Knocked Down But Not Knocked Out

2 Corinthians 4:8–9 NKJV

8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

**TITLE: KNOCKED DOWN BUT NOT KNOCKED OUT**

**SCRIPTURE: 2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9 (NKJV)**

**INTRODUCTION:**

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I COME TODAY WITH A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH THE FIRE, FOR SOMEBODY WHO HAS FACED STRUGGLES, FOR SOMEBODY WHO FEELS LIKE LIFE HAS KNOCKED THEM DOWN. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN DOES NOT MEAN YOU ARE KNOCKED OUT.

PAUL, IN HIS LETTER TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH, REMINDS US THAT THOUGH LIFE MAY PRESS US, PERPLEX US, AND PERSECUTE US, WE ARE NOT WITHOUT HOPE. LISTEN TO WHAT HE SAYS IN 2 CORINTHIANS 4:8-9:

*“WE ARE HARD-PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT CRUSHED; WE ARE PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR; PERSECUTED, BUT NOT FORSAKEN; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED.”* (NKJV)

SOMEBODY NEEDS TO HEAR TODAY THAT GOD STILL HAS HIS HAND ON YOU! YOU MAY HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME STORMS, BUT YOU ARE STILL HERE.

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU THE STRENGTH TO GET BACK UP!

ILLUSTRATION: ON FRIDAY MARCH 21ST, THE WORLD LOST A LEGEND IN PROFESSIONAL BOXING.

THE LIFE OF GEORGE FOREMAN IS A POWERFUL TESTIMONY OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE KNOCKED DOWN BUT NOT KNOCKED OUT.

FOREMAN, A LEGENDARY BOXER, EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST OF HIGHS AND THE LOWEST OF LOWS. AFTER WINNING THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP, HE SUFFERED A DEVASTATING LOSS TO MUHAMMAD ALI IN THE FAMOUS "RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE."

MANY THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF HIS CAREER, BUT FOREMAN DIDN’T LET DEFEAT DEFINE HIM.

HE WALKED AWAY FROM BOXING, FOUND FAITH IN GOD, AND YEARS LATER, AGAINST ALL ODDS, HE MADE AN INCREDIBLE COMEBACK.

AT THE AGE OF 45, HE RECLAIMED THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE, PROVING THAT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES LIFE KNOCKS YOU DOWN, WITH PERSEVERANCE AND FAITH, YOU CAN RISE AGAIN.

JUST LIKE FOREMAN GOT BACK UP, GOD IS CALLING US TO RISE ABOVE OUR STRUGGLES AND KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH!

TODAY, I WANT TO SHARE THREE POINTS THAT WILL REMIND US THAT TROUBLES MAY COME, BUT THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DEFEAT US WHEN WE STAND ON GOD'S PROMISES.

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**POINT 1: PRESSED BUT NOT CRUSHED (V. 8A)**

THE ENEMY WILL TRY TO APPLY PRESSURE IN YOUR LIFE. PRESSURE FROM YOUR JOB, PRESSURE FROM YOUR FAMILY, PRESSURE FROM FINANCIAL STRUGGLES, PRESSURE FROM SICKNESS.

BUT I WANT TO REMIND YOU TODAY THAT PRESSURE DOES NOT MEAN DEFEAT!

PAUL ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE "HARD-PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE." THE GREEK WORD FOR “HARD-PRESSED” IS THLIBŌ, WHICH MEANS TO BE SQUEEZED OR AFFLICTED.

**BIBLICAL SOCIAL CONTEXT:** WHEN PAUL WROTE THESE WORDS, HE WAS SPEAKING TO A CHURCH IN CORINTH THAT WAS UNDER GREAT PRESSURE. THE EARLY CHRISTIANS WERE FACING OPPOSITION FROM BOTH THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THEIR OWN JEWISH COMMUNITIES.

THEY WERE PERSECUTED FOR THEIR FAITH, RIDICULED FOR THEIR BELIEFS, AND OFTEN FORCED INTO HIDING.

MANY OF THEM HAD LOST JOBS, FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND EVEN THEIR FREEDOM.

YET, PAUL REMINDED THEM THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, THEY WERE NOT CRUSHED.

GOD WAS SUSTAINING THEM, STRENGTHENING THEM, AND USING THEIR TRIALS TO REFINE THEIR FAITH.

**21ST CENTURY CONTEXT:** TODAY, WE MAY NOT BE FACING ROMAN GOVERNMENT PERSECUTION, BUT WE STILL EXPERIENCE PRESSURES THAT THREATEN TO BREAK US.

THE PRESSURES OF RACIAL INJUSTICE, ECONOMIC HARDSHIPS, FAMILY STRUGGLES, AND MENTAL HEALTH BATTLES WEIGH HEAVY ON US.

THE BLACK COMMUNITY, IN PARTICULAR, KNOWS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE—PRESSED BY SYSTEMIC OPPRESSION, PRESSED BY DISCRIMINATION, PRESSED BY GENERATIONAL STRUGGLES.

YET, WE ARE STILL HERE! WE HAVE ENDURED SLAVERY, SEGREGATION, AND COUNTLESS INJUSTICES, BUT WE HAVE NOT BEEN CRUSHED!

WHY? BECAUSE GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR REFUGE AND OUR STRENGTH.

THE EARLY BELIEVERS IN CORINTH WERE UNDER INTENSE SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PRESSURE FOR THEIR FAITH.

THEIR COMMITMENT TO CHRIST ISOLATED THEM FROM THE CULTURE AND COMMUNITY AROUND THEM, AND YET PAUL ASSURES THEM THAT THOUGH THEY ARE PRESSED, THEY ARE NOT CRUSHED OR DESTROYED.

THIS WORD REMINDS US THAT ALTHOUGH THE WEIGHT OF LIFE MAY BEAR DOWN ON US, GOD HAS BUILT US WITH RESILIENCE THROUGH HIS SPIRIT.

BEING PRESSED DOESN’T MEAN BEING BROKEN. IT MEANS BEING MOLDED AND REFINED.

APPLICATION: THE PRESSURE YOU FEEL IS NOT TO DESTROY YOU BUT TO REVEAL WHAT GOD HAS PLACED INSIDE OF YOU.

WHEN THE WORLD PRESSES IN, LET YOUR FAITH PRESS BACK. REMEMBER ROMANS 5:3–4, WHICH SAYS, “WE ALSO GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS, KNOWING THAT TRIBULATION PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE; AND PERSEVERANCE, CHARACTER; AND CHARACTER, HOPE.”

ILLUSTRATION: DURING THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, OUR ANCESTORS WERE PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE—ATTACKED, ARRESTED, HOSED DOWN, AND BEATEN—BUT THEY WERE NOT CRUSHED! THEIR SPIRITS WERE NEVER BROKEN BECAUSE THEY KNEW GOD WAS WITH THEM!

APPLICATION: WHEN LIFE PRESSES YOU, LEAN ON JESUS! STAND ON HIS WORD! PSALM 34:19 REMINDS US, *“MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL.”*

YOU MAY BE PRESSED, BUT GOD WILL NOT LET YOU BE CRUSHED!

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**POINT 2: PERSECUTED BUT NOT ABANDONED (V. 9A)**

THE WORLD MAY TURN ITS BACK ON YOU. FRIENDS MAY WALK AWAY. FAMILY MAY BETRAY YOU. BUT I NEED YOU TO KNOW TODAY THAT GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU!

**BIBLICAL RELIGIOUS CONTEXT:** THE EARLY CHURCH FACED SEVERE PERSECUTION.

CHRISTIANS WERE HUNTED, ARRESTED, AND EVEN EXECUTED FOR THEIR FAITH.

PAUL HIMSELF ENDURED BEATINGS, IMPRISONMENT, AND REJECTION BECAUSE OF HIS COMMITMENT TO CHRIST.

YET, THROUGH IT ALL, HE KNEW HE WAS NEVER ALONE. IN ACTS 16, PAUL AND SILAS WERE BEATEN AND THROWN INTO PRISON, BUT EVEN IN CHAINS, THEY PRAYED AND WORSHIPED GOD. AND AT MIDNIGHT, GOD SENT AN EARTHQUAKE THAT BROKE THEIR CHAINS AND OPENED THE PRISON DOORS.

THIS POWERFUL MOMENT REMINDS US THAT PERSECUTION DOES NOT MEAN ABANDONMENT—GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US, EVEN IN OUR DARKEST HOURS.

**RELATING TO TODAY:** MANY BELIEVERS TODAY FACE PERSECUTION—NOT NECESSARILY IN THE FORM OF PHYSICAL IMPRISONMENT, BUT IN REJECTION, DISCRIMINATION, AND OPPOSITION FOR STANDING FIRM IN THEIR FAITH.

IN THE BLACK CHURCH, WE KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PERSECUTED BUT NOT ABANDONED.

FROM SLAVERY TO JIM CROW, FROM THE BURNING OF CHURCHES TO MODERN-DAY INJUSTICES, WE HAVE FACED PERSECUTION, YET GOD HAS NEVER ABANDONED US. OUR HISTORY IS A TESTIMONY THAT THROUGH EVERY TRIAL, GOD HAS REMAINED FAITHFUL.

TO BE PERSECUTED IS TO BE PURSUED WITH HOSTILITY, AND THE EARLY CHURCH KNEW THIS FIRSTHAND.

YET PAUL FOLLOWS THIS WITH THE ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE “NOT FORSAKEN.” THE GREEK WORD EGKATALEIPŌ MEANS TO BE LEFT BEHIND OR UTTERLY ABANDONED.

PAUL IS SAYING, EVEN WHEN ENEMIES COME FOR US, GOD NEVER LEAVES OUR SIDE.

THE BLACK CHURCH TRADITION CARRIES DEEP SCARS OF PERSECUTION—THROUGH SLAVERY, SEGREGATION, AND SYSTEMIC RACISM. YET, OUR PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS HELD ON TO THIS TRUTH: GOD IS WITH US. IN THE MIDNIGHT HOUR OF OUR HISTORY, HE WAS OUR LIGHT. WHEN SOCIETY TURNED ITS BACK, GOD’S FACE STILL SHINED ON US.

MODERN-DAY PERSECUTION MAY LOOK LIKE BEING PASSED OVER, MISUNDERSTOOD, ATTACKED FOR STANDING UP FOR JUSTICE OR TRUTH. BUT TAKE COURAGE.

PSALM 27:10 SAYS, “THOUGH MY FATHER AND MOTHER FORSAKE ME, THE LORD WILL RECEIVE ME.”

ILLUSTRATION: THINK ABOUT THE STORY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HE FACED THREATS, IMPRISONMENT, AND ULTIMATELY DEATH FOR STANDING ON THE TRUTH OF JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS.

YET, HE NEVER LOST SIGHT OF GOD’S PRESENCE. EVEN IN HIS FAMOUS “I'VE BEEN TO THE MOUNTAINTOP” SPEECH, HE SPOKE OF SEEING THE PROMISED LAND, KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM, GOD WAS STILL IN CONTROL.

WHEN YOU ARE MISTREATED, KNOW THAT YOUR IDENTITY IS NOT DEFINED BY THE ATTACKER BUT BY THE ONE WHO NEVER ABANDONS YOU. STAND TALL KNOWING YOUR GOD WALKS BESIDE YOU THROUGH EVERY FIRE.

APPLICATION: REMEMBER HEBREWS 13:5, *“I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.”* HOLD ONTO THAT PROMISE! YOU MAY FEEL PERSECUTED, BUT YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! EVEN IN THE FIRE, GOD IS STANDING WITH YOU JUST AS HE STOOD WITH SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO IN THE FURNACE. TRUST THAT GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH!

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**POINT 3: KNOCKED DOWN BUT NOT DESTROYED (V. 9B)**

THE GREEK WORD USED FOR “STRUCK DOWN” IN VERSE 9B IS *KATABALLÓ*, WHICH MEANS TO BE THROWN DOWN VIOLENTLY, AS IN BATTLE.

PAUL IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT LIFE WILL SOMETIMES KNOCK US DOWN WITH FORCE, BUT HE ASSURES US THAT EVEN WHEN WE ARE CAST DOWN, WE ARE NOT *APOLLUMI*—NOT LOST, NOT RUINED, NOT BEYOND RECOVERY!

BEING STRUCK DOWN IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING COUNTED OUT.

CONSIDER MICAH 7:8: "DO NOT REJOICE OVER ME, MY ENEMY; WHEN I FALL, I WILL ARISE." OR PSALM 37:24: "THOUGH HE FALL, HE SHALL NOT BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN; FOR THE LORD UPHOLDS HIM WITH HIS HAND.

**ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES FOR STRENGTH:**

- MICAH 7:8 – *“DO NOT REJOICE OVER ME, MY ENEMY; WHEN I FALL, I WILL ARISE.”*

- PSALM 37:24 – *“THOUGH HE FALL, HE SHALL NOT BE UTTERLY CAST DOWN; FOR THE LORD UPHOLDS HIM WITH HIS HAND.”*

- ISAIAH 41:10 – *“FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, YES, I WILL HELP YOU, I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”*

**HOW WE APPLY THIS TO DAILY LIFE:**

- WHEN WE FACE SETBACKS, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT FAILURE IS NOT FINAL. WITH GOD, EVERY SETBACK IS A SETUP FOR A COMEBACK!

- WHEN WE STRUGGLE WITH DISCOURAGEMENT, WE SHOULD MEDITATE ON GOD’S PROMISES AND REMIND OURSELVES THAT HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US.

- WHEN LIFE KNOCKS US DOWN, WE SHOULD RESPOND WITH PRAYER, PERSEVERANCE, AND TRUST IN GOD’S PLAN FOR OUR FUTURE.

- JUST AS JESUS GOT UP FROM THE GRAVE, WE MUST RISE ABOVE OUR STRUGGLES, KNOWING THAT HIS RESURRECTION POWER IS AT WORK IN US!

ILLUSTRATION: IN A CONTROVERSIAL FIGHT BETWEEN, GERVONTA “TANK” DAVIS AND LAMONT ROACH. DAVID TOOK A KNEE DURING A CRITICAL MOMENT IN HIS BOUT.

SOME VIEWERS SAW IT AS A SIGN OF SURRENDER, OTHERS AS A STRATEGIC MOVE TO RECOVER. WHETHER MISUNDERSTOOD OR MALIGNED, WHAT MATTERED MOST WAS THAT DAVIS GOT BACK UP.

AND THAT’S WHAT THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS ALL ABOUT. WE MAY FALL TO OUR KNEES IN PAIN, IN WEAKNESS, OR IN HUMILITY—BUT WITH CHRIST, WE DON’T STAY THERE.

APPLICATION: DON’T MEASURE YOUR LIFE BY HOW OFTEN YOU FALL, BUT BY HOW YOU RESPOND. RISE IN PRAYER. RISE IN PRAISE. RISE IN PURPOSE. ISAIAH 40:31 REMINDS US, “BUT THOSE WHO WAIT ON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH; THEY SHALL MOUNT UP WITH WINGS LIKE EAGLES.”

APPLICATION: PROVERBS 24:16 SAYS, *“THE RIGHTEOUS FALL SEVEN TIMES BUT GET BACK UP.”* IT’S NOT ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL—IT’S ABOUT HOW MANY TIMES YOU RISE! WITH GOD ON YOUR SIDE, YOU CAN RISE AGAIN!

JESUS HIMSELF WAS KNOCKED DOWN ON CALVARY, BUT ON THE THIRD DAY, HE GOT UP WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS!

JESUS HIMSELF WAS KNOCKED DOWN—BEATEN, CRUCIFIED, BURIED—BUT ON THE THIRD DAY, HE GOT UP! THAT SAME RESURRECTION POWER LIVES IN US. WE MAY FALL, BUT BY FAITH, WE RISE.

**CONCLUSION: A CELEBRATION OF VICTORY**

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT **JESUS THE DELIVERER** PICKED YOU BACK UP!

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT **JESUS THE HEALER** PICKED YOU BACK UP!

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT **JESUS THE WAY MAKER** PICKED YOU BACK UP!

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT **JESUS THE REDEEMER** PICKED YOU BACK UP!

YOU MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT **JESUS THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE** PICKED YOU BACK UP!

BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE MAY HAVE BEEN KNOCKED DOWN, BUT WE SERVE A SAVIOR WHO PICKS US UP! JESUS GOT UP FROM THE GRAVE WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS, AND BECAUSE HE GOT UP, WE CAN GET UP TOO! NO MATTER WHAT LIFE THROWS AT YOU, NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU FALL, KNOW THAT THE LORD IS RIGHT THERE TO LIFT YOU UP. SHOUT HALLELUJAH BECAUSE THE VICTORY IS ALREADY WON! AMEN!

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