Recognise Your Dominant Weakness Before It Destroys You
Dr RJ Sing, 29 min
Originally recorded as “Improving Your Personality: Weakness and How to Prevent It”
Sermon outline
Finish growing your personality and honestly recognise your dominant weakness before God, because what you fail to destroy will eventually destroy you, and wise behaviour is what brings promotion.
Main text
- Ephesians 4:32
- Psalm 78:39
Opening
He explains why he is teaching on solving life's problems: Christians bring much heartache on themselves by speaking rashly and acting in anger, and then blame God. He reads Ephesians 4:32 and recaps the seven personality traits already covered: be friendly, have a positive attitude, respect others, integrity, be courteous and generous, a good sense of humour, and a genuine interest in others. He says he will finish the list briefly and then speak about weaknesses and how to prevent them.
8. The ability to communicate
Know how to express yourself without being demeaning or disrespectful, because whatever we sow we reap. Guard how you speak to people on your own level and especially to those above you at work, because it will determine your promotion.
Illustration: People say, I'll speak my mind. He answers that this is fine if you have a good mind.
“But if you don't have a good mind, then you should not speak your mind.”
- Galatians 6:7
9. Tactfulness
Use wisdom with sensitive issues. There are things you should not say and things you should not repeat even when you know them, because repeating them becomes tale bearing and causes dissension and strife, which God hates.
“There are some things that we should not repeat.”
- Proverbs 6:16-19
10. Humility
Never carry a spirit of pride. God gravitates towards the humble and resists the proud, whatever you own and whatever your education. Do not force people to applaud you: God will open the doors and bring you to prominence.
“Your job is to walk in humility. God's job is to lift you up and promote you.”
- James 4:6
11. Show some enthusiasm
Be a person of inspiration. Enthusiasm is a vital quality that rouses you into action, so surround yourself with enthusiastic people and be enthusiastic about what you are busy with.
“Remember this, that enthusiasm is contagious.”
12. Proper attire
How you dress affects how people perceive you and how they treat you. We dress smartly for weddings, birthdays and functions, so why not for the house of the Lord?
Illustration: He went to the same bank and the same tellers twice. Dressed smartly, they called him sir. In jeans, tackies and a loose T-shirt, they said, can we help you?
“People tend to treat you the way you are dressed.”
13. Stability
Stability is standing firm in what you believe and mastering yourself: your mouth, your faculties and your emotions, which the world calls emotional intelligence. It also means not finding your feet everywhere but making your church your home.
Illustration: A visitor he had met at Durban Christian Centre after the tragedy there kept saying of her own church, 'this is our home'. He also recalls a recent trip to lovely places and telling his wife as they boarded the plane back, at last, I'm going home.
“There are many churches, but there's only one place you can call home.”
14. Self-control
Without self-control you easily hurt yourself and others. There are times to tackle an issue and times to keep quiet. When Jesus was accused by the chief priests and elders He gave no answer, and sometimes we need the wisdom not to answer our accusers.
“But self-control reveals your inner strength.”
- Matthew 27:12
15. Self-confidence
Believe in yourself as a child of God and do not let anyone belittle you or the dreams in your heart. Build relationships with people who encourage you, which is what church is for: teaching the word and instilling values that build you up.
“The best way to build self-confidence is practice using it.”
Recognise your dominant weakness
We all talk about strengths and never about weaknesses, yet one way to beat the enemy is to recognise your dominant weakness. God anticipated every weakness, remembering that we are flesh. Refusing to recognise it wrecks dreams and sabotages relationships; recognising it can save you thousands of nights of tears. The point is not to meditate on it but to know it and steer away from it.
“Your refusal to recognize a weakness in your life guarantees your destruction.”
- Psalm 78:39
Weakness, points 1 to 4: God knows it and wants to show it to you
One, everybody has a weakness. Two, your heavenly Father is aware of yours, it matters to Him, and He wants to give you strength to destroy it. Three, your weakness is the entry point for demonic spirits, as when Satan entered Judas. Four, God will make every effort to reveal your weakness to you before it destroys you, as Jesus warned Simon and prayed for him.
“Because God is for you, not against you.”
- John 13:26-27
- Luke 22:31-32
Weakness, points 5 to 9: your weakness chooses your company
Five, somebody will be assigned by hell to feed and strengthen your weakness, as Delilah was for Samson. Six, your weakness will pursue any friendship that permits it, which is how one contentious spirit can infiltrate a whole church. Seven, it has an agenda to overtake and sabotage your life. Eight, it will bond you with the wrong people. Nine, it will separate you from the right people, as Adam withdrew from God. He adds that God promotes you through people and honours authority, so no one can say they do not need the church or a pastor.
Illustration: He would rather send one person out of his team than have that person destroy the whole team.
“But when you identify your weakness, you must avoid people that will feed that weakness.”
- Judges 16:4-5
- Proverbs 22:10
- Romans 16:17
- James 1:15
- Genesis 3:8
- Genesis 1:28
- Ephesians 5:25
- Ephesians 5:33
- Ephesians 6:1
Weakness, points 10 to 16: how a weakness is overcome
Ten, a weakness can emerge at any time, including your closing years, because age has nothing to do with the wisdom of God. Eleven, it cannot be overcome by humanism, philosophy or willpower. Twelve, it does not need to be confessed to everybody but recognised in the presence of God, as David did. Thirteen, it is easiest to destroy at the beginning. Fourteen, God will let you enjoy many victories while it still operates, because He is long-suffering. Fifteen, those you love are waiting in the shadows for you to triumph. Sixteen, it can be overcome by the word of God.
Illustration: David was not a perfect man, but he recognised and acknowledged his mistakes, and God loved him for that.
“If your weakness could be overcome by yourself, the blood of Jesus would not be necessary.”
- Matthew 4:1-11
What you fail to destroy will eventually destroy you
He leaves a string of things to remember. Saul spared Agag and an Amalekite finished him. What you are willing to walk away from determines what God brings to you: Ruth walked away from Moab and met Boaz. You cannot correct what you will not confront, and anger is a birthplace for change. Your struggle proves you have not been conquered, so celebrate. What you tolerate will never change, and the church itself must change its thinking and language to reach the next generation.
Illustration: People tell him that at their old church things were done a certain way. Yes, he says, thirty years ago. There is another generation to reach and new technology in our hands.
“Your struggle is proof that you have not been conquered yet.”
- 1 Samuel 15:3-9
- 2 Samuel 1:8-10
- Ruth 1:6-7
- Matthew 27:3-5
- Joshua 14:12
Every relationship feeds a weakness or a strength in you
So select your friends. Sharing a title, an area or a surname with someone does not make them the right company, and sometimes you must come out from among them, as Abraham did, so that God can take you somewhere greater. Joseph came out of prison, dressed and behaved himself wisely before the king, and became second ruler of the land.
Illustration: Working on your personality closes the gap between your dreams and where you are now, so that you do not keep doing laps around the mountain.
“Improve your personality and God will promote you again and again and again.”
- Genesis 12:1
- Genesis 41:14
- Genesis 41:39-41
Putting it into practice
- Guard how you speak, especially to those over you at work.
- Make your church your home and dress well for the house of the Lord.
- Identify your dominant weakness privately before God, and avoid the people who feed it.
- Deal with a weakness early, with the word of God and the blood of Jesus rather than willpower.
- Select your friends, and behave yourself wisely.
Closing
He encourages the church to behave wisely, as Joseph did, and to keep improving their personality so that God can promote them. He then hands over to Sia to say the grace, passes his condolences to a church family on the death of their mother, whose funeral had been held at the church, and thanks the ushers and deacons who came to help at short notice.
In his words
- “Your job is to walk in humility. God's job is to lift you up and promote you.”
- “One weakness can destroy you.”
- “What you fail to destroy will eventually destroy you.”
- “You cannot correct what you are not willing to confront.”
- “Your struggle is proof that you have not been conquered yet.”
Every scripture in this message
- Ephesians 4:32
- Galatians 6:7
- Proverbs 6:16-19
- James 4:6
- Matthew 27:12
- Psalm 78:39
- John 13:26-27
- Luke 22:31-32
- Judges 16:4-5
- Proverbs 22:10
- Romans 16:17
- James 1:15
- Genesis 3:8
- Genesis 1:28
- Ephesians 5:25
- Ephesians 5:33
- Ephesians 6:1
- Matthew 4:1-11
- 1 Samuel 15:3-9
- 2 Samuel 1:8-10
- Ruth 1:6-7
- Matthew 27:3-5
- Joshua 14:12
- Genesis 12:1
- Genesis 41:14
- Genesis 41:39-41