Question 1

How can I be a strong Christian?

Accepted Answer

Mark 14:38“Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”1 Corinthians 10:12If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.We need to be alert to our tendency toward sin. We should pray for God’s strength to empower us at our point of weakness. We must learn to trust God’s strength more than any strength we think we may have.Isaiah 57:12-13“Now I will expose your so-called good deeds. None of them will help you. Let’s see if your idols can save you when you cry to them for help. Why, a puff of wind can knock them down! If you just breathe on them, they fall over! But whoever trusts in me will inherit the land and possess my holy mountain.”John 15:5“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”Placing too much faith in our own strength or in other things can become a great weakness. It leads us to detach ourselves from God, our greatest source of strength. We must stay connected to God, the only sure foundation for life.Galatians 4:9Why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world?A confident faith in the omnipotent God is required to be a strong Christian and to resist the temptations of Satan.2 Corinthians 12:7-10I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.A profound awareness of our own weaknesses makes us more deeply aware of God’s enduring strength. God’s strength is best revealed when he uses us to do incredible things despite our weaknesses.Ezekiel 34:2-6“What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? . . . You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal.God’s people become stronger when they care for the weak. When we serve others in need, we share what God has done for us and reveal his care for others.

Question 2

How do I know what my strengths and weaknesses are?

Accepted Answer

Daniel 1:17God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.1 Corinthians 12:11It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.Recognize that God is the source of our strengths and special abilities. He has created each of us to serve him in ways unique from others by giving us special talents and abilities.Exodus 31:3“I have filled him with the Spirit of God, giving him great wisdom, ability, and expertise in all kinds of crafts.”Haggai 2:5“‘My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’”John 14:16“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”Romans 12:6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.We should ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how he has especially gifted us. He will show us our strengths and how to use them to serve God.Ephesians 1:16-17I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God.We should pray for wisdom and understanding. God will reveal how he wants to use us.Daniel 1:4“Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.”Matthew 25:15“He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.”1 Timothy 4:14Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received through the prophecy spoken over you when the elders of the church laid their hands on you.Often our strengths are more evident to others than to us. We should seek the advice of others to help us determine our strengths and weaknesses.

Question 3

How can I best use my strengths while minimizing my weaknesses?

Accepted Answer

Exodus 36:1“The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab, and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary. Let them construct and furnish the Tabernacle, just as the Lord has commanded.”1 Corinthians 12:7A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.It is important that we use our strengths and skills to build and serve the church. We should begin by acknowledging that our skills, talents, and special abilities are gifts from God. Special gifts are given as part of God’s plan and design for us.Ecclesiastes 4:12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.By joining with others, we are able to minimize our weaknesses and maximize our strengths.Ecclesiastes 10:10Using a dull ax requires great strength, so sharpen the blade. That’s the value of wisdom; it helps you succeed.God can give us wisdom to know how to more fully develop and use our strengths.1 Corinthians 4:7What gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?We must remember to give God full credit for whatever strengths we have. Everything we have comes from him.1 Corinthians 16:13-14Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love.Having faith in God will help us to be stronger and braver. Note that watchfulness, confidence in God’s Word, courage, and steadfastness are all part of a life that honors God. All the above should be exercised with an attitude of love toward God and our neighbor.Jeremiah 20:11The Lord stands beside me like a great warrior. Before him my persecutors will stumble. They cannot defeat me. They will fail and be thoroughly humiliated. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.2 Corinthians 12:9Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.God will stand beside us and help us to be strong, even when we are weak. We should dedicate our weaknesses as well as our strengths to serving him.

Question 4

Do leaders always have to be strong?

Accepted Answer

2 Corinthians 12:9Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.Leaders are not always strong. In fact, the challenges, complexities, and demands of leadership often serve to reveal our weaknesses. But God’s wisdom and power are demonstrated most clearly in our weaknesses.

Strengths & Weaknesses