December 28
I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ‟ sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. — 2 Corinthians 12:10
Scripture reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1–10
When God comes into your life, you will find Him to be enough. As Israel came forth, the sun rose upon him, and he had power over all the things of the world and over Esau. Esau met him, but there was no fight now; there was reconciliation. They kissed each other. How true it is that “when a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). The material things did not count for much after the night of revelation. Who brought about the change? God did.
Can you hold on to God as Jacob did? You certainly can if you are sincere, dependent, broken, and weak. It is when you are weak that you are strong. But if you are self-righteous, if you are proud, if you are high-minded, if you are puffed up in your own mind, you can receive nothing from Him. If you become lukewarm instead of being on fire for God, you can become a disappointment to Him. And He says, “I will vomit you out of My mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
But there is a place of holiness, a place of meekness, a place of faith, where you can call to God, “I will not let You go unless You bless me!” (Genesis 32:26). And in response, He will bless you “exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).
Sometimes we are tempted to think that He has left us. Oh, no. He has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:6). He had promised not to leave Jacob, and He did not break His promise. He has promised not to leave us, and He will not fail. Jacob held on until the blessing came. We can do the same.
If God does not help us, we are no good for this world‘s need; we are no longer salt, we lose our savor. But as we spend time alone with God, and cry to Him to bless us, He re-salts us. He reempowers us, but He brings us to brokenness and moves us into the orbit of His own perfect will.
Oh, the blessedness of being brought into a life of dependence upon the power of the Holy Spirit. Henceforth, we know that we are nothing without Him; we are absolutely dependent upon Him. I am absolutely nothing without the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. Oh, for a life of absolute dependence! It is through a life of dependence that there is a life of power. If you are not there, get alone with God. If you must, spend a whole night alone with God, and let Him change and transform you. Never let Him go until He blesses you, until He makes you an Israel, a prince with God.
Thought for today: It is those who have seen the face of God and have been broken by Him who can meet the forces of the Enemy and break down the bulwarks of Satan‘s kingdom.
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