Responding to Trials: Death Working Life in Us
I. TREASURE IN THE EARTHEN VESSELS: THE POWER OF GOD INSIDE OF US
A. Paul declared that the power of God works inside of us now (2 Cor. 4:7, 16). Then he described four paradoxes of pressure that
work in us enabling us to experience more power (2 Cor. 4:8-12).
7We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8We are hard pressed on every
side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- 10always
carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are
always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So then death is working in
us, but life in you… (2 Cor. 4:7-12)
B. The treasure in us: includes three blessings that we automatically receive at our new birth.
1. The Father’s acceptance and affection: Receiving the gift of righteousness because of Jesus’ finished work on the cross, allows us
to be accepted by God legally and embraced by God emotionally. Walking in the assurance of being enjoyed by God empowers us to
delight in God and enjoy Him. We even enjoy God enjoying us (Isa. 62:4). Revelation of God’s affectionate acceptance empowers us with
confidence in God’s love.
17 If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation...21He made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God… (2 Cor. 5:17-21)
2. The authority to use the name of Jesus: we have authority to use Jesus’ name to release the works of God and to hinder the works
of Satan in our life, circumstances, and nation.
13Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (Jn.
14:13-14)
3. The indwelling Spirit: We receive the Spirit who empowers our hearts in holiness (love, meekness, revelation) and our ministries to
release God’s life to others. He dynamically affects us with His partnership and friendship as we consciously fellowship with Him.
16 The Father...will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you...17the Spirit of truth...will be in you… 26The Helper...will teach
you all things… (Jn. 14:16, 17, 26)
C. The earthen vessel: speaks of our humanity, including our body with its limitations (weariness, sickness, etc.) and our weak mind
and heart that are subject to wrong ideas and sinful desires.
D. The life of Jesus: God’s manifest presence touching our heart and flowing through our ministry
E. The glory of Christianity is the combination of the treasure (Father’s love, Jesus’ authority, Spirit’s presence) in context to weak
humanity. The two dimensions together define Christianity. Disillusionment is rooted in failure to understand both the treasure and the
earthen vessel.
F. The dying of Jesus: involves both voluntary (humility and fasting, etc) and involuntary circumstances (persecution or hardships) to
deliver us to death (v. 11). Our journey in this life will always require embracing the dying of Jesus. Thus, we set our heart to walk with
endurance.
G. Jesus died to His rights to man’s honor as well as the values and pleasures of this age. To die to these means that He lived
“separated” from them.
10It was fitting…to make the captain of their salvation [Jesus] perfect through sufferings...18In that He Himself has suffered…He is able to
aid those who are tempted. (Heb. 2:10, 18)
8Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. (Heb. 5:8)
H. Isaiah gave us prophetic insight into how Jesus viewed His life and ministry in this age. This passage does not describe Jesus
complaining, but it reveals His confidence in God’s evaluation of His life. Men concluded that Jesus spent His strength in vain because He
did not achieve anything notable in their eyes during His 33 years. However, God saw His life as glorious.
4I said, “I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; yet surely my just reward is with the Lord… 5I shall be
glorious in the eyes of the LORD… (Isa. 49:4-5)
I. Jesus had confidence that God saw His life as glorious. Before Jesus preached one sermon or healed one person, the Father was
well pleased with His 30 years of meekness. During this time Jesus had not achieved anything notable before men. His strength was spent
on nothing outward that men would celebrate, but on expressing love and meekness.
17 A voice from heaven, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Mt. 3:17)
II. THE DILEMMA
A. The dilemma: when God manifests His power and blessing through us, then because of our pride (earthen vessel) we are prone to
wrongly interpret why God is blessing us or using us. The very breakthrough of God’s power in our circumstances and ministry awakens
pride in us. We are prone to get distracted by the very power, prosperity, and blessing that God meant for our good. Pride and distraction
minimizes God’s full blessing in our ministries now and in the age to come.
7Lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan
to buffet me, lest I be exalted... (2 Cor. 12:7)
B. God protects His people who experience His power, with problems. The Father does not want us to lose long-term blessing
(Millennium) because we mishandle short-term blessing in this age. Therefore, God allows us to be hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted,
and struck down.
C. The inheritance of increased honor, power, and money often turns out negative in the end. We should always contend for the
fullness of God’s power and blessings for this age. We trust God to administrate the measure and timing of their release along with the
measure of difficulty (being hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down), that we battle through.
21An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end. (Prov. 20:21)
D. Analogy: Imagine walking up a mountain in mud on a hot day for 12 hours carrying all your supplies and only gaining 100 yards.
Then a mudslide carries you back to where you started. God’s highest goal for us is not to get to the top of the mountain (achievement in
circumstances) in this life, but to renew our inner man (grow in our hearts). God knows that the optimum setting to develop a bright spirit
(love and meekness) is to “walk up the mountain in mud.”
III. FOUR SOURCES OF PRESSURE IN OUR LIFE
A. Father’s chastening and shakings: The Father will chasten or train us by resisting all which hinders love and all that prevents us
from being prepared for our assignment in the age to come (Heb. 12:6-12). He will shake everything that can be shaken so love remains
(Heb. 12:26-27).
B. Satan’s attack: He rages against us as he seeks to devour us (1 Pet. 5:8)
C. Man’s sin: Sinful actions bring many unnecessary pressures on our life and on others.
D. Creation’s groan: We work in the midst of resistance to restore the environment (Rom. 8:20-22)
E. We submit to the Father’s discipline with endurance and gratitude. We resist Satan’s attacks by the Word of God. We repent of
wrong ideas and desires as we humble ourselves before people. We work in the midst of lack and resistance (heat of the sun) to cleanse
and restore the earth.
IV. FOUR PARADOXES THAT ARE COMMON TO EVERY BELIEVER
8We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- (2 Cor. 4:8-9)
A. Paradox #1 (attacking our emotions): We are hard pressed on every side yet not crushed. This speaks of circumstances that press
hard against us causing us pressure in our emotions. Such circumstances come from every direction including finances, sickness, broken
relationships, accidents, failures in sin, etc. The enemy wants us to feel crushed by pressure so that we will give up in our resolve to pursue
Jesus and His kingdom.
B. Paradox #2 (attacking our understanding): We are perplexed, but we are not in despair. This speaks of circumstances that perplex
us causing us pressure in our understanding. It is common to yield to despair when perplexed by losing confidence in God’s goodness.
People in despair often become aimless in their life because they cannot connect their struggle with the good that it is producing in them.
Paul wrote 13 books in the NT, but continued to struggle with perplexity as he also had to ask the question, “Why, God?” God uses
perplexity to train us. The Father purposely hides many details of our life including how He will bring deliverance to our problems. Why does
God do this? He wants us to have security by virtue of intimacy with Him, rather than in having all the details of our future. If our peace is
built on trying to know all the details on how our problems will be solved, then we will end up in despair.
C. Paradox #3 (attacked by people): We are persecuted, but not forsaken. This speaks of persecution causing us pressure from
people. Instead of being appreciated by others as we serve and stand for truth, they resist us and influence others to join them. We who
will stand for truth will be resisted and sometimes it is even from the Church. The enemy lies to us saying that because some people have
forsaken us that God has also forsaken us and overlooked us when we are mistreated. When man lifts his favor from you that does not
mean that God has taken His favor from you. People feeling forsaken become fearful by losing sight of God’s love for them.
D. Paradox #4 (attacking our life purpose): We are struck down, but not destroyed. This speaks of major setbacks in life that threaten
to destroy our primary life purpose. Over an entire life, there are usually only a few major setbacks that are life altering enough to make
one feel struck down. These can include suffering through a divorce, abuse, prison, a sickness, a serious accident, financial calamity, a
natural disaster, etc. They can seem to have the power to destroy our life purpose if we respond in bitterness and unbelief.
V. HAVING AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE (2 COR. 4:17-18)
A. Paul had a radical view of life in this age. He saw the benefit of the four-fold paradox (v. 8-9) as working to secure a far greater
eternal weight of glory in his life and ministry in the Millennium.
14Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus…16We do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is
perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory… (2 Cor. 4:14-17)
B. The weight of glory involves Paul’s nearness to Jesus, his resurrected body, and his ministry assignment in reigning with Jesus on
earth. Our calling (ministry assignment) in the age to come is far more important than our ministry and circumstances now. The size our
heart (inner man) is more important than the size of our circumstantial blessing and ministry impact (outer man).
C. Premise: Life on earth in this age can be likened to a 70-year internship (Ps. 90:10) which prepares us for the next season of our
life on earth in the age to come. Our next ministry calling begins in the Millennium and will last for 1,000 years (Rev. 20:4-6; 2:26-27; 3:21;
5:10; 22:5). In our 70-year internship, we have two issues that we determine in the grace of God. The first is if we want to be in God’s family
as voluntarily lovers. The second is if we want to function in His government for the next 1,000 years in the age to come.
D. The measure that we develop in love, meekness, and revelation determines our place and function in His millennial government (Mt.
7:14; 19:30; 20:16, 26-27; 22:14; Lk. 13:24). Our ministry in the age to come has nothing to do with how much we accomplished outwardly
in this age, but rather how much we developed inwardly. The choices we make in our 70-year internship determine where and how we will
function in our 1,000-year ministry assignment.
21You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. (Mt. 25:21)
17Well done...you were faithful in a very little, have authority over 10 cities. (Lk. 19:17)