TITLE: THE INTERNAL POWER TO FACE EXTERNAL PRESSURES
TEXT: 2COR. 4:1,7, 8-10, 15, 16-18
INTRO: Atmosphere of extreme mental,‑physical and spir. pressure. ‑Discouragement seems to come from all‑sides. The news, people,‑circumstances, and even demonaic‑attacks. People come home from work‑or school wore completely down having‑a complete lack of energy. Not from‑the work itself, but from the pressure‑upon them in todays society.
TRUTH: BELIEVERS DO NOT HAVE TO LOSE‑HEART!
2 Cor 4:1 (KJV) Therefore seeing we‑have this ministry, as we have‑received mercy, we faint not;
2 Cor 4:1 (AB) Therefore, since we do‑hold and engage in this ministry by‑the mercy of God [granting us favor,‑benefits, opportunityuies and‑especially salvation], we do not get‑discouraged - spiritless and‑despondent with fear, or become faint‑with weariness and exhaustion.
2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in‑earthen vessels, that the excellency‑of the power may be of God, and not of‑us.
INTER: THE QUESTION IS HOW CAN WE AS‑BELIEVERS FACE ALL OF THE EXTERNAL‑PRESSURES OF TODAYS SOCIETY / KEEP‑FROM BEING DISCOURAGED?
TRANS: WE AVOID LOSING HEART IN OUR‑EXPERIENCE BECAUSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON‑INSIDE OF US!
I. THE TREASURE INSIDE OF US
MOVE TEXT DOWN TO HERE!
A. POWER IN STORE
1. Treasure - Hoarded wealth.
2. The power of God.
3. How can God's power be inside of‑us?
a) As Eastern Kings stored their‑gold, silver, and jewels in earthen‑jars, so a plain casket may hold a‑costly jewel, a miry soil may; uield‑an abundant crop, a battered ship may‑carry a precious freight, a lamp of‑clay may give a brilliant light, a‑mean book as to appearance may contain‑noble thoughts.
4. A power to live on/ or draw from.
a) When we feel that we can't go‑on any more...
B. INTERNAL HEALING
" Having received mercy"
1. A treasure of mercy
2. In this passage mercy speaks of‑those who take care of the sick. ‑Mercy here is not a passive emotion,‑but an active desire to remove the‑distress of another.
3. Internal healing for external‑pain.
4. There's enouch mercy to help you‑through your situation.
C. THE GRACE EQUALIZER
2 Cor 4:15 For all things are for your‑sakes, that the abundant grace might‑through the thanksgiving of many‑redound to the glory of God.
1. A treasure of grace
2. Comparable manifestation of grace‑placed inside of you for whatever‑trial you're facing.
1 Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly‑rejoice, though now for a season, if‑need be, ye are in heaviness through‑manifold temptations:
1 Peter 4:10 As every man hath‑received the gift, even so minister‑the same one to another, as good‑stewards of the manifold grace of God.
TRANS: BECAUSE OF THIS TREASURE AT‑WORK WITHIN US WE ARE ENABLED TO‑POSSESS STRENGTH DURING THE TIME OF‑STRUGGLE.
II. STRENGTH DURING THE TIME OF‑STRUGGLE.
A. GOD'S TREASURE AT WORK WITHIN US‑ALLOWS US TO FACE THE 4 LEVELS OF‑SPIR. CHALLENGE MENTIONED IN VS. 8-10.
2 Cor 4:8 We are troubled on every‑side, yet not distressed; we are‑perplexed, but not in despair;
2 Cor 4:9 Persecuted, but not‑forsaken; cast down, but not‑destroyed;
2 Cor 4:10 Always bearing about in the‑body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that‑the life also of Jesus might be made‑manifest in our body.
1. When facing extreme pressure
"hard pressed but not crushed"
a) cannot break our spirit
b) polycarp
2. " perplexing problems
"perplexed ,but not in despair"
a) Somtimes we wonder why certain
things are happening to us.
b) But we do not lose hope
3. " Extreme religous harrassment
"persecuted , but not forsaken
a) Crowd may not like us or‑include us, but were never alone.
4. " Loss of a spiritual battle.
"struck down, but not destroyed"
a) We may lose a round, but not‑the fight.
b) We may be struck down, but you‑can't strike us out.
TRANS: WE CAN FACE EXTERNAL PRESSURES‑BY THE TREASURE THAT GOD HAS PLACED‑WITHIN US. THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE‑MAINTAIN THIS POWER? THE PROCESS OF‑DAILY RENEWAL.
III. THE PROCESS OF DAILY RENEWAL
2 Cor 4:16 For which cause we faint‑not; but though our outward man‑perish, yet the inward man is renewed‑day by day.
A. SOUL GROWTH - SOUL GROWTH IMPLIES‑3 THINGS:
1. Soul life
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed‑man of the dust of the ground, and‑breathed into his nostrils the breath‑of life; and man became a living soul.
2. Soul nourishment
3. Soul exercise
B. A PRINC. GROUNDED IN EXTERNAL‑PERSCPECTIVE
2 Cor 4:17 For our light affliction,‑which is but for a moment, worketh for‑us a far more exceeding and eternal‑weight of glory;
2 Cor 4:18 While we look not at the‑things which are seen, but at the‑things which are not seen: for the‑things which are seen are temporal;‑but the things which are not seen are‑eternal.
1. Eternity is a reality.
a) I haven't traveled to‑certain...
2. We will all perish physically‑(outward body). However, the inward‑man (soul) will live forever.
3. We do not live our life entirely‑by what we see (the temporal).
4. Allows us to face all the‑momentary afflictions of suffering and‑pain.
5. The scrip. declares that in‑comparison to eternity our afflictions‑are light.
a) In consideration of what we‑deserve.
b) " of what others have endured‑(such as Job - Apostles - Polycarp)
c) " of the blessedness that is‑to follow.
6. The scrip. declares that in‑comparison to eternity our afflictions‑are momentary.
a) Compared with the enjoyments‑of life.
b) Compared with the eternal‑bliss of heaven.
CONCL: IN TODAY'S WORLD IT IS‑DIFFICULT TO FACE ALL OF THE EXTERNAL‑PRESSURE. THE ONLY WAY WE CAN IS TO‑HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON INSIDE. SOME‑TODAY ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE EXTERNAL‑PRESSURE AROUND THEM. GOD WANTS TO‑HELP YOU TODAY.
