Though Our Bodies Are Dying, Our Spirits Are Being Renewed Every Day
Never Give Up
2 CORINTHIANS 4:16-18
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
II Corinthians 4:16-18 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/2co.4.16-18.nkjv
It is easy to lose heart and give up as we face trials and troubles day after day. It seems like the “same old” follows us day after day, week after week, month after month and so on; as soon as one trial passes, another falls upon us.
Whether in our relationships, our work, or education, or in our health or ministry, or even between our spirit and flesh (ROMANS 7:13-25), painful challenges will come.
It was no different for Paul, he faced persecution after persecution: He was seized, dragged out of the Temple and beaten and then bound in chains. He had to be carried because the violence of the mob was so great (ACTS 21:27-36).
He was arrested time after time (ACTS 21:33; 22:24; 31-35; 28:16); he faced accusation after accusation (ACTS 21:34; 22:30; 24:1-2; 25:2; 7; 28:4), and interrogation after interrogation (ACTS 25:24-27), ridiculed (ACT 26:24), shipwrecked (ACTS 27:41), and bitten by a viper 28:3), he was most likely put to death for his service to the Lord; but even in death he won his eternal race (2 Timothy 4:6-7).
Paul never gave up, rather than quitting, he called upon the Holy Spirit for inner strength (EPHESIANS 3:16).
We like Paul, should not allow our troubles to crush our faith or disillusion us. But rather call upon our inner strength that comes from the Holy Spirit in us to lead us to victory through every situation.
We believers need to understand that there is real purpose in our sufferings.
They remind us of Christ suffering; they keep us from pride; they cause us to look beyond this temporary life; and they give us opportunity to demonstrate God’s power.
James tells us, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”
James 1:2-4 NKJV
My beloved, this life is but temporary, and the best is yet to come.
Our ultimate hope when facing such traumatic circumstances, persecution, troubles or pain is the reality that this life is not all there is.
We believers have a wonderful future ahead of us, where their will be no more suffering, pain, or even death. Their will be no funerals to attend, no mourning, no sickness, for all these things shall pass away, God will live among us and He shall wipe away our tears (REVELATION 21:3-4).
But what are the things not seen?
The unseen is the spiritual realm, where our troubles are sourced (EPHESIANS 6:12) and always was and always will be.
This world along with our physical bodies, will pass away (1 JOHN 2:17) to make way for the new (REVELATION 21:2), and our new bodies shall be incorruptible (1 CORINTHIANS 25:42), and become like the spiritual realm which always was and will always be as is God, eternal (PSALM 90:2).
Our spirit however, created before we was in our mothers womb, is renewed every day and is eternal (JEREMIAH 1:5).
To focus on the unseen is to focus on the spiritual realms.
Jesus said, ““Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:31-34 NKJV
If we are to be victorious, our battles must be fought on our knees, praying in the Spirit (EPHESIANS 6:18).
Jesus said, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”
John 3:13 NKJV
Jesus, even before His death and resurrection, was able to ascend into the spiritual realms whilst it seems His physical body remained firmly on the ground.
He, like us believers today, relied entirely on our Father in heaven. For, “though He was God, He did not use His Devine privileges as something to cling to (PHILIPPIANS PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8).
My beloved, today, because of what Jesus has done, we like Christ, can be temporarily taken up into third heaven, paradise, within the spiritual realms, as was Paul; “he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”
II Corinthians 12:2-4 NKJV
This is the place our enemies cannot touch us, for they were kicked out of heaven (REVELATION 12:7-12) and “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalms 91:1 NKJV
I’m not saying that we are Christ equals, or that we can travel into the spiritual realms by our own will whenever we choose, but the things He did, we will do also as we become Christ like in our thinking and responses because the Holy Spirit lives in us (JOHN 14:15-18).
Therefore, don’t be focused on the pains of life, but rather on the unseen, for that is where Christ is, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
Romans 8:18 NKJV
I encourage you, whatever circumstance you are facing, never give up, but rather, take them into God’s garden, the unseen, for the battle belongs to the Lord and He is faithful and always victorious.
Jesus said, ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”
John 14:12-14 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
