2 Corinthians 4

 

Present Weakness and Resurrection Life

 

4 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways;we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 THE GOD OF THIS AGE (WORLD) AS BLINDED THE MINDS OF UNBELIEVERS, SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL THAT DISPLAYS THE GLORY OF CHRIST, WHO IS THE IMAGE OF GOD.5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

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.

13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.”[b] Since we have that same spirit of[c]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.

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.

 

OUR NUMBER ONE BATTLE IS AGAINST THE ENEMY - satan 

 

From the very beginning, Satan has tried to tempt us away from God. He is constantly working to distract us  (2 Corinthians 4:4). Even after we come to faith in Jesus, our battle continues.

 

He constantly aims arrows at us to discourage and distract us from our walk with God.He whispers accusations about ways we messed up and fallen short, hence sowing doubt in God’s promises for us.      He tells us we’re not wanted, not forgiven, and don’t belong. 

 

But just as we first were saved by faith in Jesus, we must continue in that faith by rising up and applying the shield of faith.” It means we defend ourselves again and again by choosing to trust in what God says about Himself and ourselves, rather than the lies of the enemy.

 

Raising up the defensive shield of faith is the best and only defense against the attacks of the evil one. Dart by dart and lie by lie, we name the lies (we send those arrows back satan you have no place in our lives) we choose to trust in God’s truth instead.

 

The events of tomorrow are unknown to us

We can either panic in restless anticipation or rest in the Lord to see us through.

The battles of life can be overwhelming. We can never be sure of what life might throw at us tomorrow.

Are we going to have enough to make ends meet?

Would we still have a job tomorrow?

Are we going to face severe illness ?

Is our marriage going to be intact?

Are our children going to turn out well?

These are the battles we face in life 

These are the attacks of the enemy from our fallen, sinful world.That is the life in this world until we enter our heavenly paradise.

Jesus said 

I have told you all this you may have peace in me.Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.

Jesus has already overcome all the battles of life on our behalf, every day of our lives we can live with that assurance.

Do not be faint hearted or afraid, do not panic or be terrified, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.

 

PRAYER 

Father God, help us to hear Your true voice more clearly and be increasingly able to identify lies and half-truths that comes our way. We choose to trust what You say about who You are and about who we are .Help me Lord to believe and not doubt Your Word.

 

THE BATTLEFIELD IN THIS WORLD

We see another picture in this passage of scripture.

 

It talks about the God of this world ( remember in this world we have the enemy satan and we have our creator our Lord) Satan is blinding the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ. So we think about unbelievers around us and around the world.

 

Often with our walk with the Lord we can live day by day being silent while the battle rages around us . Let’s engage in the battle by sharing the word of God , by encouraging and empowering others, by planting the seed of salvation to the lost.

Verse 6 teaches us 

PROCLAIM GODS LIGHT 

As we proclaim Christ, we are engaging in a spiritual battle for people’s souls.

 

So I just want to encourage us today. Let’s engage in the battle. Let’s not ignore the battle. So often in our Christian lives, we can live day by day ignoring the battle, not saying anything about who Jesus is and what Jesus has done so that people can be saved from their sins and have eternal life with God. Don’t miss it. If we don’t preach Christ, then it’s not really that we’re ignoring the battle, we’re actually contributing to the enemy of darkness.

By blinding minds, he is working to keep people away from the word from hearing and from seeing the light of the glory of Christ.

 

Prayer For the Gospel To Be Shared

Oh God, please help us not to be silent with the gospel . Please help us to speak the gospel. Help us to share the gospel with somebody who doesn’t know you. And God as we do, we pray that you would shine light in the hearts, and as we share the gospel, we pray that you would open eyes, open hearts to believe, to see Jesus for who He is. So, God, we pray for that supernatural work to happen.

Prayer For MAGH Mission Vietnam 2024

July 10-15