Down But Not Out

amen want to thank everyone for Father's Day on last week for the honors and the Privileges and presents that will extend it to me on last Sunday, and I just want to say thank you and don't take grant for granted the gifts that were given to me. And I just want to say thank you so much for everything that you did.

And let us pray. Father we thank you God for your goodness to us. We thank you Father for your word. Thank you Father that you are faithful to your promise and soul or right now we pray. Oh God that you would superintend over time. Cause it to be profitable to my brothers and sisters and to myself. Father for I don't know what situation to waste them after they leave this place today. My father you do and just pray God that you would be with him. Father now Lord, let the words of my mouth and meditation my heart be acceptable in thy sight or Lord my strength and My Redeemer in Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

One of the challenges of serving in any capacity is what you would call endurance. Having what we call staying power is a lot of folks that start out in every domain they start out as a career executive and they don't make it all the way to the top. They start out as a teacher don't make it all the way to the the end of the 10-year they start out as preachers and they don't make it wait and the distinguishing attribute and characteristic of those who make it and those who don't is endurance because in order for you to have any type of success, you've got to be someplace long enough. You got the handle stuff along enough so that when opportunity makes us of available. You are there to take advantage of the opportunity. I've seen so many people who have started out well. And for some unknown reason they just get it check it out. They they give up they throw in the towel. They bite they let it go. And then there's some cases way individuals just get harassed to the point where they decide they're going to give up Let it go. I didn't sign up for this social science sign up for this. I'm done with this. I'm not doing this no more. I'm letting this go. I can't tell you that that in America alone. How many pastors resign I sign up for this? Let It Go People who are in Corporate America just I'm tired. They let it go. But then there are those individuals cool for some unknown reason running to what I call a multi assortment of problems. They they get involved something and they deal with frustration so much into at the Y in just beats them down. Moving to a job situation and they find that there's a new executive and they they can't deal with that person in until they do the best. They can don't don't make it through or they just get beat down by the Hadley what I would call it the unfortunate privilege of watching an executive one time just get beat down all over the telephone as a person consistently and constantly berated individual and they're professionals and your commitment to their job. It was the most demeaning thing I've ever seen from one adult to another adult to do.

but we have that happening in Christendom to You know Christian have a tendency. That when they make mistakes, they throw in the top.

They they they they they mess up and it's okay. That's why I'm not doing it no more. Are you going to church now? I'm not going to church no more. Scenic white Z's in the first starts when I call with a thin entering wedge what they do is they start

Not no more. When are you going to cry right now? I'm not going to cry no more. You know it you know what? I'm not going to church no more. Start off small and ends up big, you know, it's not like I'm not going to that trip is not going. I'm not going to any church. anymore because they made a mistake. Somebody says something wrong to them. Somebody said something to them insulted them and not them clean down. I just stopped by to tell you today. I got a word from the Lord the says no matter what's happening in your life. You might be down. But you're not out.

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, you might have some physical situations are taking place, but you know what you might be down. What's your name? You might be dealing with some chronic illness. You been fined for Madden long time. Might impede your ability to get back and forth to Worship the Lord, but guess what you might be down, but you're not out. I remember young man by the name of Henry Breedlove Henry Breedlove was one of the guys who sang in the choir with me over at the Mount Sinai Baptist Church in I remember I used to have his wheelchair. He would come in with his wheelchair and he will roll on down and then we would assist him when he had at his little crutches and he make his way on up to the house to myself every time every time I see him. I don't have no excuse for not going to church.

If you can wheel in Daisy used in her wheelchair company with crutches, I ain't got no excuse for not coming to church they were down, but they were now.

Yes, I have any transportation to speak. I never knew how he got the daisy they was there.

down Not out the Apostle Paul today is speaking to us from the second book of Corinthians chapter 4. My bad was turn to Chapter 4 verses 7 through 14.

Just a little background on the book of Corinthians Corinthians Corinthian as a city. Correct as a city was a seriously challenging City. Remind me a little bit of Washington DC. Hello in the Cosmopolitan City everybody that you want to know what's in that City. You want to rub shoulders with money. It was in that City want to rush it was in that City. Wanted to meet people live in Port it was in that city as it were a port which allowed Sailors and everybody else to come in and landed take care of the fact. They had their own type of worship thing going on. That's it was a Cosmopolitan City, but I'd only was a Cosmopolitan City. It was a city. That was Charisma important people with all the flash. They had more style than substance. But they were there is Magic City people who have no clue who could talk and speak well, Not only that it was a caramel City. It's all about what titillated the flesh. About the Optics in what it look like and what it sounded like but not what it is. You know, we have the same back in the day. It is what it is. No, they didn't have didn't have didn't have what you would call substance. But they were cosmopolitan. place of destination they were they watched make you want to hang around for a minute, but they will, but I don't I don't know why people name that church Corinth Baptist Church

because the word Corinthian meant to fornicate So I don't know why I posted out that but if it was me, I stay away from that. This is just a city called Corinth Paul was riding the fall of 56 from Macedonia. And he's riding his he's writing to defend his apostleship. Pause. Will let you know that I only do I have. The power to do not have the authority to do it.

I'm just not acting here. I have the authority to tell you what I'm going to tell you today. Chapters 1-7 deals with Paul's character from chapters 10 the 13 deals with Paul defensive apostleship and chapters 7 and 8 deals with the challenge for the Saints the collection for the Saints or the time. And we find myself in a familiar portion of scripture here for the Apostle Paul. He gives us for helpful. Holy hints. The talk to us about how we need to understanding being down but not up. The first thing you bring to our attention is he says you are energized by God's power, but we have this treasure. in Earthen vessels that the Excellency of the power may be your God and none of us have been saved shield into the Dead Redemption pause as a result of that. He says you got this watch this you have this in an Earthen vessel. You have it in if you will just external body. You have it in a clay pot and and and and that this power of God is greater than the vessel that is in.

Yeah, you might be down. But God is giving you power.

And he's giving you the type of power wash this this dunamis power that Paul talks about in Romans chapter. He says it is the power unto salvation to everyone that is inside of you and you are a vehicle you should transfer that message to somebody else. That's how was the same power that keeps you living in moving and breathing today is that the same power that gives you motivation when you going through different times of times? It's that same power steering flat-footed and be able to say to somebody else. I'm still going to be here. Bubbles my job. I'm still going to be if I leave the house. I'm still going to be ready because the power of God is on the inside of me keeping me so that I don't lose my salvation.

I can Proclaim that. But I first have to believe it for myself. Paul says yeah, you might be down, but you're not out because you're energized. motivated chips by the power of God, but secondly watch this. He also says he wants to help us help us understand. This is that I'm in a tight situation pause and let me explain that for you. Let me give you the explanation of what he says. He says we are troubled on every can I help you out for a minute and no matter what's going on. This something happening on Summit have any Financial is something happening socially get something happening. Physically. There's something happening. Mentally. He said you're troubled on every side. There's no place that the devil and attack. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah if you woke up this morning.

if you were same thing the next week to stop you from going to church.

Whatever it takes to stop you from being motivated from following Christ Satan going to show you that every day of the week and twice on Sunday. Trip home every side. Yeah, you you wake up in the morning and you don't have something going on in your house. And guess what? The devil said? Yeah. That's right. That's good enough for you to start right then. Came home last Wednesday night. to a house with no air conditioning

I don't know about you.

What is hot?

And I want you to know when it happened. It happened that night so you can't call nobody.

An enemy he's doing stuff is so you have to understand that whenever stuff like that. So you need to ask yourself. What else is God trying to get me to do that? The devil's distracting me from my guy to some of us will be so concerned about what's in front of us that we can understand what's going on around us. This is why this is chess. It ain't checkers. And the enemy I didn't realize that you wouldn't give yourself. The benefit of the doubt, said you might be down, but you're not up in your pockets and your pocket got the money to take care of something, but that's alright God's got it.

Got it. The Apostle Paul says You Were Trouble on every side but we're not distress me at the perplexed but not in despair. He says we are persecuted but not forsaken cast down watch that but not destroy. You got a whole lot of stuff you did with his and he's one of them. I want you to notice the comparison you stressed out over. You fight but the fighting over the reason why you are still fighting is because it ain't over yet. And if we can just if we could just hold on to Jesus why we going for our trials and tribulations in my troubles. And guess what? We don't get to choose reading light with you on a 911 call pick up the phone down 911 the people at quick enough. Guess what they say.

Hold on just a little while longer. Hold on. But everything is going to be alright, but you got to hold on. And not let go. Paul says we are energized by God's power is such that it is tenuous at every moment, but it's not absolute failure isn't final.

Paul is talking about his situation as relate to preaching the gospel. If you a preacher of the Gospel you going to you going to deal with opposition? Trust me on that. We going to deal with the prosperity people that believe in you name it and claim it calling in the morning.

And preaching The Street Gospel the people who refused to the lady is hard because they want to do is feel good. And then you got those every Sunday. I call it the Carnival of the Ringling Barnum & Bailey Circus Circus every Sunday every Sunday. We got to have to be rich. Why don't you just

it's always you are preaching with the celebrities in the community celebrities are the only one just preaching the work is what God has called and he said preach the word not have a circuit that preach the word don't have a

when you're dealing with all this stuff because guess what you get poked. Like I said, happy and Sassy from the show preach the word.

Palms dealing with that type of food is just and some preachers get tired Everytime You Look up some folk don't want to preach they want a civil rights movement.

Paul says you down but not all because you energized by God's power. Cuz he gives information about flight but not only that he he he says he says also emancipated from our pain. in the midst of our pain what he says in verse 11 and 12

That's a life. Also a Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh verse. Well, so then death given us but life it is by your dying. If you stayed at Jesus become more manifest, can I help you with that for a minute?

If you want to test your sanctification or me to step on the car.

Now we step on the car what's going to happen is on and Jesus that's in you or that's not in me. Is going to come out. In order for you to recover from that was all the self-control that the Holy Spirit to give us through the fruits of the spirit comes in the play at that time. So we have to die to self so we don't get a piece of I'm on the way we can afford.

I just need to learn the ministry. Shut up.

You are special about everything somebody saying. The shut up. Can I say it one more game? Shut up. And you got some fault. They always say temperature.

I got into a situation much. Am I supposed I said stop talking?

So you got to die to self. Heart of Darkness up means you can't talk. You just need to leave the situation and leave it alone. So that Jesus can be made manifest so that people know that Jesus alive and one of you by how you handle situations don't even

Bishop what they say is that I don't know what kind of truck that was, but that wasn't turn the last time you talked about.

What time Christian about that?

It's too I'll death to self. The Jesus becomes more manifest. When I know it's not what I know, but I know sometimes you feel like you just got you know, you just got it.

Am I in the Southeast right now? I'm missing my sister might be like, all right.

So I'm trying to practice what I preach. Amen. Paul says we are paying when we when we when we recognize we have we been telling people off.

I'm holding up telling you about to tell me that I'm going to tell anybody what I want to tell him right now. Guess what when you start doing that you just dismissed on the room.

and finally Paul says the reason why we're down but not out is because in the end we emerge as victors.

By God's power. In other words, in other words Paul says it is in the midst of the situation. We going to come out as pictures 1314. We having the same Spirit of Faith according as it is written. I believed and therefore have I spoken. We also believe in therefore we speak about the proclamation of the Gospel here knowing that which is raised up the Lord. Jesus raised us up also the Jesus with you. You got to figure some I said it with me. You got the victory. You got the victory. You got the victory. You say that one more time. You got the victory. You got the victory in Jesus. You got him already you are going to come through watch this with with Vicky now unto him who is able to prevent your faultless before his present with exceeding Joy. You got the victory.

Now you just got to walk in. How does a person that's all you got to do that to the couch eating right on living the way that guy. I told you that you don't have to answer everybody. I said something the other day. Don't try to prove yourself just be yourself in Jesus and watch God work. You don't have to prove yourself to nobody. You already been saved by the blood of Jesus Victory in Jesus and one day you're going to stand for.

Man already going to give you a full me give you four for just four takeaways now. And we can be on our way. Number one God always provides us with what we need before we go through a storm. Did you know that? He's already been given you everything that you need. His presence is giving you the power and he also sometimes what he'll do on top of that is he will give you the things that you need he gives it to us because he knows we getting ready to go through the challenges for us to recognize that what we got is a for what we think it is. Number to even in pain see God's perspective on your situation. demon in pain seek God's perspective situation. Somebody says something to you. Somebody wrongs you a relationship before you get ready to retaliate. What would God want you to do? I know some of us we live by that Missy if you know. You know when I became a Christian, I promised God I've been going to do certain things. But for you, I'll make an exception. I know some of us think like that but don't don't make any ception do it is God's number three. The only people that I without struggle are in the cemetery.

Give me somebody all the time and everything. Is it hard to hide everything is hope you know, everything is great all the time.

number for God never promised. We would not have pain no struggle struggle, but he guarantees victory. He guarantees victory. How did the Zhou become possible it came possible because one day? The mind of God he decided along with Jesus the Divine Council. The Jesus would go down in the Forum. essential Flash that Jesus would die on calvary's Cross for your sins and you would die for my sins. He would die for sins past present and future for all Humanity. They would leave him down all the way of suffering David standing in the place of the skull. They would put him on the cross in the place and time was so Cosmopolitan. They had to put that Jesus was who he was in three different languages and then they would nail his hands and feet to the cross for a crown of thorns on his head after his body being beaten so bad that no man or woman could know who he was. He was heading there from the 6th to the 9th power.

But even when Jesus was still the savior because he was stopped for a minute when the thief the thief and he said this day Thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

Somebody said that the the moon drift away in blood that the stars and silvery socket still out, but but but but when Jesus got finished that man had access to the father. I'm in a tomb Arimathea is viral NuTone and they tell me that whenever you borrow something you don't intend to keep it. And so one day when they came to the two days on that that that that that Jesus body wasn't there anymore. That's why she keep the living among the dead for he has risen just as he said

Now he's seated at the right hand of the father. Making intercession for you and I fixing it so that the victory that you and I have it still. being singled as you're standing on your feet this morning.

You hear this this afternoon and you? The little Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. This is your time. I will simply say to you that what you need to do is come.

Give your life to the Lord Jesus. It's a lord Jesus. I am a sinner. Come into my heart. Take over my sin and make me the person you want me to be.

the Bible says that

for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation with the heart man believeth unto righteousness you here today. You don't know the Lord Jesus just saving. This is your time.

If you see this morning if you don't have a place to Fellowship. Place to call your home. This is an opportunity for you to come in to join with this register in here to 11 46th Street Northeast, Washington, DC. Would you come? for salvation

you come today?

Fellowship this is your time.

Call I saved know they've been to die tonight. They will see the Lord Jesus and Paul have a place of Fellowship. You maybe see?