Does God Really Only Give You What You Can Handle? | Dr Tony Evans | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Does God Really Only Give You What You Can Handle?

Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship • Feb 7, 2024 • 19 min

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Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

Many believers cling to the popular phrase that God will never give them more than they can handle, but Scripture reveals this to be a myth. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, God sometimes permits trials that completely overwhelm our human strength so that we stop relying on ourselves and turn fully to Him. When we reach the end of our own capability, God invites us into a deeper experience of His resurrecting power and deliverance.

Themes

Overcoming the Myth of Self-SufficiencyUnderstanding Divine BrokennessThe Purpose of SufferingExperiencing God's Resurrection PowerAuthentic and Raw Prayer

Key Points

1.
It is a popular myth that God won't put more on you than you can bear; Scripture shows Paul was burdened excessively beyond his own strength.
2.
God allows us to experience circumstances beyond our human capacity to force us to change our focus of trust.
3.
Brokenness occurs when God intentionally strips away our self-sufficiency so we stop depending on our own talents and backup plans.
4.
When a situation is beyond human repair, it serves as a divine setup to display God's resurrection power.
5.
Experiencing ongoing, overwhelming trials is an invitation into 'the fellowship of His suffering,' conforming us more deeply to Christ.
6.
God welcomes honest, raw, and transparent communication in prayer rather than hollow theological platitudes when we are hurting.
7.
Even when you feel like you are at the end of your story, God is a deliverer who has delivered, is delivering, and will deliver again.
8.
When God seems completely silent in your circumstance, it does not mean He is still or inactive.

Sermon Moments

“Removing the myth: 'I want to demythologize a myth we have all quoted... God won't put more on you than you can bear. Not true. Paul says it was beyond our strength.'”

“The definition of brokenness: 'Brokenness is simply when God strips us of our self-sufficiency—when God removes our tendency to depend upon ourselves.'”

“Why God allows impossible situations: 'God allows us to get to the point where if this is ever going to be fixed, He is the only one who can do it.'”

“God's resurrection power: 'It takes an awful lot of power to raise something dead... you got to have some juice to raise the dead!'”

“When you feel like you're in a cemetery: 'There's some people here tonight who are in a cemetery and you're just looking for your headstone... but that wasn't the end of Paul's story, and it isn't the end of yours.'”

“Authentic prayer over platitudes: 'This is not a time for theological platitudes... this is time to get raw with God.'”

“The enduring truth of God's activity: 'Remember, when God is silent, He is not still.'”

This Week

Be completely honest and raw with God in prayer this week about where you are hurting or feeling overwhelmed.

Identify areas of self-sufficiency in your life where you have banked on your own talents or backup plans instead of trusting God.

Release the unbiblical pressure of believing you must be strong enough to handle every crisis on your own.

Reach out to trusted brothers and sisters in Christ to ask for prayer support during your deepest trials.

Meditate on 2 Corinthians 1:8–10 whenever you feel at the end of your rope, reminding yourself of God's resurrection power.

Choose to anchor your hope in God's character even when you cannot see Him actively moving in your situation.

Encourage someone going through a deep valley by reminding them that God's silence does not mean He has abandoned them.

Remember This

God sometimes allows life to overwhelm your human strength so you will abandon self-sufficiency and rely entirely on His resurrection power.

A Challenge for You

Tell God in your time with Him this week exactly how you feel. Get raw with Him, don't give up, and remember that when God is silent, He is not still.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.