of his Jewish brethren. He was wrong.
Note 1 Cor. 13:1-3 The saints in Corinth had “spiritual gifts” by the Spirit, but some still had
improper attitudes. They needed love.
They faced the same temptations that we do, even with power of the Holy Spirit.
4. Why did they grow and become strong? It was because they were assured that Jesus was raised
from the dead and that He was Lord and Savior. If they could do it, we can do it.
B. The power of God. Eph. 3:14-21
1. Paul is praying that these brethren will be strengthened.
2. Who is going to strengthen them? God is!
3. To what degree can God strengthen them? He is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all
that we ask or think…
4. Am I a weak Christian? I don’t have to remain a weak Christian? Today I can start growing.
Today I can set my sights to become a strong Christian. God is able to bring us to strength
beyond our imagination.
III. Tools God Uses to Strengthen Us
A. God provides the strength, but we must understand that God does not take ahold of us and make us
a strong Christian whether we want to or not. He uses tools to strengthen us.
B. He uses His Word.
1. Acts 2:42 Through continuing in the apostles teaching they grew to strength.
2. Acts 20:32
3. 1 John 3:8-9 To overcome sin, the seed (the word of God -1 Peter 1:23) must remain
within us.
C. He uses Our Brethren
1. Luke 22:31-32 God is going to use Peter as a strengthener of the brethren.
If God can use Peter, He can use you to help strengthen me, and use me to strengthen you.
2. 1 Thess. 5:14
D. He uses His Chastening.
1. Heb. 12:3-11 Whom the Lord loves He chastens. How does He chasten?
a. These Christians were enduring trials and persecutions.
b. Jesus endured hostility from sinners as an example for us. vs. 2-3
c. The chastening of the Lord in this passage are the trials, persecutions that they were
enduring.
2. How ever God chastens us, it is for our good. vs. 10, 11 (Note James 1:2-3)
It is to strengthen us, not to hurt us.
E. He uses The Assemblies of the Church for Worship.
1. Heb. 10:24-25 We assemble with the saints to stir them unto love and good works.
It is also true that when we assemble we are stirred unto love and good works.
2. Col. 3:16 In singing to the Lord we are teaching and admonishing one another.
3. 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Acts 2:42 In breaking bread we remember the Lord and are strengthened.
4. 1 Cor. 14:3,5,26 Through teaching the church is edified.
5. When we do this regularly, we then grow and become stronger.
IV. What Must We Do If We Are to Grow From Weakness to Strength?
A. We must throw off our defeatist attitude.
1. We must stop saying, “I can’t” and begin saying “with God’s help I can.”
2. This is a matter of faith in God. Do we believe God can strengthen us?
B. We must throw off our self-satisfaction.
1. Rev. 3:15-17 In their present condition (lukewarm) the Lord said “I will vomit you out of My
mouth.”
a. But this is not the way they viewed themselves. They did not see a need to change. v. 17
b. They were self-satisfied.
c. If they didn’t change they would be lost.
2. We must all be pressing on to higher ground.
C. We must throw off worldly entanglements.
1. By “worldly entanglements” I am not talking about sinful practices in and of themselves.
I’m talking about those things that are legitimate, but they are less important than our spiritual
growth.
2. 2 Tim. 2:3-4 “When there is a choice of activities, all that would hinder obedience to orders
from the superior officer, must be eliminated….How very many perfectly legitimate ‘affairs of
this life’ have taken up the time, thought and energy (to say nothing of money) that should
have been given in winning the battle for King Jesus.” (Bible Study Textbook, Paul’s Letters
to Timothy and Titus, by Don De Welt, p. 211)
3. Luke 8:14 The seed that fell among thorns “are those who, when they have heard, go out and
are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
D. We must appropriate the tools God uses to strengthen us.
1. I must appropriate His word. Value it. Love it. I must study it with the intent of obeying it.
2. I must appropriate my brethren when they are trying to help me. I must not stiff arm them when
they come to me. I must allow them to help me.
3. When God’s chastening comes don’t complain. Count it all joy, because trials produce
perseverance. Rom. 5:3-4; James 2:2-3
4. When the saints assemble for worship, let us be diligent in our attendance and in our
participation. Think on the words of the songs. Listen attentively to the words taught.
Remember the Lord in partaking of the Lord’s Supper.
Remember the expression, “We get out of it what we put into it.”
Conclusion: We do not have to remain weak. We can become strong. I am exhorting you today, throw off the defeatist attitude, don’t be self-satisfied, get rid of any worldly entanglements that would hinder you from growing toward strength, and use the tools God has provided to bring about this strength.
