“Qualified”

Qualified

God is good. He is worthy of our praise, and our faithfulness to Him.

I love Him so much. I have always been in His hands, and I will always be in His hands.

There is something humbling to me, very humbling, in knowing that God has continually been with me. I have always known He was there. In every moment of my life. Protecting, leading, speaking, forgiving. God has kept me under His care.

When He called me to preach, and I remember the Sunday, even the shirt I was wearing. He called me not because of who I was at the time. He called me because of who I would become. I was not qualified, and I am still a work in progress.

I come today in His name, to share some thoughts titled, “Qualified”

I want to begin with a single passage that will set the tone for my message. The Apostle Paul had a very clear understanding of the love, grace, and the power of God.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

NLT

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

This is a proclamation of faith, but it is also referencing the action required to accomplish anything.

“ He said, I can do!!!”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

7 Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself!

8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.

“There are some things in 7-9 I want to talk about.”

Paul’s humility and His submission to the authority of Christ is amazing. He understood picking up his cross, and dying to himself. Putting on the life of Christ.

2 Corinthians 12:10 Amplified

So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].

Paul is sharing His example. Everything we do as confessing Christians, we are doing for Christ. There is a responsibility to reveal Jesus. To be His example of love, of mercy, of forgiveness, and of grace.

Paul was willing to give up everything He was to get what Christ wanted to do through him.

Weak, insulted, distressed, persecuted, life events. We all deal with most of these from time to time during our lives.

These things happen to make us strong. I taught in the servants class that we have to give up, to get. With God often promotion comes from the bottom up.

Losing our identity in favor of His. Giving up our ways, to embrace His ways.

I want to share 3 ways that we are taught, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” and how they are relevant to us and our life in Christ.

1^st-Through trials.

James 1:2-4

2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

2^nd-Through Contentment.

Philippians 4:12

I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.

3^rd-Through His victory

1 Corinthians 15:57

but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Amplified

but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What an awesome plan to rid ourselves of ourselves, and let God reign in us.

“Through trials, in contentment, and victory in Him.”

I will finish with this.

Colossians 1:9-14 NASB

9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Qualified in Him!!

The Good News Bible combines verse 11 and 12 into one verse. This is how it reads.

“May you be made strong with all the strength which comes from his glorious power, so that you may be able to endure everything with patience. And with joy give thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to have your share of what God has reserved for his people in the kingdom of light.”

Qualified, Fit to share in God’s promises. To share in His awesome love and grace. http://bit.ly/2whkP2g

#livinghope #inHisname