When we get down to it, “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God” (I Corinthians 1:18).

When Paul wrote those words, he did so as a very learned man. However, as he followed the Lord, he realized that what he had learned was of little value when presenting the Gospel.

Paul asked where the lettered men of wisdom were in his day—the philosophers, scholars, and brilliant thinkers. Today, these people are trying to tell the rest of us how we should think and live.

Instead of following the earthly wisdom provided by the cultural handlers of his day, Paul introduced God’s offensive plan: “Since God, in his wisdom, saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe” (vs. 21).

The Gospel message, if preached under the Spirit’s anointing, is the only thing powerful enough to penetrate the veil of human pride and self-achievement and make Christ known.

Paul reminded the Corinthian believers of their faith’s shared origin: “Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful” (vs. 26-27).

Although Paul carried impressive educational credentials into his ministry, he said, “My message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. (2:4-5).

A life or ministry that relies on human wisdom to promote the Gospel will be revealed as a powerless message. When Paul was on his way to do what he thought was religiously the right thing to do, he abandoned his past credentials and experience after he was blinded by God’s power on the road to Damascus. Paul regained his sight but gained something even more significant than his sight: the power of God’s Spirit. God’s power, not any human position or achievement, empowered his message.

That Spirit-empowered message has taken the Gospel message to the far corners of the globe where the power of God was the only thing that could break the hold of power demonic entities sent to foster disbelief and disobedience to the will of God. Only a message the world considers foolish can accomplish such a task.