HOW GOD HELPS US MANAGE OUR WEAKNESSES, LUSTS & VICES…

Think about this, God made all of us. We are all His creation. He gave us all strengths, abilities, talents, gifts and virtues to advance His kingdom and to sustain our lives…

2 Peter 1:3 (NKJV)

³as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

However, if we are born with innate strengths, we are also born with innate weaknesses, inabilities, and vices. No matter how hard we try, there are some things we just can’t do, or naturally can’t help without the help of God or one another.

I think God does this to create interdependence and balance among those created in His image.

Some people are physically stronger than others.

Some people are ‘smarter’ than others in certain areas, but everyone is ‘smart’ in something. For example, some people are great at math, but horrible and writing, and vice versa. (My wife was a math teacher, I used to tease her by saying, ‘get a respectable job’ because math is my weakness, while she’s not fond of writing, and concedes that it’s her weakness.)

Some people are not mechanically inclined and need help screwing in a light bulb, but may be a genius at technology.

Some people are unfortunately born disabled.

Some people naturally have a bad temper that was even evident when they were infants or toddlers. They didn’t ask for it…it’s a weakness.

Some people naturally have trouble managing money and resources, while others are excellent at it.

Some people are born naturally predisposed to get high blood pressure or even born with chronic ailments.

Some people naturally have trouble focusing, which limits their ability to learn.

Some people have an insatiable sexual appetite…like Solomon the son of David and wisest man to ever live (1 Kings 11:1).

Now, I know this is going to mess up some peoples’ theology, but I believe that some people did not ask to be or choose to be attracted to people of his or her own sex. Just because I don’t have that particular weakness, it’s wrong for me to declare, that someone else chose it. It’s a weakness they are ‘born with’; that is no different than a heterosexual person who’s unquenchable sexual desire leads them to be promiscuous…we are all born with weaknesses and lusts that we didn’t ask for (Psalm 51:5).

Some people are naturally flirtatious. Even when they are married the find that they continue to love attention that could lead to emotional and physical intimacy. It doesn’t automatically go away if they get married. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to be married. It doesn’t mean they don’t love their spouse. It just means that they have to depend on God with the help of His Holy Spirit to fight those weaknesses. As much as God can deliver us from our weaknesses, and lusts, He would much rather we deny our flesh out of love for Him and resist our weaknesses…

Matthew 16:24 (NKJV)

²⁴Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Some weaknesses may never go away, you have to overcome them just like Paul…

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)

⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

So, here’s the good news. God does not hold us hostage to the weaknesses that He gave us, He just expects us to be responsible with them, which in turn is designed to enhance our relationships with Him.

Whether it be physical, mental or even spiritual God has made provision for our weaknesses through faith and relationship in Him and through His Holy Spirit…

Romans 8:26 (NKJV)

²⁶Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[a]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When we deny the works of the flesh, which the enemy uses to exploit our weaknesses, we grow stronger and closer to God.

Galatians 5:16-21 (NKJV)

¹⁶I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God is able snatch us out of the consequences of our bad decisions and weakness, for example someone who is very poor with managing money can be blessed with success beyond their ability or education…even if He connects them with the right people. Or, God is able to pair a person who is ‘sexually weak’ with a spouse strong enough to patiently see them through their weakness with which they sincerely struggle…sometimes for a lifetime. How are you the designated strong person in your various relationships?

But check this out, God is also able to deliver us from the temptation…

2 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

⁹then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

But, He would prefer that we resist the enemy and willingly put forth every effort to ‘set aside’ those weaknesses of both FLESH AND SPIRIT that can come between us and Him if we allow them.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

He wants us to do this out of the same love for Him, as we want those we love to choose NOT to do things to hurt us. Not only because of the consequences of losing possibly relationship with us, but out of genuine love, concern and the desire not to hurt us.

God has equipped us to resist the enemy with a promise…

James 4:7 (NKJV)

⁷Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

And, given us the tools and resources of prayer and His Holy Spirit to help us, even when we don’t know what to say (Romans 8:26).

God doesn’t hold us hostage to our weakness. He doesn’t condemn us for our weaknesses. He gives us power over them.

Romans 8:1-10 (NKJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who^[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ²For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶For to be ^[b]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷Because the ^[c]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.