THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD
(2 Corinthians)
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
mercies, and the God of all comfort;
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort
them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are
comforted of God.… For we would not,
brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we
were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of
life: But we had the sentence of death
in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth
the dead: Who delivered us from so
great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.
(2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 8-10)
II.
GOD’S SPIRIT IS SUFFICIENT TO ENABLE YOU TO SERVE JESUS CHRIST.
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and
maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of
Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death;
and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these
things? (2 Corinthians 2:14-16)
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of
ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the
letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)
III.
GOD’S POWER IS SUFFICIENT TO TRANSFORM YOU INTO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there
is liberty. But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)
IV.
GOD’S LOVE IS SUFFICIENT TO MOTIVATE YOU TO LIVE FOR
CHRIST.
For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if
one died for all, then were all dead:
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)
V.
GOD’S RICHES ARE SUFFICIENT TO MEET YOUR NEEDS AS YOU GIVE TO THE LORD.
But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and
he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his
heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a
cheerful giver. And God is able to make
all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all
things, may abound to every good work. (2
Corinthians 9:6-8)
VI.
GOD’S GRACE IS SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE STRENGTH TO GROW THROUGH YOUR TRIALS.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the
revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan
to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart
from me. And he said unto me, My grace
is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I
take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions,
in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)