What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

What Does The Bible Say About Weakness? Mankind has an inherent nature of weakness, reason why we turn to God through Christ for strength. Psalms 146:3 says, “Don’t put your trust in human leaders; no human being can save you.” In other words, we can say that on our own, we can do absolutely nothing. In this verse, the Psalmist’s advice is an often repeated notion throughout the Scripture. In the same light Psalm 118:8-9 says, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.” In addition, Jeremiah 17:5 puts it even more bluntly, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD.’” Human beings, compared to God, are fundamentally weak and untrustworthy.

Even the most powerful of men are limited in what they can accomplish. Only God Almighty has no limit when it comes to what He can do. It is important to understand here that only God has sovereign control over people, nations, nature, and time. The limitations of men in all domains make them inconsistent and unable to help when it is needed most. Unlike God, men are mortal; they are here today and tomorrow they are gone. Psalm 62:9 reads, “Surely men of low degree are a vapor, men of high degree are a lie; if they are weighed on the scales, they are altogether lighter than vapor.” Also Psalm 146:4 says of men, “His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans perish.” The truth is that human beings are just unreliable. They blow hot and cold, as it were.

What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

The weakness of mankind is such that it can’t be ignored. On our own, we are left in weakness, but in Christ, we receive strength. Note that in weakness, there is no way that we can please God except through Christ. On our own, we can only produce bad fruits as we can read from Galatians 5:19-21 – “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

On the other hand, all who are in Christ receive the Holy Spirit that produces good and acceptable fruits before God as we can read from Galatians 5:22-26 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.”

What does the Scriptures say about Weakness?

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
It is worth pointing to the fact that the power of Christ in us is perfected in our weakness. This makeup for another great paradox in the Kingdom of God. Today, a good number of Bible Scholars hold it that the “weakness” Apostle Paul spoke of was a physical affliction of some kind – “a thorn in the flesh.” Behold, we all have these thorns; these weaknesses that we cannot escape. In addition to physical ailments, we share a major spiritual dilemma. We are mere humans with inherent weaknesses. That’s the reason why living a Christian life takes more than human strength. It takes the power of God.

Never forget that it takes the power of God for us to succeed in the Christian race. It is without doubt that one of the greatest struggles we face is admitting just how weak and/or unable we are. It is rather unfortunate that for some of us, even a lifetime of defeats is not sufficient to convince us. That is, we continue trying and failing, stubbornly refusing to give-up our independence. Even a spiritual giant like Apostle Paul found it difficult to admit that he could not do it on his own. Although Paul trusted Jesus Christ for Salvation, it took him long to understand that his weakness was a good thing. This weakness forced him – just as it forces us – to depend totally on God. God wants us to fully depend on Him and Him alone. He is our Strength (Psalm 46:1-3).

What The Bible Says About Weakness

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.“

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”

2 Corinthians 12:10 – “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Romans 8:26 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

1 Peter 5:7 – “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

Group 1 – What The Bible Says About Weakness

Psalm 82:3 – “Defend the weak and the fatherless;uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.”

Proverbs 31:8 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,for the rights of all who are destitute.”

Matthew 26:41 – “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Proverbs 17:22 – “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”

Psalm 34:17-20 – “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.”

Romans 8:26 – “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”

2 Corinthians 12:9 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Group 2 – What The Bible Says About Weakness

James 4:6 – But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Philippians 4:19 – “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.“

Hebrews 4:15-16 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

2 Corinthians 12:10 – “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

Luke 18:1 – “And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.”

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Group 3 – What The Bible Says About Weakness

Matthew 5:1-48 – “Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. …”

Isaiah 40:29 – “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.”

Ephesians 6:10 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.”

Nehemiah 8:10 – Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Proverbs 24:10 – “If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.”

Exodus 15:2 – “The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Group 4 – What The Bible Says About Weakness

Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

1 Chronicles 16:11 – “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!”

Romans 8:1 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

1 Peter 5:7 – “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Romans 12:19 – “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.””

Group 5 – What The Bible Says About Weakness

Isaiah 40:28-31 – “Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Isaiah 40:31 – “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Psalm 147:10-11 – “His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.”

Isaiah 12:2 – “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.”

Proverbs 3:33-34 – “The Lord’s curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous. Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.”

Group 6 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Acts 2:38 – And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Psalm 73:26 – “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

John 16:33 – “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Acts 1:8 – “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1 Corinthians 2:3 – “And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,”

Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Isaiah 40:29-31 – “He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Jeremiah 17:10 – “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?”

Matthew 7:1-2 – “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.”

Psalm 46:1 – “To the choirmaster. Of the Sons of Korah. According to Alamoth. A Song. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 34:1-22 – “Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. …”

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Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Hebrews 13:5 – “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Deuteronomy 31:6 – “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

1 Peter 2:2 – “Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—”

Psalm 27:1 – “Of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

2 Corinthians 4:7 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 – “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 3:16 – “That according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

2 Timothy 4:17 – “But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.”

Philippians 4:6 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

1 Corinthians 2:11 – “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

1 Corinthians 9:22 – “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.”

John 21:19-22 – “(This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.” Peter turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who had been reclining at table close to him and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!””

Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Proverbs 3:5 – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

Isaiah 30:15 – “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling,”

Mark 3:28-29 – “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

Matthew 26:41 – “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Psalm 28:7-8 – “The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. The Lord is the strength of his people; he is the saving refuge of his anointed.”

Psalm 82:3-4 – “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”

Psalm 29:11 – “May the Lord give strength to his people! May the Lord bless his people with peace!“

Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

1 John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

Psalm 23:4 – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

1 Samuel 31:4-5 – “Then Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and mistreat me.” But his armor-bearer would not, for he feared greatly. Therefore Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. And when his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him.”

Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. …”

Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

1 Peter 5:10 – “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

Hebrews 11:34 – “Quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”

Revelation 3:8 – “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”

Hebrews 11:1-40 – “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. …”

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Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,”

2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”

Hebrews 5:11 – “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.”

Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

2 Corinthians 12:5 – “On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses.”

Colossians 1:1-29 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, …”

Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

2 Corinthians 10:3-6 – “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

1 Corinthians 2:12 – “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

1 Corinthians 2:5 – “That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

2 Corinthians 12:1-21 – “I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses. ...”

Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Romans 8:17 – “And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.”

John 8:32 – “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 – “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

Romans 8:4 – “In order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”

1 Corinthians 2:1-16 – “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. …”

Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

Romans 8:1-39 – “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. …”

Romans 8:6 – “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”

Acts 17:10-11 – “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

John 15:16 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About Weakness?

John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Romans 8:7 – “For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”