Let the weak say: «I Am Strong»
Copyright © 2019 by Job Motihba
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.
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This book is dedicated to all nations of the earth, my family, friends who are downtrodden and my spiritual leaders in the body of Christ.
Make your plows into swords. Make spears from your hooks for trimming trees. Let the weak say, “I am strong.”
Foreword
Preface
As much as I have grieved for the loss of my wife, ached, cried, and sat alone in silence, I have experienced a sweet, satisfying dependence on Christ that no words can sufficiently describe. While (me and my children) we have been blown away by the love that others have sacrificially shown us, ultimately it is Christ Himself who has sustained us, provided what we need, and carried us through this darkness. There is a strange sense of freedom that comes with knowing that God alone is big enough to save us.
Thus, the moment we realise that we were not created to take on life’s difficulties alone, we will then recognize the power of each weakness. What is so beautiful about being weak is how we allow ourselves to remove our walls. Our walls are that which contain what we do not want others to see; our flaws, sins, failures, lies, and personal struggles. Often when we allow this to happen, we find strengths we didn’t realize we had and faith stronger than we knew.
“Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!”(1 Chronicles 16:11).
So, if you have something kind, uplifting, or empowering to say, say it. Don’t be afraid of being judged. Most of us doesn’t live an authentic life for fear of judgement by others. You have to speak up when you have something to say. Don’t hide your thoughts and feelings, especially when your voice can make a difference.
Acknowledgement
Special appreciation and thanks to Cornerstone Christian Family Church and all the social media communities especially those on:
(facebook, twitter and whatsapp)
twitter: job@jobmothiba
Whatsapp: +27732084668
www.cornerstonefamily.co.za
1
INTRODUCTION
Have you ever been asked in the interview about your weakness? You would find yourself in the situation that on one hand, you don’t want to mention your weakness thinking it will make you lose out on the job. On the other hand, you’re still expected to deliver an answer and you end up saying you don’t have any. Being asked about your weaknesses in an interview may be intimidating. After all, you’re there to show them how capable you are, not to talk about what you’re bad at.
Everyone who is born of flesh and blood has some weakness, but not everyone is aware of his or her weakness. Many of us believe we are weak only when we suffer defeat and sin. Far from it, that is not the reason. The reason is that we are not aware of our weaknesses, and so we are not crying out to God in our need before we fall. We do not present ourselves before the throne of grace to seek our great and compassionate High Priest. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15).
He calls us in our weakness, even when He knows we will do it wrong. He puts His priceless treasure in (these earthen vessels of ours) our body because He delights in doing the impossible with nothing. His strength is perfected in our weakness. “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” (2 Corinthians 4:7)
1.1. DEFINING WEAKNESS
The Gospel writers often use the word “weakness” to describe many illnesses Jesus healed. If there were one broad explanation for weakness, it would be to lack. Weakness means we don’t have what it takes as humans. It means we are neither sovereign nor omniscient, nor invincible. We are not in control, we don’t know everything, and we can be stopped. We are limited and inadequate.
But, with me one of my ambitions in life is to be a great teacher of the word, sharing my knowledge and experiences of Christ to the world. However, in my walk with God there are some moments when I do feel weak, when I do feel inadequate and in need of strength. “Have compassion on me, LORD, for I am weak…” (Psalm 6:2)
Becoming weak or vulnerable is something we can experience daily and some days it may even feel worse. This shows how much we need God in our weaknesses. “But the Lord can be trusted to make you strong and protect you from harm” (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
*Jesus Christ himself was considered weak by the Romans, because he went to the cross “like a lamb to the slaughter.” Likewise, as Christians we can be considered weak, because of God’s humility working in us, in fact we are also considered as sheep to be slaughtered (Romans 8:36)
1.1.1. The weak moments
These are moments which can affect everyone negatively, furthermore these are moments that needs one to speak or declare God’s words into and over his or her life to change the whole course for good, such as when you feel weak, sick, oppressed etc., speak: “Be strong in the Lord and power of His might”(Ephesians 6:10)
The word of God should be the first place we go to for diagnosis, direction, strength and comfort when these moments arises. For it is His words and spirit that defines how battles are to be fought. Hence, God is everything the word says He is. He will do everything the word says He will do. We are what the word says we are. If God says we are strong, we are. If He says we are healed, we are. So, “…by His stripes you are healed” (Isaiah 53:5)
*Elijah experienced this weak moment at one point, he was so discouraged that he desired to die: “And he asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers’” (1 Kings 19:4). In response, the Lord sent an angel to bring the prophet food and drink both before and after he slept. After the rest and nourishment, Elijah took a forty-day journey to Mount Horeb to meet with the Lord (1 Kings 19:6–8).
*King David did have moments of weakness. The bible explains what He did when he and his companions were hungry, how he entered the house of God and they ate the sacred bread, which was against the law for him or his companions to eat, but only for the priests. (1 Samuel 21:4-6)
*Samson also had his moments of weakness, despite his supernatural strength