Cast Down But Unconquered

The most amazing truth about God’s overcoming power in the trials of His own righteous is inscribed in 2 Corinthians the 4th chapter.

After Apostle Paul gives a clear description of the Christian liberty through the presence of the Spirit in their midst, he also speaks about the suffering of the righteous in this life and how in all that God the Father through His Son Jesus the Christ gives His own power to triumph over them all.

In all of His preaching he is boasting in Christ and the greatness of His glory in the midst of all his suffering for his name sake.

Paul emphasizes the importance of Knowing Him in all the trials that comes on his path.

In today’s world we the 21st century Christians assume that we would not have any obstacles in our ways, but Apostle Paul describes His path very narrow and full of afflictions.

He calls all his trials light affliction in comparison to the weight God’s glory kept for him in heaven. Therefore looking into this passage of the scripture gives us hope to endure all things for His name sake. The marvelous heading on this part of the scripture is an awe inspiring truth. We are cast down, but unconquered. This carries the most weight in viewing our temporary affliction in a very new way.

The unbelieving are seldom cast down and destroyed under the weight of their affliction and almost always conquered by its weight, however it is not the same with the genuine believers.

Here is the entire mystery described by Paul in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4.

The Apostle of Christ had a very enlightened view of his own suffering for Christ’s sake and to this he boast’s that in them all his view of the suffering helps him to retain his strength to conquer them by his faith.

In verse 7 he mentions that the fact that God chose us the weak earthly vessels so that the glory would rest on Jesus when we conquer by His strength. Yes Apostle Paul discovered that it was not the problems and or affliction that had the power to overtake him, but that in the end he was victorious over them through Christ’s strength. Wow it is an awe inspiring revelation of the truth in the seasons of intense trials.

In verse 8 Paul says he was hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed. That means there still remained a protective shield upon him that gave him the upper hand of triumph.

In the same verse the Apostle says “ We are perplexed, but not in despair.”

Do you see the intensity of His trials?

He also says “I am persecuted, but not forsaken, struck dawn but not destroyed.” Can you hear him in his afflictions leaning upon his beloved by faith? Yes he was persecuted, but knowing the purpose of his call and Him who called him he knew that God would never leave or forsake him. This is the perfect restored image that God is seeking to see made perfect in His children in Christ Jesus His own first born. To reach to a level of faith that would see Christ in all circumstances victorious in the lives of His redeemed. The Lord through Paul was saying this is the hieght and length or width of depth of faith in Christ that I want my sons to be found in.

Such a trust developed through trials would bring glory to His Son. Knowing in the end we are not forsaken or even while passing through the darkest tunnel of our faith. This is not an overnight work it is a lifetime accomplishment.

Paul also says “I am struck dawn, but not destroyed.” This is the magnificence of God’s glory over the vessels of His own mercy in even the worst of times. In verses 10 & 11 a glorious hope is expressed by the description of His death to his own flesh with all its desires and the life of Christ being developed in him through patient suffering.

Amazingly enough Apostle Paul here is setting the prerequisite of all necessary ingredients of a true apostolic ministry. Here the apostle says this death that he was being given over through Christ is bringing life of Christ unto others also. A very contrary teaching to the modern day apostolic teachings.

Apostle Paul here speaks of His hidden treasure of the hope resurrection as the only sustaining power in him.

And in all of these he wanted to have an opportunity to glorify the Lord in all his trials and difficulties.

Yes in all of these things in verses 16 and on he says… “Therefore we do not lose heart even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Here is where he really bring a new light on to our view of our hardships, when he says.. “ For our light afflictions, which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While wee 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.” Here a great weight is taken away from the shoulders of all who truly believe in Christ. This is the catch. Many of us often miss this reality when faced with earthly difficulties of this life.

Here is where we need to encourage ourselves and being patient in all of our trials and seeing the other side of the trials rejoice in them while we can.