Jan 04
8:55 AM
Jan 04
8:55 AM
Monday, January 4, 2021
Philippians 4:13
Today, I'm excited to talk to you about a subject that I've talked about a lot here and there. I did some research a number of years ago when I did a series on this topic. I want to talk to you about strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Every individual has strengths, certain things they're strong in. Every individual also has weaknesses. And every individual has limitations. Why do you have strengths? Why do you have weaknesses? Why do you have limitations?
This week, I want to talk to you about why you have strengths, weaknesses and limitations. I want to focus on those three themes and help you understand them. If you understand why you have strengths, weaknesses and limitations, you're going to understand what God is doing in your life with each one of them. So today, I want to talk to you about strengths. God gives you strengths to cultivate your confidence. Your strengths are the things you do really, really well. You do them with ease, you do them with excellence, you do them with enthusiasm, with energy. People enjoy being around you when you use those strengths.
God gives you strengths to cultivate your confidence. Not your confidence in yourself, but your confidence in Him, because He gave you those strengths from birth. And then He supernaturally charged them when you became a Christian, if you are a Christian. I get that idea from Philippians 4:13, where it says, "I can do everything through Him who gives me the strength." So, God gives you that strength. And He does that to build confidence. See what is says, "I can do all things." Not, I can do all things period. But, I can do all things because I have confidence through Him who gives me the strength. He gives you the strength to do what you do. And you have certain strengths.
Some of you have certain strengths with people, or hospitality, administration, tasks, planning, vision casting, problem solving, etc. Whatever it is, God gives you strengths to build your confidence in Him, to assure you that you're walking hand in hand with Him. When we are not affirmed for our strengths, we can forget that we're walking with the all powerful God of heaven and earth. So, God gives you strengths to cultivate your confidence. You say, "Vince, I don't feel very confident today." Well, one of two things is at work: either you don't know your strengths, or you're not appreciating the strengths that you already know you have. Don't worry about what strengths you have. Just accept the strengths that God has given you, and work with them. The strengths God has given you are the exact strengths that He wants you to have and that you need. And when you are good at something and somebody thanks you, say, "I can do all things through Him who gives me the strength."
Then, you'll have more confidence. Not confidence in yourself, but confidence that God is in you and working through you, because He gave you those gifts. I hope you recognize your strengths. And then when you do, I hope they build confidence in the strength provider, Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Father, thank You so much, that You've given us all strengths. Some of us are strong in one area, or another area, but we're all strong in at least one or two or three areas. We thank You for that. You've given us the strengths, to build our confidence in You, our confidence that You are working in us. Help us to find our confidence because of Your work in us, through those strengths. Let us not find confidence in what the world does or doesn't say about us, but let us find confidence in our strengths, which are from You. And I asked this through Your strong name, Jesus Christ, amen.
I hope that helps you to realize that you are strong at something. You're a 10 out of 10 at something. Thank God for it, and build confidence often. Tomorrow I'll talk to you about weaknesses. Don't worry, it'll be good. Hope you'll join me!