II Corinthians 4.16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Losing heart= to be utterly spiritless, to be wearied out, exhausted
It is a negative way of thinking, feeling and acting
It is destructive.
It means we are about to faint from emotional, spiritual and mental exhaustion, to collapse.
Renewed= fresh, make new, new strength, vigor, to be changed into a new kind of life
We do not lose heart
We are wasting away outwardly
We are being renewed day by day inwardly
Losing heart...
Elijah was like that after his victorious battle with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
I Kings 19.3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.
Jacob expressed feelings of hopelessness when Simeon was kept in Egypt.
Genesis 42.36 Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!”
Losing heart is possible when we are overwhelmed. Life in 2020 can be overwhelming.
Emotionally, Financially, with Family Issues and even spiritually.
How is it possible to avoid this? What if we feel we are close to losing heart?
This section of scripture gives us a number of reasons why we do not lose heart.
1. We Do Not Lose Heart Because We Are Being Transformed By God’s Spirit. 3.16-17
II Corinthians 3.17 Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, Who is the Spirit.
We spoke about this last week.
Now in the context of all kinds of opposition and difficulty we keep looking to Jesus.
God’s Spirit is renewing you, transforming you.
Peter walked on water when he looked at Jesus. He began to sink when he looked at the wind.
Matthew 14.27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s You,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” He said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “LORD, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” He said, “why did you doubt?”
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “LORD, save me!”
Jesus comes to us when we begin sink. There may be times when we don’t think we are going to make it. It’s all over. Then Jesus comes reaches out His Hand and catches us. We have followed Christ’s command. We have come to a place of being overwhelmed and even going down.
Jesus reaches out His Hand
Jesus catches us
Caught= to rescue from peril, to help
Note: Peter began to sink. He thought he was going to die. Elijah wished he would. Many times the rescue from the LORD comes when we are at the brink of going under. God works in the last hour, sometimes seconds! His Hand providing.
We do not lose heart because we are being transformed, even in life’s difficulties and challenges. He is with us!
2. We Do Not Lose Heart Because We Proclaim The Truth. v.5
5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I Corinthians 2.2
My Hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. We are His servants.
Depending upon Him we have His Promises. We stand on the Rock and we are upheld by His Arms.
The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
Psalm 145.14
When we build our lives upon God’s Word we have it in our hearts in times of trouble. We have it as a solid foundation all the time.
We understand His Blessings. In this time of challenge to the Truth we have it to stand firm. Paul’s admonition to the Corinthian Church is for us, (I Corinthians 15.58) Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
As I look back over my life, over my ministry, 40 years of preaching God’s Word each Sunday completed at conclusion of the service today! Now, as an elder, in the truest sense of the word, I cannot believe how quickly the time has past, but as I look back...
I am so thankful for the Word of God being central in my life and ministry. I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole counsel of God... in small groups and from this place and now over the internet and around the world, we have gone through Genesis to Revelation over and over again.
My formative years had so much to do with this.
I thank God for my Sunday School Teachers (My Mom, Helen Matthews, Arnie Finch and my Dad) who taught me about God and His Word!
I thank God for my pastors (Mason, Matthews, Weller, Evans and Bond) who did the same.
I thank God for my parents and grandparents who lived it out in front of me and led me to believe.
It was this foundation that led me to the wonderful experiences with the LORD I have enjoyed all my life.
I stand as I did when I asked Jesus to come into my heart over 55 years ago on His Word. Praise His Dear Name.
Standing on the Word, having the Spirit transform us...
3. We Do Not Lose Heart Because We Have The Right Perspective. vs.7-12
7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that His life may also be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
We are in a spiritual battle.
We may be knocked down but we are not knocked out.
The battle belongs to the LORD.
We do not lose heart when we hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted or struck down. These things will come. We are made stronger for them. We are following Jesus. We have “Americanized” Jesus. Just in the persecution issue alone.
Nigerian Eltoy, Helen’s nurse on Monday evening... praying with me. I thought of his country. 10 Christian men in a video released December 27th.
Suffering Churches around the world.
Haiti
Puerto Rico
Iran, where the church is getting stronger but facing opposition
Nigeria
China, new waves of persecution against the church
We need to read God’s Word, as we discussed in our Discipleship Class, with a proper Worldview.
Suffering is hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted or struck down.
4. We Do Not Lose Heart Because God Is Keeping Us As He Works Through Us.
13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the One Who raised the LORD Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to Himself. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
It is amazing how God works through our efforts...
Isabel Povey, a 16 year old from New Hampshire, who founded a non profit organization called “Seeds of Hope” sends seeds to developing nations to help them. She shipped seeds this week to help the people of Bellevue, Haiti. Her mom, Trish , helped set this up with us.
Please pray for this endeavor. It is a way the people can work and make money there. Seeds are very expensive but if they are given them that makes their profit margin 100%.
You can read Isabel’s story about Seeds of Hope at https://isabelpovey.wordpress.com
People have come to me and said you must be so disappointed you cannot go to Haiti. I miss the people but I am watching God continue to work in marvelous ways, in ways not initiated by us but by Him. Pastor Joes and Jhon had a meeting this week to talk about the future. I am having lunch with Pastor Art and Pastor Johnson today to talk about the future. God has some wonders in store for Bay Shore and our area... just this past week at Barnes and Noble at our Discipleship Group... Greg and Donna...
So when we see “the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.”- v.15 we are greatly encouraged.
He works through our weaknesses!
But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. II Corinthians 12.9
5. We Do Not Lose Heart Because We Know How This Life Will End.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Next week we will look into this matter of heaven even more. That is what the next chapter is about. We have forgotten to a large degree in the church in America today about having a proper view of heaven. We used to hear a lot about it. We all are to have a longing and groaning to go there. Billy Graham video Friday Night, longing to go (67 years old)
In fact Paul’s was so great that he asked the LORD to take him. When Elijah asked the LORD to take his life he was in despair. We are not in despair. We may be going through all kinds of trials and see the wickedness in the world but we have hope. Our Hope is in being with Jesus one day!
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