Our sufficiency is from God
II Corinthians 3:1-6
Victory. We all would like to live lives that are successful and meaningful. In the secular world, there are many “How to†books giving the author’s views on how to obtain such a life. For the believer in Christ there is only one book that explains how to have victory in our lives, the Bible and that victory will bring glory to God.
The apostle Paul, was a man with incredible qualifications and authority (Phil 3:4-8). He proclaimed Christ as the Son of God with great vigor and was able to prove it from the Old Testament Scriptures. Yet his earliest years as a disciple of Christ were anything but successful. The believers sent him up to the city of Tarsus and we hear nothing more concerning him (Acts 9). Ten years later Paul is sent out by the church at Antioch, and now his ministry becomes successful.
What changed in the life and ministry of Paul? He discovered that the ministry is not based upon our sufficiency but by relying on the sufficiency of God.
Just prior to Christ going to the cross, He stated “this cup..is the new covenant in my bloodâ€. Jesus Christ inaugurated the promise made by the prophet Jeremiah. (Jer 31:31-34). There are three major points in this covenant. The first two points are the basis for preaching of the gospel. (1) we will all know God, this happens when by faith we accept Christ as our Savior. (2) our sins will be forgiven, and this is fully explained how God accomplished this in Heb 8-10, thru the blood of Christ. The third point of the new covenant (3) the law will be within us and written in our hearts, is where we as believer are right now.
Paul had to learn, as we all do, that when one accepts Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells us, sanctifies us and empowers us for living “In Christâ€. This becomes a life long living experience where we slowly learn to rely on the Holy Spirit empowering our life, in thought, in word and in deeds.
This is where our sufficiency lies. It is not our strength, ability or achievement. It is not accomplished by living under the power of the old covenant (Gal3:3), but by walking by the Spirit of the new.