I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

                                                                                                           1 Corinthians 2:3-5 

Paul was very effective as a missionary for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Traveling all over the known world at that time, Paul was responsible for establishing, shepherding, and encouraging churches all across the region. And as he spends his life traveling and preaching, he also has the time to write approximately two thirds of the New Testament in the Bible. This ex-Pharisee, converted and called to ministry, was a major part of the spreading of the gospel in the first century world. But Paul knew that the secret to effective ministry doesn’t reside in the wisdom, talent, and ability of man rather it is only discovered when we yield ourselves to the power of God’s Spirit.

First, Paul was a humble man who knew that his salvation and ministry were entirely because of what Jesus Christ had done for him on the cross. Consider his declaration:

It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. 

                                                                                                                 1 Timothy 1:15 

Paul considered himself the worst of all sinners yet understood the power of the cross to save. Leaving the legalistic, religious, and ritualistic life of a Pharisee behind, Paul embraced his new life in Christ and began to fulfill his life’s purpose.

Secondly, we can consider Paul as not being the flashiest, most talented (humanly speaking) orator that the world has ever seen. Listen to Paul’s own description of himself:

…my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom… 

When the gospel is preached, is it not necessary for the person speaking, teaching, or preaching to be the most talented person in the room. When the gospel is preached, we must realize that we are not there to persuade others into receiving salvation. The work of salvation comes from God as He speaks to the human heart. As He convicts, people can respond but we need not believe that we have to make this happen through skill or persuasion. Our spiritual ability comes from God and our job is to use those gifts and talents to the best of our ability, trusting God for the result.

Thirdly, Paul knew that his message would be delivered as a “demonstration of the Spirit and of power…” It was God’s Spirit that made Paul effective in the delivering of the good news. Paul was working in a spiritual “sweet spot.” This simply means that his trust and dependence on God to give him the ability necessary to complete his assignment and working with the understanding that God would bring about the result, allowed him to rest in the assurance that God’s faithfulness would prevail. Paul was happy to operate in weakness because he knew that through his weakness, he would be made strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-11).

Finally, Paul was happy that the message didn’t come as a demonstration of his ability and talent because his desire for the people listening was that they would place their faith in the power of God and not in the wisdom of man. Consider these words from God:

Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

                                                                                                                 Jeremiah 9:23-24  

Human wisdom and strength and material wealth are deceiving. When we depend on those things, we will ultimately find ourselves disappointed. But when we depend on the power of God, we find ourselves with supernatural strength and ability to fulfill our purpose in this life. When we boast, we are to boast in only one thing: that we understand and know God. When we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, enjoying the presence of God in our lives, we are fully equipped and adequately supplied to complete any task that we involve ourselves in for the kingdom (2 Corinthians 3:4-6).

Unlike the various occupations of the world, success in Christian ministry is completely dependent on the power of God in our lives. All other jobs can be accomplished through human talent and ability alone. Not so with the gospel. It is imperative that those who desire to be effective for the kingdom of God fully rely and trust in the wisdom, strength, and provision of God. Only when we operate out of the abundance, forgiveness, and kindness of God will we be able to make a positive impact in the lives of others around us. The good news is just that…good. As we experience the abundance and power of God in our own lives, let’s be faithful to share that testimony with others!