“The Most Powerful Weakness” – Judges 6:11-16

Judges 6:11-16

“Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.” And Gideon said to him, “Please, my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.” And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?” And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”

Humans have a skill that can also be a great flaw. We know how to hide our weaknesses. Well, we actually think we know how, but weakness hangs out everywhere.

God also has a skill that we often underestimate. He can bring strength out of our weakness. Read Gideon’s life and see what I mean. Gideon admitted that his family was the weakest in the nation and he was the weakest in his family. Yet, God used Him to defeat an army that was 100 times bigger.

When God called him a mighty man, he wasn’t referring to Gideon’s strength. God was referring to what Gideon would do in God’s strength. If only we could realize that God wins His own battles. So what are the reasons God works in our weakness?

  • Because we are weak! We have no strength for Him to use.
  • Our weakness is an opportunity for God to work powerfully in our lives.
  • God’s grace allows us to take part in His glory.

We are not the kid on the sideline wishing we could play in the championship game. In His grace, He lets us into the fight. He gives us the armor, the strategy, the Spirit’s power, and the cross that has already defeated the enemy. The only thing God required from Gideon was his “yes.”

So, the most powerful weakness is not the one we hide. The most powerful weakness is the one in God’s hands.

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
  • What is one weakness that you try to hide from others? What are some possible consequences of trying to hide it? 
  • How might God use your weakness for His glory? How might it be a potential opportunity for God to work in and through us?  
Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you? 
Explain – what does the passage mean? 
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today? 
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?
Pastor Stephen Williams

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