Strengths and Weaknesses

We all have strengths and weaknesses- things are good at and things we are not. There are things we’ve overcome or shown ourselves to be victorious over and those things that have overcome us.

And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. II Samuel 5:19 (KJV)

Like us, David had his strengths and weaknesses. One of his strengths was that when he was facing things, he would often inquire of the Lord, asking Him for help and seeking His direction. This showed his dependence on God to win battles against his enemies- in this case the Phillistines. Although David slew Goliath, a Phillistine giant, his real strength was his reliance on God. This is how we get stronger in God: relying on His strength, wisdom, and power.

And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up to the Philistines? wilt thou deliver them into mine hand? And the Lord said unto David, Go up: for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. And David came to Baalperazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baalperazim. And there they left their images, and David and his men burned them. And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees. And let it be, when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees, that then thou shalt bestir thyself: for then shall the Lord go out before thee, to smite the host of the Philistines. And David did so, as the Lord had commanded him; and smote the Philistines from Geba until thou come to Gazer. II Samuel 5:19-25 (KJV)

As David inquired of the Lord and relied on God’s wisdom and strength to overcome, He conquered his enemies. When David sought the Lord, he was operating in his strong point- his dependence on God.

And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David. II Samuel 5:13 (KJV)

This verse reveals a weakness of David- the lust of the flesh and eyes. He desired many women although he was already married. We must control our fleshly deisres or they will control us. David’s fleshly desires caused him many problems later- problems that affected him the rest of his life. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed to cover it up. He took Michal away from her husband, which broke the man’s heart. David’s failure to control himself affected himself and his family. In addition, he got a blot that was never wiped away- although he was forgiven, his sexual sins are recorded for us all to read about today.

We must know our strengths and weaknesses, using our strengths to glorify God and help others. Yet, we must remain humble to still rely on and trust God. We must be aware of our weaknesses so we can stay on guard against things that easily tempt us. We have to rely on God’s strength to help us make right choices. We must choose to follow the Lord and not our sinful desires. When we’re weak, we should bring solid believrs around us to help us. We, also, should help others in their weaknesses.

Whether in our strengths or in our weaknesses, we all need God to help us and give us what we need to live the way He wants us to live. In Him, we are made strong.