THE TRIALS OF MINISTRY

2 Corinthians 4:8-10
SO YOU WANT TO STAND UP HERE AND MINISTER TO PEOPLE. THE BIBLE SAYS IF
YOU DESIRE THIS OFFICE, YOU DESIRE A GOOD THING. BUT YOU BETTER COUNT
THE COST IF GOD HASN’T SPECIFICALLY CHOSEN YOU TO DO THIS. NOW LET ME
BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT BEING A MINISTER OR PREACHER,
IT’S ALSO TALKING ABOUT ANY POSITION IN WHICH YOU MINISTER THE WORD
TO PEOPLE. IT EVEN INCLUDES WITNESSING, BUT AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF
ACCOUNTABILITY. PAUL HAD AUTHORITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR HE WAS
CHOSEN TO SUFFER ACCORDING TO Acts 9:15-16.

(Acts 9:15-16) 15 But the Lord said, "Go and do what I say. For Saul is my chosen instrument
to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will
show him how much he must suffer for me." (NLT)

SO HERE PAUL BEGINS TO REFLECT ON THE REALITY OF THE TRIALS OF

MINISTRY, GODS PURPOSE IN THE TRIALS, AND THE HOPE THAT IS SUSTAINED IN
THEM.

8 - We are hedged in (pressed) on every side [troubled and oppressed in every way], but not
cramped or crushed; we suffer embarrassments and are perplexed and unable to find a way out,
but not driven to despair;

9 - We are pursued (persecuted and hard driven), but not deserted [to stand alone]; we are
struck down to the ground, but never struck out and destroyed;

THESE TWO VERSE’S ILLUSTRATE OUR WEAKNESS’ES IN CARRYING OUT OUR

GOD GIVEN ASSIGNMENT, AND THE POWER OF GOD TO DELIVER US.

10 - Always bearing about in the body the liability and exposure to the same putting to death
that the Lord Jesus suffered, so that the [[a]resurrection] life of Jesus also may be shown forth
by and in our bodies.

VINE’S EXPLAINS THE TERM BEARING ABOUT AS THE PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS

ENDURED IN FELLOWSHIP WITH CHRIST, SO THAT THE SAME POWER THAT
RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD CAN BE SHOWN TO BE WORKING IN YOU. DO
YOU STILL WANT POWER?

12 - Thus death is actively at work in us, but [it is in order that [our] life in Christ [may be
actively at work] in you.

A CHOSEN ONE OR AN APOSTLIC MINISTRY REALIZES ALTHOUGH SUFFERINGS

HAVE BROUGHT THEM FACE-TO-FACE WITH PHYSICAL DEATH IT IS GODS
CHOSEN MEANS TO BRING LIFE TO THOSE WHO LIVE WITH THE STENCH (A
STRONG, FOUL, ODOR) OF DEATH.

15 - For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor
and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the
more thanksgiving may increase [and cause a flood of ] the glory of God.

SO CHURCH PEOPLE, EXCUSE ME, KINGDOM PEOPLE, WHEN YOU FIND MEN AND
WOMEN OF GOD THAT ARE WILLING TO SUFFER FOR YOUR BENEFIT, YOU HAVE
FOUND A JEWEL.

FOR THEY KNOW THAT THESE ARE INDEED LIGHT AFFLICTIONS THAT ARE JUST
FOR AN APPOINTED TIME.

THEY KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ARE CHOSEN GOD IS WORKING IN US A FAR MORE
EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY THAT SURPASS’ES THE BEARING
ABOUT OF PAIN
1. IT SURPASS’ES THE BEARING ABOUT OF SUFFERING, ASK JESUS

2. IT SURPASS’ES THE BEARING ABOUT OF SICKNESS, ASK THE WOMAN WITH

THE ISSUE OF BLOOD

3. IT SURPASS’ES THE BEARING ABOUT OF MENTAL ANGUISH AND MENTAL

ILLNESS

4. IT SURPASS’ES THE BEARING ABOUT OF THE LOSS OF A CHILD, ASK MARY

SO HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, BUT DON’T STOMP US OUT, USE YOUR TONGUE TO

PRAY FOR US, DON’T USE IT TO KILL US WITH GOSSIP. WE ARE THE PEOPLE GOD
HAS CHOSEN TO SUFFER MANY TRIALS TO ENABLE YOU TO UNDERSTAND HIS
SON JESUS MORE CLEARLY. HONOR US WITH APPROPREIATE HONOR; DON’T
MAKE US YOUR PERSONAL JESUS OR YOUR PERSONAL HOLY GHOST.

Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the
slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers,
nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of
God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.