Confidence is both the key to success and failure. Discipline, wisdom, and developing skill sets is what decides whether your confidence will translate into a victory or loss.
The important thing is to have a go as anyone who digs a pit may fall into it and anyone who breaks through a wall may get bitten by a snake.
Danger lurks for the daring, yet there is no need to be shy: “The righteous are as bold as a lion!” (Proverbs chapter 28 verse 1) and ‘But the cowards, unbelievers, vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars-their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.” (The Revelation)
The cowards reward is the Lake of fire and sulphur: a place that is stagnant, full of burning regret and stinking to high heaven.
Our strengths are what distinguish us from others, providing extra confidence, yet it is our weakness that actually unite us. This means that whatsoever makes us unique is that which is made for another’s need. Our strength is the supply for someone else’s weakness.
The currents of power that unite the human race are not conducted through putting two positives together but by connecting your positive to someone else’s negative.
Most evident
Our youth is the time when our selfish nature should be most evident. Why? Because we are spending most of our time finding and developing our strengths. During this stage of life we also begin to realise our weaknesses, yet because we are finding our strength, once a weakness is realised it is abandoned and /or covered over.
Everything we do tends to come from a desire to be distinguished from the crowd, whilst at the same time wanting only to be accepted. Often resulting in awkward moments of trying to exhibit a perceived strength, yet still failing to connect with the crowd in any significant way.
We have not yet understood the connecting and conductive power of weakness.
Weakness
The good news of the gospel is that it is not our strengths that connect us to God, but our weakness. God is Holy, powerful, strong, vastly beyond the comprehensive abilities of human flesh. He is totally separate and distinguished from all weakness.
He is omnipotent and transcendent over all creation. The utter madness of the religious mindset is that it believes that by acts of strength and willpower we can obtain closeness or a connection to God! Somehow by separating ourselves from the weakness of others we will become more like God! The old attitude of moral supremacy.
The Spirit of God does not flow through such nonsense. ‘Yet they say to each other, “Don’t come to close or you will defile me! I am holier than you!” These people are a stench in my nostrils, an acrid smell that never goes away. (Isaiah chapter 65 verse 5 NLT) I can already smell the sulphur.
God never released the greatest measure of glory at an epoch of moral strength or willpower, no, He chose instead to converge at the greatest point of human weakness. That abyss where the greatest of men feel the collective despair of all humanity, feeling utterly forsaken and disconnected from God and those they know best.
This Jesus felt in totality, literally and experientially. He embraced the full depth of weakness and loss and hell. And He connected the resurrection Power of God to it. The best of the flock must die before the glory of God will touch it. Humanities connection to God was found in utter weakness.
Illustrations
Samson endowed with superhuman strength, killed more Philistines through His death than He did whilst alive: ‘He prayed, “Let me die with the Philistines.” And the temple crashed down on the Philistine rulers and all the people. So he killed more people when he died than he had during his entire lifetime.’ (Judges chapter 16 verse 30)
Paul gloried and boasted in His weakness, what was gain and seen as a strength to his connection before he counted as rubbish compared to the surpassing glory of knowing Christ and being found in Him. This is now how he knew God, this was how he connected with the totally other than holiness and power of God. (Philippians chapter 3 verses 2-11)
Peter’s confidence distinguished him above the other disciples, yet it was key in His denial of the LORD. He eventually discovered the love of God that would make him a shepherd through the grace of Jesus.
A grace that would allow Jesus to confront him with his future weakness: “I assure you: When you were young, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” (John chapter 21 verse 18) This time Peter would not deny His capacity for weakness, but embrace it.
Isaiah saw the glory of the LORD seated upon the throne, and all his eloquence and poetic prophetic ministry suddenly was unclean and vile to Him in comparison to the glory he had encountered. The throne will change your perception of strength (Isaiah chapter 6 verse 5)
Daniel became sick for weeks in his normally strong body as the Lord began to share His secrets with him (He was chosen in Babylon for His physical and intellectual strength)
Job was unmatched in righteousness, prosperity, theology and blessing. His strength vanished in a moment, yet through His weakness He finally met His God and redeemer. (Job chapter 42 verses 5-6)
The reality
It was not humanity putting on strength and power that brought us near to God, impossible! It was God in His power putting on our weakness! God in Christ supplied unlimited strength into human weakness.
Life touched death, light touched darkness, Spirit touched flesh, Joy touched mourning, riches touched poverty, wholeness touched brokenness, God touched man! And Power manifested!
Don’t hide your weakness before God, expose it to Him, let His positive touch your negative. His presence fills our poisons with love! 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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9)
Joshua Robbie is currently serving the Lord under Pastors Ronnie and Shirley Naidoo of KZN Celebration Centre in Tongaat South Africa. He and His wife Rene’ moved from Australia to South Africa in April 2016. Their desire is to help in whatever way they can so that the church can become all that God has purposed her to be. Josh also enjoys sports such as surfing, basketball and boxing.
Josh Robbie previous articles may be viewed
http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josh-robbie.html
Joshua Robbie is currently serving the Lord under Pastors Ronnie and Shirley Naidoo of KZN Celebration Centre in Tongaat South Africa. He and His wife Rene’ moved from Australia to South Africa in April 2016. Their desire is to help in whatever way they can so that the church can become all that God has purposed her to be. Josh is a painter by trade and also enjoys sports such as surfing, basketball and boxing. He has also written a book, now available for purchase on Amazon called: “Your Father sees: Living the sermon on the mount”.Josh Robbie previous articles may be viewed http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/josh-robbie.html