Pain Is The Password

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 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. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 AV

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 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.

2 Cor 4:16

Today with the sake of Time i want to pull your attention to verse 7

2 Corinthians 4:7 NKJV

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

2 Cor

Everyone One Of Us are nothing but a earthen vessel that God is using on this earth.

The amazing thing is how God has chosen to use such a fragile vessel to do mighty things..

John 2:1–10 NLT

1 The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. 3 The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” 5 But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 6 Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, 8 he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. 9 When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. 10 “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!”

What day was Man Created? the 6th day..

How many water jars for washing? 6 Which represents MAN..

Man a vessel

Man as vessel used for cleaning

Man as Vessel that was created to hold water to clean has been transformed to Hold the best Wine (the Holy Spirit) for all to drinK…

2.) How does God assure he is going to get the best out of whats in your earthen vessel?

Paul breaks it down in the 8th verse.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed.

The verb hard pressed means “to press in hard against” someone, or, as we say today, to squeeze the life out of a person.

But God would not let them crush him..

2. We are Perplexed but not in despair.

To Be at a Loss how to act or proceed.

But he wasn’t in despair aka went off the deep end..

3. Persecuted but not abandoned

The greek word means to pursue and is commonly used of tracking a prey or enemy.

Paul was pursued from City to City by hostile jews, But through it all God never abandoned him. The idea here is that God did not leave Paul behind or in the lurch for the enemy to pick up

4. He was struck down by the Enemy but not destroyed

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: 2 Corinthians God’s Power Is Made Known Through Ministerial Hardships (4:7–12)

Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down are summed up in the clause we always carry around in our body the death of Jesus (v. 10). Carry around refers to the itinerant life of the gospel preacher. Always points to the commonplace versus exceptional character of these experiences. The death of Jesus is actually “the dying of Jesus”—a term that stresses the ongoing nature of the process. When we think of the “dying” of Jesus, we tend to think of the cross. Paul, however, has in mind the hardships, troubles and frustrations that Jesus faced during his three-year ministry—the loneliness, the disappointments with his disciples, the exhaustion, the constant harassment by opponents, the crowd’s continuous demands, the incredulity of his family, the mocking and jeers of his foes, the flight of his friends, the hours on the cross, the thirst and then the end. “I die every day” expresses the same thought (1 Cor 15:31).

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: 2 Corinthians God’s Power Is Made Known Through Ministerial Hardships (4:7–12)

Paul is acknowledging the wearing effect that the gospel ministry had on Jesus mentally, emotionally and physically. Nor is his a unique experience. Jesus taught his followers that if anyone would come after him, “he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23; compare Mk 8:34).

Pain Is the Password!!!

Philippians 3:10 AV

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Phil 3:10

1 Corinthians 9:27 AV

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

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