When I've read Paul saying he came "in weakness and in fear and much trembling" (v 3), I always thought he was exaggerating. But now as I've just read the context in Acts before reading this letter, I see that he had just been imprisoned and beaten and chased out of the two prior cities. When God spoke to him in a vision and told him not to be afraid that he wouldn't be attacked nor harmed (Acts 18:9-10) it was because Paul actually was afraid of this happening because it had happened to him in each city before this.
Sometimes we think of Paul and other heroes of the Bible as superhuman. But the fact is that they were people just like you and I. They had fears and failings just like us. I haven't been imprisoned or beaten for preaching the gospel, but I have been in foreign countries preaching about Jesus and had my passport taken away at gunpoint and have had money taken and have been chased by authorities. In most of the situations of danger God has given me supernatural boldness, but once when we were fleeing the airport to leave the country, I felt a definite sigh of relief when the wheels left the ground, so I can understand some of what Paul describes in his fear and trembling.
Paul also makes some interesting points in this chapter about his preaching about Jesus not being with "plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (v 4). He wasn't just another voice in the marketplace of words, but God was speaking and acting so that the faith of the Corinthians can be built on the power of God. When speaking to others about Jesus, especially to those who are Hindu or others open to religion, I have seen that they accept Jesus as just another god to add to their pantheon. But Jesus isn't just another god. He is the true and ONLY God! Here is where I really need more of God's power to be speaking and not mere wisdom of man. What is interesting is that often God's power doesn't shine through until we come to recognize our weakness and inadequacy and we cry out to God for help. As God spoke to Paul in 2 Cor 12:9, God's power is made perfect in our weakness.
Lord Jesus, I pray for more of your Spirit and power! I pray that you would work in supernatural ways to speak and act and change hearts, so that others can find you and be rescued from a life of sin and death and separation from you! Let me fully see my weakness, so that your strength and wisdom can be displayed!
Wisdom from God
On the one hand, Paul says that he didn't speak with "plausible words of wisdom", but he did speak with the wisdom of God. But he clarifies that he does speak words of wisdom from God to those who are spiritual and mature who can accept the words of God. To a person without the Spirit of God, they are foolishness.
What is incredible is that we can have the Spirit of God living in us, who knows the mind and thoughts of God, and who speaks to us the mind and thoughts of Christ!
Lord Jesus, attune my heart to be able to hear your Spirit better! I want to know your mind and thoughts and I want to follow in the steps that you have for me!
Sometimes we think of Paul and other heroes of the Bible as superhuman. But the fact is that they were people just like you and I. They had fears and failings just like us. I haven't been imprisoned or beaten for preaching the gospel, but I have been in foreign countries preaching about Jesus and had my passport taken away at gunpoint and have had money taken and have been chased by authorities. In most of the situations of danger God has given me supernatural boldness, but once when we were fleeing the airport to leave the country, I felt a definite sigh of relief when the wheels left the ground, so I can understand some of what Paul describes in his fear and trembling.
Paul also makes some interesting points in this chapter about his preaching about Jesus not being with "plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (v 4). He wasn't just another voice in the marketplace of words, but God was speaking and acting so that the faith of the Corinthians can be built on the power of God. When speaking to others about Jesus, especially to those who are Hindu or others open to religion, I have seen that they accept Jesus as just another god to add to their pantheon. But Jesus isn't just another god. He is the true and ONLY God! Here is where I really need more of God's power to be speaking and not mere wisdom of man. What is interesting is that often God's power doesn't shine through until we come to recognize our weakness and inadequacy and we cry out to God for help. As God spoke to Paul in 2 Cor 12:9, God's power is made perfect in our weakness.
Lord Jesus, I pray for more of your Spirit and power! I pray that you would work in supernatural ways to speak and act and change hearts, so that others can find you and be rescued from a life of sin and death and separation from you! Let me fully see my weakness, so that your strength and wisdom can be displayed!
Wisdom from God
On the one hand, Paul says that he didn't speak with "plausible words of wisdom", but he did speak with the wisdom of God. But he clarifies that he does speak words of wisdom from God to those who are spiritual and mature who can accept the words of God. To a person without the Spirit of God, they are foolishness.
What is incredible is that we can have the Spirit of God living in us, who knows the mind and thoughts of God, and who speaks to us the mind and thoughts of Christ!
Lord Jesus, attune my heart to be able to hear your Spirit better! I want to know your mind and thoughts and I want to follow in the steps that you have for me!
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