Strength in Weakness: God’s Power Made Perfect in Us (1113) Elim

"My flesh n my heart may fail, bt God is the strength of my heart n my portion forever." (Psalm 73:26)

This truth opens a powerful journey into what it really means 2 follow Christ—not in comfort, bt in courage. Many believe walking with Jesus should make life easier. Yet Scripture tells another story.

Look at the Apostle Paul: once Saul of Tarsus, respected n privileged, then transformed by Christ into a servant marked by hardship. He endured prisons, floggings, beatings, stonings, shipwrecks, hunger, thirst, n rejection. His new life wasn’t easier—it was more costly, bt infinitely richer in God’s presence.

Paul’s testimony reaches its climax in God’s words: “My grace is sufficient for U, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Even with his “thorn in the flesh,” Paul found strength not in deliverance, bt in surrender. His response shapes our faith today: “I will boast gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

This message speaks 2 every weary soul wrestling with trials, doubts, n fears. God doesn’t strip us back 2 break us—He strips us back 2 fill us. Ur valley, storm, or shipwreck isn’t the end. It’s the very place where God’s fire surrounds U, His Spirit sustains U, n His strength carries U.

As we break bread together, let’s embrace this divine paradox: weakness isn’t failure—it’s the doorway 2 real strength. For when we are weak, then in Christ, we are truly strong.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction and Opening Prayer
• 2:26 Finding Strength in Weakness
• 7:56 Paul's Thorn in the Flesh
• 14:36 Paul's Hardships and Suffering
• 24:47 Following Jesus: The Hardest Journey
• 33:40 Breaking Bread Together
• 42:31 Final Encouragement and Closing

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Thank you, help keep this ministry thriving. Don't forget to subscribe and find us online at rbchristianradionet. Stay encouraged, stay faithful and know this you are not alone.

Speaker 2: 0:34

Good evening everybody. I want to share a verse that speaks right to where many of us are in life is psalms 73. Verse 26 says my flesh and my heart may fall, but god is the strength of my heart and my petition forever. That is so honest. It's like telling you how you feel sometimes, that feel deep, that weak, and he can't hold it all together. And we felt like that many days, mostly all the time sometimes. But sometimes he'd pick me up, grab a cup of tea, grab a coffee. He says let's just talk to one of our friends, let's keep everyone talking. But it comes to the promise that God is the strength of my heart. That doesn't just give us a little extra energy, it becomes our strength and our person forever, which means God himself is enough, even when everything else has faded.

Speaker 2: 1:42

I'd like to do a short prayer for tonight. Dear God, please help us for, not for weak. Please help everyone around me, everyone around everyone else. Let's build them together, make them stronger and stronger, please. Everywhere we go, let's make this month be a good month. If anyone's doing walking, let them walk. If anyone's got any health, let them heal. Anyone got anything wrong with them, let's heal them all together. Let's make this one tonight even stronger, in Jesus' name Amen.

Speaker 3: 2:21

Amen, amen, amen. Good evening. Wherever you are across the world. May God bless you and strengthen you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. As Alex has just brought us into this place, if you are with us this evening, can you turn to the book of 2 Corinthians? If you have a Bible, can you turn to 2 Corinthians, chapter 12? We're going to go to 2 Corinthians, chapter 12.

Speaker 3: 2:39

We're reading tonight, we're looking at something that's really, really powerful and it's about the greatest writer in the world, and his name is paul, and I just want to show you some hardships that he went through. If you are a bible believing believer, you will find that you will be having some struggles in your life. You'll be having some situations before you that are unfolding, but this is just really, really interesting. Tonight we want to welcome everybody on rb christian radio, all those that are on the social networks with us, all those that are behind the camera and wherever you're gathering for this service, this online streaming service that is pressing across the world. May the power of God and the Holy Spirit encourage you tonight, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ. But these scriptures that we're in tonight there's something really interesting about these scriptures and what they're about is hardship and just the struggles of getting through everyday life. There's this notion out there, there's this area out there that seems to be that there's this unwritten line that goes out there that when you're a Christian, you seem to think that everything is going to be okay, or you're told that everything is going to be all right, that it's going to be all easy. You know, when you read about these gospel writers, and especially when you read about Paul, what Paul went through. What Paul went through is what he endured. So let's just get straight into the scriptures.

Speaker 3: 3:52

We're in 2 Corinthians and we're going to go to chapter 12,. 2 Corinthians, chapter 12, and we're going to pick it up from verse 7. It says to keep me from becoming conceited because of this great, surpassing revelation, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that Christ's power may rest on me. That's why, for your sake, I delight in weakness, in insults, in hardship, in persecution, in difficulties, for when I am weak then I am strong.

Speaker 3: 4:30

When you look at those scriptures that we're in at this moment in time, it is really, really interesting that you have this great writer, this writer that is just so powerful and in the way that he writes, you know, when you look at his life and he was chosen before the very beginning of time, he was brought in by Christ. When you look at this great apostle, this great evangelist, this man that went through so many struggles, you know on the other page we're going to turn back in just a few moments and I just want to let you know tonight if you're having struggles, if you're struggling with life and you want to study Paul, because Paul really clearly tells us that when we're a Christian, we will go through hardship, we will go through pain, we will go through doubt, we will go through loss, we'll struggle in certain areas of life like we've never struggled before. So when you look at these scriptures that we're in, it is really, really uplifting to remind us that following Christ is the hardest thing that we'll ever do in our lives not just believing him, but literally going against the grain of the world, you know, going against what the world is saying, going against what the world is doing when you follow Christ, you will have hardship, you'll have troubles, you'll have worries, you'll have fears, and God sharpens you. God sharpens you up, and what's really really interesting is that God sharpens you up. And what's really really interesting is that the area of church has this notion. It has this notion that when you follow Jesus, you are going to be absolutely sailing through life, that when you follow Jesus, you're just going to sail all the way through life. Well, that actually isn't true. That's not a biblical text, that is not right.

Speaker 3: 6:01

When you follow Christ, as he has just written there let me just read back this at this moment. It says To keep me from becoming conceited because of these great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me Three times. I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the. We are reading this very, very clearly about the Apostle Paul, the writer of more epistles than we can ever imagine. When he wrote this, he was in prison. He was shipwrecked, he was broken, he was lost and he was sawn asunder. When you look at these scriptures, it says three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it from me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Do you know what? There is something really powerful about this scripture tonight. Well, let's go back to verse 7. It says To keep me from becoming conceited because of these great, surpassing revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh. Do you ever feel like that? Do you ever feel like you've been given something, something in your life that you can't put your finger on? It says three times it says that sorry. Actually, it says a messenger of satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the lord to take it away from me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I'll boast all the more gladly about my weakness so that christ power may rest on me. Let's go back.

Speaker 3: 7:56

Let's just turn back on the page a moment and let's turn to chapter 11. Still in 2 Corinthians. In 2 Corinthians, chapter 11. I just want to read this out and this is a really, really statement, really interesting statement by Paul. This is really powerful what he actually says.

Speaker 3: 8:13

I'm going to pick it up in verse 23. And it says are they servants of Christ? For that is in my mind and I talk like this. I am more than that. I have worked harder than ever before. And then it says been imprisoned more frequently, been flogged and severely, and have been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the jews 40 lashes minus one. Three times I've been beaten with rods. Once I was stoned three times I was shipwrecked. I spent the night and day at open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in dangerous rivers, in danger from bandits. I've been in danger from my own country, in danger from Gentiles, in danger from men from different parts of the cities, in danger in certain areas of the country and even in great danger at sea and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have gone without sleep. I have even been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily pressures of my concerns for all the churches. Who is weak? And I do not feel weak when you look at these scriptures. This scripture is absolutely packed with trouble and hardship.

Speaker 3: 9:40

This is the Apostle Paul. This is the great writer of the epistles. This is someone that went through hardship, went through labor. He was shipwrecked. He was beaten.

Speaker 3: 9:51

When you look at the scripture that we're in tonight, it is absolutely phenomenal to read that. I'm going to read that again. It says beaten with rods. Once I was stoned Three times. I was shipwrecked One night. I spent day and night at sea.

Speaker 3: 10:27

I have been constantly on the move. I have been in dangerous rivers, in danger from bandits, danger from my own country, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the cities. When you read this scripture here, it is really powerful. It tells you what it's like to follow Christ. It is unbelievable to think that this great writer says this. I have been in danger in rivers danger from bandits, danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the country, danger at sea and danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled often and gone without sleep. I have even gone hungry and thirsty, even gone without food. I have been cold and naked. Besides all else, I have faced daily pressures and concerns for all the churches. Who is weak and I do not feel weak who is led into sin and I do not, uh, inwardly burn and the question mark on the end of that.

Speaker 3: 11:27

It's very, very clear to see that this man, this great writer, this great apostle, you know when God chose him, when God depicted him out of the heavenly realms. You know this character. Before he got to this position, he had everything. He had everything. You know, saul, saul, why do you persecute me? This is the man that had everything. This is the man that that see notoriety. This is the man that live well. This is a man that went from this situation right down to nothing.

Speaker 3: 11:55

I want to encourage you right now in your life that, wherever you are, if you are a jesus follower I want to put it like this if you are a jesus follower, you will find being born again. You will find it be the hardest journey that you've ever faced in your life. You will find there will be whippings, there will be beatings, and you know what I mean by that. There'll be areas of your life that will be completely fearful and very dark. You know, when you look at this here, it goes through this valley. It goes through this place. He goes through these uncertain times and Paul, he tells us very clearly that I have been shipwrecked, that I have almost lost my life, I have been stoned.

Speaker 3: 12:32

There is this crazy notion in the church itself that being a Christian will be the easiest journey that you ever have in your life. But it's impossible. It is impossible. The more you want Jesus, the more you want him, the more you're looking for him, the more that you want to fall in love with him, the more you want the Scripture, the more you want to live holy, the more you want to live powerfully, the more that you want to walk down that fine road of faith, the more that you call on the greatest name in heaven and earth.

Speaker 3: 12:59

You will find it will be the most difficult journey. It will be the most harduous journey of your life. To stay on the narrow path, to stay focused on Jesus, to give Christ absolutely everything in your life. It will be the most difficult thing that you will ever do is to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. You will find that there'll be curves. You'll find that there'll be straight paths. You'll find that there'll be times when the wave of life comes in, you'll find that there'll be areas of your life where you'll be struggling, that you're losing the plot, you're almost losing the will to live and you're focused on following Christ. But the harder it gets, you know, the more you press in, the difficult it gets. You know, the bleaker it gets, the more bleaker it gets. You keep pushing in and you keep pushing.

Speaker 3: 13:41

There is this notion that is in religion and in church that when you become a Jesus follower, everything will be okay. You know, when this man wasn't walking with God, his life was easier outside of the kingdom. But when God called him into the kingdom, it turned around and suddenly he lost everything that he had and he had a real difficult journey. So it's talking about sacrifice. You know, following Christ will be the hardest journey you'll ever face in your life, following the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. But it will be the most glorious journey of your life because there will be a strip back, there will be a complete strip back in the name of Jesus Christ.

Speaker 3: 14:19

And you know, following the King, following the King above all kings, following the great I Am, he is worthy of all praise, he is Jehovah Jireh, jehovah Nissi. And when you follow God, when you follow the way the Bible tells us I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. But when you follow Jesus, when you follow the King, when you follow Christ, you know God. God leads you in paths of righteousness. Even though we get shipwrecked, even though we almost lose your life, even though that you go through trials and tribulations, there is something powerful about following Christ. There is something outside the realms of this natural realm that is so powerful when you follow the Lord, jesus Christ. I want to encourage you tonight.

Speaker 3: 15:03

If you're going through shipwrecks, if you feel that you're being beaten, if you feel like you're hungry, if you feel like there's not enough money in your life, if you feel that you are really going through the trials and the tribulations of life, this is the text to hold to. This is the text to hold on to that. This great apostle, this great writer. He went through so much trials, so much tribulation, but you know, he knew what it was like to follow god. He knew what it was like to be a jesus follower. He found that following christ was greater than anything else in his life. And I want to tell you at this moment in time, if you are struggling, if you are in a place of fear, if you're in a place of doubt, if you're in a place of uncertainty, the father, the're in a place of uncertainty, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit has your life right now. The King is with you. The King is with you. Are you called tonight? Yes, you're called. So if you are called, let me just remind you tonight what could be expected for being a Jesus follower. And it says are they servants of Christ?

Speaker 3: 16:00

I am out of my mind to talk like this. I am more now. I have worked much harder. I've been in prison frequently, been flogged more severely, been exposed to death time and time and time again. And it says there, five times I received from the Jews 40 lashes minus one. Three times I've been beaten with rods. Once I was stoned Three times I was shipwrecked One night. I spent day and night in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in dangers from rivers, dangers from bandits, in dangers from my own countrymen, danger from Gentiles. In danger in city, in danger in country, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and often gone without sleep. I have also gone hungry and thirsty and often gone without food. I have been cold and naked.

Speaker 3: 16:56

When you think of these scriptures that we're looking at tonight, these are so powerful. It really tells us that being a Jesus follower will bring hardship. He says I have toiled, I have gone without sleep, I've gone, I've been thirsty, I've without sleep, I've gone, I've been thirsty. I've been on the move, I've been constantly moving. Nothing has been easy.

Speaker 3: 17:17

Following god will be the hardest journey of your life. You will find then, suddenly all of a sudden, that the tables have turned. And then what's going on? Paul must have said what is happening. You know when he was so. So why do you persecute me? Up until that point? Until that point, he had a life that was luxurious. He had a life of notoriety. He had a life where he was spoiled. He had a life where he was looked after. He had a life where he would have had servants and people running around for him. He had a life where there would have always been water and there would have been always a place to be able to feed himself. He would have always had everything in abundance. He would have been okay sleeping every night, he would have had a comfortable bed, he would have had a comfortable room to stay and he would have had people around him looking after him, making sure everything was okay in his life. And then, all of a sudden, all of a sudden, he has that Damascus Road experience and God called him.

Speaker 3: 18:13

When God calls you, be prepared to have an eye-opening experience when you follow God. Be prepared when salvation comes onto your life, that it doesn't turn into rose petals, cups of tea and slices of cake. Following Jesus, be prepared for the road to get dusty, to get dry, to get hard. Be prepared that when you follow Jesus, be prepared when you get a calling over your life. Be prepared that things will be turned upside down and inside out. But there is a plan over your life. There is a purpose over your life. There is a reason for the season that you are in. Be prepared for what is happening and don't worry when you see these things happen. Don't worry when you wake up and you're feeling fearful. You're feeling doubtful. Don't be worried when it looks like the tables have turned.

Speaker 3: 19:02

Since I've gone to church, since I've been a Bible believer, since I have followed this Christ, what seems to have happened. Everything has just suddenly been highlighted and I'm shipwrecked more times than I can count. I've experienced hard toil Since I've followed Jesus. I've been exhausted. Since I've followed Jesus, my life has not turned around for the better materially, but literally been stripped back right back to the bone. I have slept, I have not slept. I have eaten, I have not eaten. I've been, I have not eaten. I have been hungry and I've been looking for food, he says. I've been on the run, I've been moving from this way to that way and I've toiled and I've worked hard than I've ever worked in my life.

Speaker 3: 19:42

And we got to remind ourselves that this character, this character, paul, who was Saul before he had the Damascus Road experience, he had a life that was luxurious. He had a life that you would really long for. You would think that he had gone from this and he had switched to that. But it's completely opposite. In the kingdom of God, you know, the blessings are new every morning and what Paul come to, the realization, was when he was following God, something happened to him that he had a spiritual wake-up. And when he had the spiritual wake-up, suddenly he started and he was alerted to the trouble that was in his life. And suddenly you find that this character, this character called Paul, went through the valley of trouble. He went through a place of fear, he went through a place of doubt. He went through many, many areas. He was placed in prison, he was flogged. He went through many, many areas. He was placed in prison, he was flogged, he was beaten.

Speaker 3: 20:31

You know we are talking about the greatest evangelist the world has ever seen. We are talking about this great follower of God. We're talking about this man that was given a mantle to take the gospel. This is a man that was told to go and preach and teach, to set the captives free. This is a man man, you know, that had notoriety, that lived in comfort, that lived in luxury, that had everything around him. He would travel on horse, he would have guards guarding him, he had a life that was very luxurious. But when god called, when god called, god stripped everything back to the bone. When god calls, he strips everything back to the bone. When God calls, he strips everything back to the bone, so that we don't rely on the materialistic way of life, that we literally surrender everything that we got.

Speaker 3: 21:16

And then, suddenly, when you become a Jesus follower, suddenly, when you become a follower of Christ, suddenly, when you become a follower of the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, you will find it will be the hardest journey that you've ever done in your life. You know, when you look at following Jesus, it will be the hardest journey that you've ever had in your life. Following Christ will take you to a place of amazing adventure. But following Christ will not only do that. It will open your eyes and it will tell you right now I need to tell you right now that following Jesus will open your eyes and it will tell you right now. I need to tell you right now that following Jesus will open your eyes. Following Christ will make things look obscured. Following Christ will turn everything around, wherever you are.

Speaker 3: 21:59

If you're listening on radio tonight and you're having trouble and you've started following Jesus, these scriptures are packed and they are loaded with hardship, with worry, with fear, with doubt, with everything. It is absolutely loaded and packed, completely, filled right up. You know wherever you are at this moment in time. I want to encourage you on radio. I want to encourage you on social media. I want to encourage you tonight to never give up when you're going through hardships, when you're going through fear, when you're going through doubt, when you're struggling with life itself. You know there is power in the name of Jesus. But when God calls you, when God calls you, you will find that God highlights and God takes us to a place called the strip back. He takes us back through the fiery furnace. You know, following Jesus isn't all fluffy. Following Christ isn't all what it seems to be.

Speaker 3: 22:51

Following Christ, you know, it's really, really important to understand that there is power in the name of Jesus and God is with you wherever you are. Now. We want to encourage you. We want to tell you right now that the fire of God is over you and the presence of the Holy Spirit is calling you. Yes, the glory of God, yes, the anointing God is with you wherever you are. Right now, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we're going to break bread. We're going to break bread right now in the glorious name of the Savior of the world. I want to encourage you. If you're having hardship, if you're struggling, if you're in fear tonight, if you're doubt, if you're in fear tonight, if you're doubtful tonight, the king is with you. The king is with you right now. So, whatever is going on in your life. I want to tell you now that the fire of god is with you. Come on, never give up. Never give up. There is power in the name of jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus and we got to encourage you tonight.

Speaker 3: 23:51

We are reading and we are looking at this scripture and we are just having a highlighted experience. What is happening, what we are seeing tonight, something that is really clear and very, very powerful. We are watching and we are seeing this apostle and we are reading and watching his life going through complete hardship. He said I've toiled, I have worked hard, I have bled, I have been on the run from countrymen, I have been here, there and everywhere. And something that is really profound that I'm absolutely finding.

Speaker 3: 24:26

What is absolutely amazing as you look at this scripture, something really really clear that we need to get in our spirit, our heart and our mind, is that this man went through hardship. This man went through pain, he went through doubt, he went through loss, he went through so much stuff. This really really threw him off the peg and I want to encourage you tonight that, wherever you are in the mighty name of Jesus, never give up. You know you might hit hardship, you might hit struggles, you might hit points in your life that are completely off the wall, but Jesus Christ is with you. We're going to break bread right now in the name of Jesus. So we're going to break bread and as we come to the cross of Calvary, we want to encourage you tonight Never give up in hardships, never give up. We want to encourage you tonight Never give up in hardships, never give up. We want to encourage you tonight that there is power.

Speaker 3: 25:14

In the name of Jesus, we're going to break bread and wherever you are across the world, we ask you now just to grab yourself a bit of bread, grab yourself a bit of grape juice.

Speaker 3: 25:22

Whatever you got in your life right now, let's just break bread and take this cup. Father, we come to you right now and, spirit of the Living God, we thank you for the glory of God, we thank you for the anointing, we thank you for the power, we thank you for your love and your mercy and Lord, we stretch out tonight. We stretch out tonight, right now, in the name of Jesus and Father, we break bread together as brothers and sisters across the world. Spirit of the Living God, spirit of the living God, spirit of the living God, we thank you that this bread symbolizes the body of Christ Tonight. God, wherever we are, wherever we are now, whether we're listening through social media, whether we're on RB Christian Radio, whether in the world of podcasts, wherever we are capturing this service, we pray, lord, that the fire of God will descend on each and every one of us. Come, holy Spirit, will you restore us, will you bring us to a place, father God, where we can just rest in you? You are the King of glory, but tonight, bless this bread. As we take this, father, we rest in you and we thank you for your love and your mercy. Father, in the name of Jesus, bless this bread right now. Amen, thank you. Holy spirit, wherever you are tonight, the presence of god is with you. Wherever you are tonight, the holy god is with you. We want to encourage you right now to grab a bit of grape juice. To grab a bit of grape juice. Wherever you are, we're going to take this together, you know, and as we break bread together, you can be on the other side of the world. You can be anywhere. You can be anywhere and you can do this. This Breaking a bread and just taking in this cup is really really important as you link with us tonight. Wherever you are. Are you going through troubles, are you going through hardships, are you going through doubt, are you going through loss? Are you feeling like Paul tonight, that everywhere you go you're running almost for your life? You're exhausted, you're worn out, you're tired. Everything is happening, everything is coming against you, fear is with you, doubt is with you, you're not thinking straight, you're not looking right, you're moving forward, but suddenly you feel like you're going backwards. I want to encourage you tonight to grab this cup, the cup of redemption, and as we take this cup tonight, it's really, really important that we rest in Christ. I need you to rest in Christ tonight. We need you to get in the word of God, because God has a journey for you, and the place that you will find rest and the place that you will find hope is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Speaker 3: 27:47

And this evangelist, this character, this person called Paul. He went through the trials of life, he went through the fears, he went through the doubts, he was pushed asunder. He spent more time in prison than he ever realized. Now, this is a man that put people in prison. This is a man that didn't sleep. This is a man that had a beautiful place to lay his head. This is a man that had the luxuries of the world. This is the man that had everything for him when he was on the other side of the cross. But when he came and god called him and he drew him onto the, to the, to the side of the cross, where god wanted him, suddenly everything in his life was stripped back and it was taken away.

Speaker 3: 28:26

I want to tell you tonight be encouraged if you're in a strip back.

Speaker 3: 28:29

Be encouraged if everything's being taken away.

Speaker 3: 28:32

Be encouraged tonight that the fire of god is over your life.

Speaker 3: 28:36

We're going to take this cup wherever you are.

Speaker 3: 28:38

Join us now in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

Speaker 3: 28:41

Father, we thank you that as we take this cup, lord, you're covering us in the blood of Jesus, and as we stand and as we rest with you, spirit of the living God, I pray that you will cover us in the blood of Jesus from the crown of my head to the sole of my feet.

Speaker 3: 28:56

And, lord, when I realize that I've been shipwrecked by life, lord, when I realize that I've been put away, when I've been put aside, when I've been running for your life. When, lord, when I realize all this stuff, I just want to say thank you, jesus. Whatever Paul went through, is it expected of myself to go through that tonight? In the name of Jesus. Lord, cover us in the blood of Jesus. We thank you that this cup symbolizes the blood of Christ and, as we take this right now, spirit of the living God, I pray that you will restore us, lord, that we are redeemed.

Speaker 3: 29:27

And, father, as we go through the trials of life, as we're shipwrecked, lord, as we're pushed to the side, as we're to the left, to the right, wherever we are. Lord, in the name of Jesus, will you speak directly to us tonight, lord, as that great apostle went through trouble, I'm expected to go through trouble. As he went through hardship, I'm expected to go through hardship. Come, lord, in your mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen. Thank you, jesus. Thank you, lord, amen, wonderful Jesus, thank you, holy Spirit.

Speaker 1: 30:15

We've been waiting so long For the day you return To heal every hurt and right every wrong. We need you right now. Come and turn this around deep down. I know this world isn't home. Come, jesus, come.

Speaker 3: 30:49

Hallelujah, thank you Jesus, thank you Lord, sisters and brothers. Sisters and brothers, we're coming to a close, really, really soon. We've got about 11 minutes, and we want to encourage you, wherever you are across the world tonight. We want to encourage you. If you're going through trials, if you're going through fears, if you're going through doubts, we want to encourage you tonight. Never give up. If you feel like you've been shipwrecked in life, if you feel like you have lost it. If you feel like you have lost it, if you feel like that you've been imprisoned, if you feel like that there's no way forward. If you feel like that you've been swept down the river of life, if you feel like everything is coming against you. You know, praise God because there is a way forward. In the name of Jesus, don't worry if it looks bleak, don't worry if it looks awkward. You know, because God is with you. He is with you in the trials. He is with you in the trials. He's with you in the fire. He's with you in the doubt. He's with you. The king is with you and I pray tonight that the fire of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit will carry you. The love of God will carry you, the anointing will be over you. Just just come to that place of realization tonight that the fire of God is with you. The presence of the Holy Spirit is sitting over you tonight. The King is in the house. Jesus is with you. I just want to read that out one more time as we just take our time a moment. This is what he says.

Speaker 3: 32:11

Am I not servant of the Lord, jesus Christ? I am out of my mind to talk like this. I am more. I have worked much harder than ever before. I've been imprisoned more frequently, been flogged more severely and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I receive from the jews 40 lashes minus one. Three times I've been beaten with rods. Once I was stoned Three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day on open sea. I've been constantly on the move. I've been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles. In danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled. I have gone without sleep. I have known what it's like to be hungry and thirsty and often gone without food. I have been cold and I have been naked. Take that one. Look at that for a moment when you think about those scriptures, when you really drink that in, when you really take those scriptures in. This is the greatest writer the world has ever seen. This is the apostle paul.

Speaker 3: 33:19

Paul didn't have a castle. He didn't live anywhere that was famous. He just lived. Wherever he worked, wherever he moved, he went to different places. He was losing sleep. He worked hard, he was toiled, he was exhausted, he was, he was weary, he was burnt out. He lost everything around him time and time and time again.

Speaker 3: 33:43

But God made a way. God will make a way in your life, wherever you are. Tonight, I want to tell you that God will make a way. I want to tell you tonight that there is power in the name of Jesus. I want to tell you tonight that the presence of the Holy Spirit is with you Wherever you are.

Speaker 3: 33:59

Shall we pray, father? We pray as we just come to a close and, father, we thank you for the word of God. We thank you for tonight as we've been able to gather around the word, gather around the scripture. But, lord, we pray, lord, for those that are online. We pray for those that are on radio. We pray for those that are on radio. We pray for those that are going through trials and tribulations. We pray for those that are struggling with life itself, those that are caught in the river of life, those that are caught, father God, in the flood of life, those that feel shipwrecked, those that feel lost, those that feel down, those that feel out of sync with what is happening.

Speaker 3: 34:32

Spirit of the living God, I pray tonight that the presence of God and the fire of God and the love of God and your goodness and your mercy and your favor will carry us tonight. In the mighty name of Jesus Christ, you are worthy of all praise. You are the great. I am Jehovah Jireh. But as we go through the valley of the shadow of death, lord, as we struggle with life, lord, as we hit hard days, as we hit hard labor, as we toil, as we work, as we commute, as we do what we do, spirit of the Living God, I want to draw courage tonight from that great writer. I want to draw courage tonight from the apostle. I want to draw courage tonight, lord, I want to draw courage tonight from these scriptures to know that this great writer, this man that was called, this man that wrote the epistles, this man that was called by God hit trials and tribulations. He hit valleys, he hit rocks, he hit every area of life. He was shipwrecked, he was beaten, he was hit with rods, he was chased out of villages. He was chased out of the town for the gospel of Jesus Christ. So, father, in the name of Jesus, we pray for those that are struggling tonight that they will realize that the struggle is worthwhile, that the struggle is painful. So, dear God, I come to you tonight and I pray for everybody that's with us in the close of this service, that you will touch their hearts, that you will refresh them and with us in the close of this service, that you will touch their hearts, that you will refresh them and restore them in the mighty name of jesus christ.

Speaker 3: 36:02

I'm going to go back to where we started, and that is the book of 2 corinthians, chapter 12, verse 7, to keep me from becoming conceited because of this surpassing great revelation. There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the lord to take it away from me, but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you, but for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, that christ power may rest on me. I delight in weakness. I delight in insult, hardship, persecution, in difficulties, because when I am weak then I am strong. There is a scripture there.

Speaker 3: 36:44

We could spend hours just dissecting this. We could spend hours just opening up the envelope of these texts that we're in tonight. You know, I've just quickly laid out a blanket, I've just quickly put that out there. Night. You know, I've just quickly laid out a blanket, I've just quickly put that out there.

Speaker 3: 36:59

But when you look at this, it says in verse 7 of 2 corinthians, chapter 12, to keep me becoming conceited because of the great surpassing revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of satan to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the lord to take it away from me, but he said to me and then it says so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for your sake, in insults, in, I delight in weakness, in insults and hardship, in persecution, in difficulties, because when I am weak then I am strong. There is power in the name of Jesus. You know we're closing. We're closing right now and the glory of God is over you. The power of the Holy Spirit is with you, you are anointed and you are blessed.

Speaker 3: 37:45

But if you're having trouble, if you're having hardship, if you're going through fears, if you're going through the valley of the shadow of death, we want to encourage you tonight to lift up the word of God. We want to encourage you through prayer, we want to encourage you tonight that the fire of God and the presence of God will rest over you, that the love of Christ is in your life. You might be facing hardship, you might be facing the toils of life, you might be working harder than you've ever worked before. You might feel alone, you might feel doubtful, you might be pushed aside, out of culture and out of life. But that is the plan, and the plan is to strengthen us in the valley, because when you come out of the valley you will come out stronger, you will come out blessed and highly favored.

Speaker 3: 38:33

When you go through the refiner's fire, when you go through the fire and the trials and the tribulations, god has a plan over your life and he is strengthening you, he is carrying you and we are getting out of here tonight, right now, in the name of Jesus. So as we click out, I pray that you will find a miracle for your life. I pray that you will see the glory of God. I pray that you will find peace. I pray that you will see the glory of God. I pray that you will find peace. I pray that you will find glory when you walk through the valley, when you're in hardship, when you're in doubt, when you're shipwrecked, when you are in the river of life, when you are being flooded over by situations, when you can't seem to think right, when you can't walk right, when everything is in a tangle, everything is in a mess. I pray that the fire of God will open your heart and you will see a way where there is no way, because he's a way maker.

Speaker 3: 39:25

He is the great I am. He is worthy of all praise. He is the God above all gods. He is Jehovah Jireh, jehovah Nissi, jehovah Shalom. He is worthy of all praise. The spirit of the living God is over you tonight. Remind yourself that you are a child of the living God. Remind yourself that the presence of the King is over you. Remind yourself that the fire and the power and the glory of God sits on you. All is well with my soul as I go through the trials. All is well as I go through doubt. All is well as I stumble and fall. Lord, as sin burns in me, lord. All is well as fear, lord, drops on me like a cloud, a gray cloud. All is well, lord, when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. All is well, spirit of the living God.

Speaker 3: 40:18

We pray for the listeners tonight, wherever they are, that they will feel the love of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, that they will experience Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, that they will experience the power of the Word of God. And when they feel that they've been beaten with the rod, when they feel that they've been whipped through the pressures of life, when they are carrying issues, when they are doubting themselves, when they go through the valley of the shadow of death, father, in the name of Jesus, I pray that they will feel anointing and they will feel the blessing and they will feel the fire and they will feel the glory and they will feel the power of the glorious God that we serve. Lord, I ask you tonight that all those listeners that are out there, whether they capture this on radio, whether they're on podcast, whatever platform, that they are on Spirit of the Living God. I pray that they realize tonight that it's not cups of tea, that it's not croissants, that it's not easy following Jesus. It is the most difficult thing in the world.

Speaker 3: 41:24

But, brother and sister, never give up. Be a Jesus follower. You know, when you go through the fire, be a Jesus follower. When you go through the rivers, be a Jesus follower. When you go through the doubts, be a Jesus follower. God is with you. Thank you for joining us tonight. We are out of here. It is nine o'clock, god bless. We'll see you again. Take care.

Speaker 1: 41:53

Thank you for joining us on Reverend Ben Cooper's podcast. We hope you feel inspired and uplifted. Don't forget to support us by buying us a coffee. Your generosity keeps this ministry thriving. We'd also love to hear from you, so please leave us a review and let us know what you think. And, of course, for more inspiration, visit us anytime at rbchristianradionet. Until next time, stay encouraged, stay faithful and know this you are not alone.