Even Your Weakness is Anointed
Introduction
Do you ever feel too weak or inadequate to be useful to God?
A teenager from Cumbria in Northern England felt God calling him. Patrick was poorly educated, ineloquent and faced significant opposition throughout his ministry from those who felt that he wasn’t up to the task. Even as an old man he still admitted, ‘Today I still blush and fear more than anything to have my lack of learning brought out into the open.’
Yet despite all his disadvantages Patrick remained convinced that God had called and anointed him as an evangelist. He wrote, ‘We are a letter of Christ for salvation even to the back of beyond – and what does it matter if it is not a learned letter? For it is still to be found valid and plain for all to read, written in your very hearts, not in ink but by the Spirit of the living God!’
Today his more eloquent contemporaries have long been forgotten, but the impact of St Patrick’s ministry and mission to Ireland 1500 years ago is still recognised around the world. Even his weakness was anointed.
As David takes up the throne of Israel he says, ‘… though I am the anointed king, I am weak’ (2 Samuel 3:39). The moment you put your faith in Jesus, God anoints you with the Holy Spirit. However weak and inadequate you may feel, God can use you, like David, in extraordinary ways. Even your weakness is anointed.
Psalm 69:13-28
13 But I pray to you, Lord,
in the time of your favour;
in your great love, O God,
answer me with your sure salvation.
14 Rescue me from the mire,
do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
from the deep waters.
15 Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
or the depths swallow me up
or the pit close its mouth over me.
16 Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love;
in your great mercy turn to me.
17 Do not hide your face from your servant;
answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
18 Come near and rescue me;
deliver me because of my foes.
19 You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
all my enemies are before you.
20 Scorn has broken my heart
and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
for comforters, but I found none.
21 They put gall in my food
and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
22 May the table set before them become a snare;
may it become retribution and a trap.
23 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
and their backs be bent forever.
24 Pour out your wrath on them;
let your fierce anger overtake them.
25 May their place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
26 For they persecute those you wound
and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
27 Charge them with crime upon crime;
do not let them share in your salvation.
28 May they be blotted out of the book of life
and not be listed with the righteous.
Commentary
Anointed in times of trouble
Are you going through a time of trouble? David was in a time of deep trouble in his life. He felt like he was in a ‘swamp’, a ‘Black Hole’, a ‘deathtrap’. He says, ‘I’m… flat on my face, reduced to a nothing’ (vv.15–20, MSG).
David, the anointed leader of Israel (2 Samuel 5:3), was a person of prayer. Many of the psalms are attributed to him. In this psalm we see an example of his honest, raw and intimate prayers.
When you are in trouble or in a position of great weakness:
1. Know God’s great love for you
David prays, ‘In your great love, O God, answer me’ (Psalm 69:13). ‘Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me’ (v.16).
2. Cry out to God in your heart
Be honest with God. Tell him what you are really feeling: ‘Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink’ (v.14). ‘Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble’ (v.17).
Prayer
Acts 1:1-22
Jesus Taken Up Into Heaven
1 In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen. 3 After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”
6 Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
7 He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
10 They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”
Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas
12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.”
18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.)
20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms:
“‘May his place be deserted;
let there be no one to dwell in it,’
and,
“‘May another take his place of leadership.’
21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”
Commentary
Anointed by the Holy Spirit
The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in you. Of the four Gospel writers, Luke is the only one who continues to tell the story of the next generation. The story of Jesus continued in ‘the believers’ (v.15) and now it continues in you.
The book of Acts is the History of the Church Volume I. History matters to Luke. He uses such words as ‘eyewitnesses’, ‘carefully investigated’, ‘an orderly account’ (Luke 1:2–3) and here he talks about ‘many convincing proofs’ (Acts 1:3). He stresses that Jesus did not just appear as a fleeting impression like a ghost: ‘After his death, he presented himself alive to them in many different settings over a period of forty days... as they met and ate meals together’ (vv.2–4, MSG).
This is the second volume in Luke’s life of Jesus. He refers to his earlier Gospel as being about ‘all that Jesus began to do and to teach’ (v.1). Now he tells the story of what Jesus continued to do through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus spoke of the Holy Spirit as the gift promised by the Father (v.4). Now he promises that in a few days the disciples will be baptised with the Holy Spirit and receive power to be his witnesses to the city (‘Jerusalem’), the nation (‘all Judea and Samaria’) and the world (‘to the ends of the earth’) (v.8).
Through the rest of the passage we see a series of examples of people who have been filled by the Holy Spirit and been his messengers across the world. The wonderful news is that you are included in the list!
David
The Holy Spirit speaks through people, including David (v.16). Peter gives examples of how the Holy Spirit spoke through David in the psalms – even predicting the replacement of Judas the betrayer (vv.15–20).
Jesus
Supremely, the Holy Spirit anointed Jesus. Luke tells us that Jesus gave ‘instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen’ (v.2).
In particular, ‘On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit”’ (vv.4–5).
Apostles
Though in many ways they were weak, the apostles would be anointed by the Holy Spirit for the task that lay ahead. The word ‘apostle’ is used in several different ways in the New Testament. In the wider sense of a person who is sent by God, it clearly applies to many people in the past and also today (see 1 Corinthians 12:28–29). In a narrower sense, there are people who have what might be described as an ‘apostolic’ leadership gift (Mark 3:14).
However, here it is used in the narrowest sense of the word. They were a special group of people who were uniquely qualified by Jesus. The Holy Spirit spoke through them in a unique way. These were the apostles whom Jesus had chosen and to whom he gave special instructions through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:2).
Judas had originally been part of this group. Now they were looking for a replacement. Peter lays down the qualifications. They had to have been with Jesus throughout his ministry, witnessed his resurrection and to have received the necessary training (vv.21–22).
You
Jesus said, ‘In a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’ (vv.5,8).
On the day of Pentecost this was fulfilled and the apostle Peter made it clear that the promise was for ‘all whom the Lord our God will call’ (2:39). This includes you!
The Holy Spirit comes to anoint and empower you – to help and guide you in every aspect of your life – not just the ‘spiritual’ parts. Everything you have belongs to God and he wants to be involved in all of your life. Through the Holy Spirit living within you God wants you to become like Jesus in all your thoughts, attitudes, words and actions. You are Jesus to the world.
Prayer
2 Samuel 3:22-5:5
Joab Murders Abner
22 Just then David’s men and Joab returned from a raid and brought with them a great deal of plunder. But Abner was no longer with David in Hebron, because David had sent him away, and he had gone in peace. 23 When Joab and all the soldiers with him arrived, he was told that Abner son of Ner had come to the king and that the king had sent him away and that he had gone in peace.
24 So Joab went to the king and said, “What have you done? Look, Abner came to you. Why did you let him go? Now he is gone! 25 You know Abner son of Ner; he came to deceive you and observe your movements and find out everything you are doing.”
26 Joab then left David and sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern at Sirah. But David did not know it. 27 Now when Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside into an inner chamber, as if to speak with him privately. And there, to avenge the blood of his brother Asahel, Joab stabbed him in the stomach, and he died.
28 Later, when David heard about this, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever innocent before the Lord concerning the blood of Abner son of Ner. 29 May his blood fall on the head of Joab and on his whole family! May Joab’s family never be without someone who has a running sore or leprosy or who leans on a crutch or who falls by the sword or who lacks food.”
30 (Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.)
31 Then David said to Joab and all the people with him, “Tear your clothes and put on sackcloth and walk in mourning in front of Abner.” King David himself walked behind the bier. 32 They buried Abner in Hebron, and the king wept aloud at Abner’s tomb. All the people wept also.
33 The king sang this lament for Abner:
“Should Abner have died as the lawless die?
34 Your hands were not bound,
your feet were not fettered.
You fell as one falls before the wicked.”
And all the people wept over him again.
35 Then they all came and urged David to eat something while it was still day; but David took an oath, saying, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun sets!”
36 All the people took note and were pleased; indeed, everything the king did pleased them. 37 So on that day all the people there and all Israel knew that the king had no part in the murder of Abner son of Ner.
38 Then the king said to his men, “Do you not realize that a commander and a great man has fallen in Israel this day? 39 And today, though I am the anointed king, I am weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are too strong for me. May the Lord repay the evildoer according to his evil deeds!”
Ish-Bosheth Murdered
4 When Ish-Bosheth son of Saul heard that Abner had died in Hebron, he lost courage, and all Israel became alarmed. 2 Now Saul’s son had two men who were leaders of raiding bands. One was named Baanah and the other Rekab; they were sons of Rimmon the Beerothite from the tribe of Benjamin—Beeroth is considered part of Benjamin, 3 because the people of Beeroth fled to Gittaim and have resided there as foreigners to this day.
4 (Jonathan son of Saul had a son who was lame in both feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled, but as she hurried to leave, he fell and became disabled. His name was Mephibosheth.)
5 Now Rekab and Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, set out for the house of Ish-Bosheth, and they arrived there in the heat of the day while he was taking his noonday rest. 6 They went into the inner part of the house as if to get some wheat, and they stabbed him in the stomach. Then Rekab and his brother Baanah slipped away.
7 They had gone into the house while he was lying on the bed in his bedroom. After they stabbed and killed him, they cut off his head. Taking it with them, they traveled all night by way of the Arabah. 8 They brought the head of Ish-Bosheth to David at Hebron and said to the king, “Here is the head of Ish-Bosheth son of Saul, your enemy, who tried to kill you. This day the Lord has avenged my lord the king against Saul and his offspring.”
9 David answered Rekab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, “As surely as the Lord lives, who has delivered me out of every trouble, 10 when someone told me, ‘Saul is dead,’ and thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and put him to death in Ziklag. That was the reward I gave him for his news! 11 How much more—when wicked men have killed an innocent man in his own house and on his own bed—should I not now demand his blood from your hand and rid the earth of you!”
12 So David gave an order to his men, and they killed them. They cut off their hands and feet and hung the bodies by the pool in Hebron. But they took the head of Ish-Bosheth and buried it in Abner’s tomb at Hebron.
David Becomes King Over Israel
5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler. ’”
3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. 5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.
Commentary
Anointed for leadership
In order to be leaders, we do not need to be perfect. David said, ‘… though I am the anointed king, I am weak’ (3:39). The history of David’s life in the Bible is a great testimony to both the anointing and weakness of David. He knew that he was far from perfect, and yet he also knew that God could still use him. He doesn’t dwell on his weakness, but rather turns the situation over to God (v.39). In spite of his weaknesses, God used him in extraordinary ways.
This passage also reminds us that God used David throughout his life. We have already seen many examples of how God had used David as a leader for many years before he became king. Yet when he became king, David was still relatively young. Thereafter he continued to be used by God throughout a long and (mostly) successful reign: ‘David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years’ (5:4).
The Lord said about David, ‘You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall become their ruler’ (v.2). Then, ‘all the elders… anointed David king over Israel’ (v.3). David became a leader full of integrity. He ‘shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skilful hands he led them’ (Psalm 78:72). David was the type of leader we desperately need today, in the church and in society – men and women of character and capabilities; integrity of heart and skilful hands.
Prayer
Pippa adds
In 2 Samuel 3 it says,
‘Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon’ (v.30).
Wanting revenge is a powerful emotion. I can understand Joab wanting to avenge his brother’s death. It is not easy to forgive a person who has hurt someone you love. Without knowing that Jesus died for me, I am not sure I could even begin. I still have to go on forgiving one of our children’s teachers who was vindictive – don’t get me started!
Verse of the Day
Acts 1:8
‘… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you’
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References
John Skinner, The Confession of Saint Patrick: The Classic Text in New Translation (Penguin Random House, 1998), p.11.
Unless otherwise stated, Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version Anglicised, Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 Biblica, formerly International Bible Society. Used by permission of Hodder & Stoughton Publishers, an Hachette UK company. All rights reserved. ‘NIV’ is a registered trademark of Biblica. UK trademark number 1448790.
Scripture marked (MSG) taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
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