• After reading the account of Paul the apostle, one can conclude that every human being has a weakness
• Every human being has a weakness
  • [Rom 6:19]  I speak in human terms because of theweakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessnessleading to more lawlessness, so now present your membersas slaves of righteousness for holiness. 
• Having a weakness does not make you less of a human, in fact it makes one more of a human
• Having a weakness does not mean one is weak
• Having a weakness is not a sin, however, the weakness will usually lead one into sin
• However, it depends in whose hands one commits the weakness
• Weaknesses committed into the hands of God will be given sufficient grace
  • Jesus said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
• Weaknesses not committed into the hands of God will be exploited by the enemy
• Maybe it is like Paul, the weakness was there to keep one in check from becoming proud

• The purpose of a weakness is to cause one to sin against God
• God did not give you a weakness
• God may have allowed the weakness 

• Difficulty obeying authority – disobedience:
  • Adam and Eve
  • Samson
  • Aaron
• Pride
  • Samson
  • Nebuchadnezzar
  • [Pro 16:18]  Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. 
  • Dr. Stuart Scott, who is a pastor and a professor, listed the followings, among others, as the manifestations of pride:
    • Lack of gratitude; 
    • seeing oneself as better than others; 
    • having an inflated view of ones importance, gifts and abilities; 
    • being devastated or angered by criticism; 
    • being unteachable, sarcastic, hurtful, or degrading; 
    • lacking compassion; 
    • lacking admitting wrongs, or responsibility but shifting blames; 
    • being disrespectful to others; 
    • minimizing own sins and shortcoming while maximizing those of others; 
    • using others; and 
    • being deceitful by covering up own sins, faults, and mistakes.
• Anger
  • Cain
  • Moses
  • King Saul
• Women or Men
  • David
  • Solomon
  • Samson
• Fear
  • Peter
  • Joshua
• Love of Money
  • Judas
  • Delilah
  • The Rich Fool
  • [1Ti 6:10]  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
• Alcohol
  • Lot – committed incest with his daughters – became the father of the Moabites and Ammonites
• Spiritual Weakness
  • Peter, James, John – could not pray for one hour
  • Demas
  • We are not to be weak spiritually
    • [Eph 6:10]  Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
    • [Eph 6:11]  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
    • [Eph 6:12]  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

• The first step in being victorious in the area of one’s weakness is admission
• Admitting there is a weakness helps one seek the solution to overcome the weakness
• Admitting the weakness helps one see when the weakness is manifesting
• Admitting the weakness helps one to understand the purpose of the weakness
  • It may be like Paul, to keep other weaknesses in check
• Admitting the weakness helps one put checks and balances in place to avoid falling for the weakness
• Denying there is a weakness may hide the weakness temporarily
• Denying there is a weakness is actually another weakness (pride)
• Hidden weaknesses have a way of causing massive destructions at the worst possible times

• Go to God in prayer and talk to Him about the weakness
  • [1Co 1:25]  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
• Tell the Lord you need His help to overcome the weakness
• The Lord will show you how to deal with the weakness
  • [Hab 3:19]  The LORD God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills. 
  • [Psa 28:7]  The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
  • [Psa 18:2]  The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
• The weakness that is not committed into the hands of the Lord will be exploited by devil
• Don’t allow the enemy to exploit your weakness

• It is only a matter of time, the enemy will tempt you in the area of that weakness
• Watch-out for when the enemy would want to tempt you
• Never let down your guard

• Those that committed the weakness into God’s hands will overcome temptation
• Those that did not, may God have mercy

• Peter was weak and Satan would have ate him for lunch, but Jesus interceded for him
  • [Luk 22:31]  And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.
  • [Luk 22:32]  But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me,strengthen your brethren.”
• Joshua was fearful, but he received strength from the Lord
  • [Jos 1:6]  Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
  • [Jos 1:7]  Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.  

• Whether we admit it or not, we all have a weakness or two
• The purpose behind the weakness is to cause us to sin against God
• You must admit your weakness before you can deal with the weakness
• We must turn to God to help us in the area of our weakness
• Not turning to God will make the enemy exploit the weakness