How To Hang In There

How To Hang In There!" Text: 2 Corinthians 4:1-18

I want to talk about staying in your ministry.

Keeping on doing what God has called you to.

Continuing on for the Lord despite the trials-- can't be accomplished by will power.

No one more qualified to teach us how to "hang in there" for the Lord than Apostle Paul.

Here is a man who endured some of the greatest hardships possible for Christ.

Both Jews and Gentiles hated him.

He was misunderstood and attacked even by other Christians.

He was eventually executed for nothing more than preaching Jesus Christ.

2Ti 4:7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

And I believe 2 Corinthians 4 tells us how he did it.

I. PAUL ACCEPTED THE MINISTRY GOD GAVE HIM. 2 Cor 4:1

A. Paul's was not an easy ministry.

The other Apostles did not accept him for several years.

He was constantly challenged and questioned even by the other Apostles throughout his ministry.
He suffered shipwrecks and beatings and stonings and jailings, on a regular basis.

But he accepted the ministry God gave him.

B. The context of this verse is in view of the trials he faced because of his ministry.

In chapter 3, Paul answers the question as to whether or not he needed to have a letter of commendation from the other Apostles.

Paul's ministry was being attacked by some within the Corinthians church.
And yet, despite all that, he simply writes, seeing we have this ministry... we faint not.

C. We would do well to learn from this to accept whatever ministry we have!

Sometimes all of us get to looking around and wishing we had it like someone else has it!

We wish we could be the pastor

We wish we could be the teen leader.

We wish we could sing as well as the some who have talents in music.

We wish we could be the top tither in the church.

If we want to continue for the Lord, the first step has to be, to accept the position that God gives us in the work of the Lord!

***** "as we have received mercy of the Lord, we faint not." The truth of it is, whatever position we have in the plan of God, IS A MERCIFUL POSITION!

Cause we could be the ones who are outside. We could be the ones facing hell. Not the ones trying to keep souls from going there!

II. PAUL HAD A PROPER PERSPECTIVE OF HIS PROBLEMS verses 8-9

A. Troubled - not distressed

The word troubled means to be crowded, pressured. The word distressed means to be in calamity.

He is saying that he is squeezed, but not squished!

B. Perplexed - not in Despair

The word perplexed means "at a loss" The word despair means "completely lost"

C. Persecuted - not forsaken

The word persecuted means "hunted" The word forsaken means "deserted."

D. Cast down - not destroyed

What Paul is saying is,

"Sure, I got problems, but I am not defeated!"

"I have fallen a few times, but I have always been able to get back up!"

"I have had some times when I wasn't sure which way to turn for a while,

but I have never been so lost that I couldn't eventually get out of it!"

Paul recognized that the trials had not completely overwhelmed him.

III. PAUL HAD HIS EYES FIXED ON THE RIGHT THINGS. (Verses 10-18)

A. Look at the Eternal, not the Temporal. (verse 18)

I understand how difficult that is. I struggle with it every single moment of my life.

Ro 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

Much of the reason we struggle with the Christian life, and one of the reasons some give up on their course, is that their eyes fixed on how things are today. Right now.

Paul could hang in there because his eyes were fixed on heavenly/eternal things, not earthly/temporal things!

He was content to suffer some losses here in order to have more rewards waiting in heaven!

We need to

B. Look at others, not self

Verse 12 Paul was willing to go through the trials that he did, and hang in their for the Lord Because he was concerned more for others than he was for himself.

J -Jesus first
O -Others second
Y -Yourself last

That is the opposite of what every thing in this world tells you.

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMEONE WHO HAS IT TOUGHER THAN YOU DO!

Find them, and help them, AND YOU WILL FIND NOT ONLY JOY, but the strength to hang in there and finish the course God gave you.

C. Look at Christ's Living, not dying. (vs 11)

Christ not only died and was buried... HE ROSE AGAIN HE ROSE TRIUMPHANT HE ROSE VICTORIOUS, and HE ROSE GLORIFIED

His victory translates to our victory today

And his glory works for our glory too!

But if, we see him as Stephen did, IN HEAVEN AND STANDING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD!

Now, we have a faith that is alive powerful, and filled with promise and hope!

And that, is the number one tool to keep you, Hanging in there!