Missions Paul

The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of taking us home, to our house, once the tent (our body) collapses and we die. This truth leads to a therefore statement and here it is:

“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5 v 6-10)

Confidence in the future means we are certain in the uncertainty that pain and distress brings in our present.

Confidence to walk by faith in the present because we cannot be in two places at one time, at home with the Lord and live here on earth in our body.

Confidence to please Him in all that we are and do.

Confidence that when we stand before Him, we will not be condemned (for there is no condemnation), nor have our salvation taken from us, (for that is not possible).

Confidence that when we stand before Him, the goal of our life to please Him, will be rewarded and where we have failed will be a minimum loss of commendation.

Finally a confidence that is always. This means that nothing and no one will steal our confidence in God and our faith.

A simple truth that we all will face … our bodies decline. Eventually whether it is our body or our mind, that what has given us a wonderful life, will fail us. But I am not just being morbid. There is comfort.

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 16-18)

Paul knew it. He experienced beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonments and was persecuted for much of his Christian life. However, Paul has discovered that what is happening inwardly, in his spirit, can continue to grow even as his body declines.

Secondly, when we view our difficulties through the lens of eternity and not just pain we realise that they are temporary and not as heavy as we first thought. The importance is our sight. What are we actually seeing? If our eyes are focused on our eternal home then what can suffering do to us?

Someone texted me overnight, part of which said this, “Please don’t be discouraged by what’s around you …” a beautiful message which I also want to say to anyone who is reading this short devotion: please don’t be discouraged by what’s around you … do not lose heart!

Paul carries in his life the belief of the death and suffering of Christ as he follows the Deliverer who also delivers him (2 Cor 4 v 7). He also carries the belief that the one who raised Jesus will also raise him (v14). The ultimate goal is mission (v15).

“It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit offaith, we also believe and therefore speak, ¹⁴ because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. ¹⁵ All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 13-15)

We all know from our many and varied experiences of life that what is going on in our minds eventually determines how we live. What we believe is what we do … and what we speak?

What is the sound of your mind? What is it speaking? When you are going through a difficult season what are your thoughts believing? What words are formulating inside you? Is God’s Word declaring Truth at the time? You need to hear what you believe? The sound needs to resonate your whole being.

If you can change your thoughts, what you believe in that split moment, perhaps even now as you read this, then you can live differently.

If you believe it then speak it. If you believe in God speak it. If you believe in the suffering of Christ then speak it. If you believe in the resurrection of Christ then speak it. And if you believe in the power of those 2 truths in your own experience then indeed speak it!!

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 8-9)

• Are surrounded by problems but somehow it is more than possible that you are not overwhelmed by them.
• Are questioning many things and are perhaps confused by what has happened to you; but you are not feeling hopeless.
• Are facing rejection, opposition, the critics are pressing in; and yet you know you are not alone.
• Are on the ground having fallen but you continue to have the capacity to get up again

How is this even possible? This paradox of situation. It is possible because within you is a resilience given by God to keep going, to keep rising again.

You just won’t stay down nor give up. You are a ‘but not’ person. Many will focus on being hard pressed, perpl0065ed, persecuted and struck down. But not you. You can always see that it could be worse. Today whatever the situation you walk into it will be the same for you. You are a person that gets up from the floor. Right?

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4 v 7

Today I, along with the uncountable across the globe, will stand and preach the gospel. I’ve done the same thing most Sundays the majority of my life. It is always delivered from a heart that doesn’t feel very important, that asks the question, ‘who am I to speak about the glory of God in Jesus? (v6) I am a mere man, ordinary and this not to be self-deprecating, but the gospel flows from a common place, like a jar of clay being a familiar part of every day life, that’s who I am. That’s who we all are. Common jars of clay.

It is always delivered from a heart that is weak and that is vulnerable because I continue to ask the question, ‘who am I to call people from darkness into light?’ (v6). I have an acute self-awareness of my own sinful nature, my own brokenness, a humanity that is flawed. That’s who we all are. Broken jars of clay, shattered so easily, dropped or pushed over and ready to be discarded.

This isn’t to sound morbid. It is how it is supposed to be. For what will flow from me today and from you and the many is the power of God, which has got nothing to do with me, but all of Him and for Him. He is the potter and we are the clay. The potter does all the work. He creates and we are worked upon and He produces something beautiful in His hands.

I am more than happy to be ordinary and aware of my own frailty. I am just a jar of clay. Today the ‘all-surpassing power is from God and not from (me)’.

I am happy because I am chosen. I am loved. And so are you. In whatever situation and circumstance you are in, God chose you. Our boast is in Him, in His wisdom and righteousness. He covers all our ordinariness and weakness, sins and brokenness with His blood.

So today we walk as a jar of clay confidently not in our own ability but the power of a Saviour. Our strength comes from Him.

Yes. I would much rather be a jar of clay wouldn’t you?

A survey commissioned by the Bible Society and called, The Quiet Revival, reveals positive news for the Church in the UK in 2025. Attendance figures have shot up by 50% in the last 6 years and much of that is because there is a rise in the church population of young men between 18-24 yrs old. I was so encouraged by the Easter figures of baptisms in so many churches and large numbers too, one church baptised 29 people. The Elim Global church in Germany baptised 65 people! The Gospel works! But are there reasons behind such growth?

“Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. ³ And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. ⁵ For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4 v 2-6)

Could the reasons possibly what Paul spoke about:

• The Church has had to come back to the importance of integrity. What has needed to be exposed has been and its leaders are now focusing more about honesty and being real than about performance and pretence. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 
• The Church has stopped condemning and instead has become patient with those taking a long journey to God; the Church has realised that prayer is hugely important. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 
• The Church has stopped ‘build it and they will come’ based around our own stage and we have poured all our attention on Christ and directed people to Him not us. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
• The Church has realised that holiness begins on the inside illumination of Christ and not mere outward behaviours. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.

Maybe it is us who have changed and those changes have brought a quiet revival?!

Let me inch forward into a new chapter (though obviously Paul didn’t use the chapters). Let me do that by reminding you of what Paul has written and say that these truths are ours also.

We are very bold, (3:12). Throughout the New Testament boldness is referring to our approach to the world and also to the presence of God. Here Paul is speaking of us taking the gospel to people, with boldness.

We are free, (3:17). Yes it is true. You are free. You are free from every power that sin, flesh, the world will throw at you. You are free from every addiction. You are free from every fear and phobia. You are free from all guilt and shame. You are free from the past. You are free in the present. You are free tomorrow. Remaining free means you will have to let go of pleasing man and the rules that supposedly protect your status with God.

We reflect the Lord’s glory, (3:18) The word ‘glory’ in the Bible means ‘weighty, heavy’ and refers to the presence of God. Our glory is the original condition mankind was created with. Adam lost it because he wanted to be somebody else instead of being happy with who God created. Adam lost it for us and Jesus gave it back to us but we keep on losing it because we want to be somebody else other than who God made. We want to be and we want to have and we pursue this at all costs even if that cost is our glory. We exchange our glory by choosing to speak a certain way, or by our certain actions, or the way we spend and the way we give, what we use and what we keep. We do all those things for the image of somebody in our mind. 

Through the Spirit people see the glory of God in our lives.

THEREFORE ….

“Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.” (2 Corinthians 4 v1)

Layers upon layers, building, rising, boldness, freedom, glory until we can all declare that:

We do not lose heart, give up or back down because we have been given this ministry through ‘God’s mercy’ to our lives. 

Years ago, there was a master violinist in Europe. He would play in concerts, and he had a magnificent

Stradivarius violin, extremely expensive. He would play the Stradivarius violin in concert and everyone would whisper in the crowd, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He would play in churches, and people would say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” He even played before kings and queens, and they, too, would turn to one another and say, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” All the glory went to the instrument.

Then one day this master violinist was walking by a pawn shop. He noticed an old, beat-up, worn-out violin. He walked into the pawn shop and asked how much it would cost. The owner of the pawn shop told him the American equivalent of five dollars. He bought the violin, and he took it home. He polished it, and he refined it, and he tuned it, and he re-tuned it, and he built some character into that violin. Then, when he was to play the greatest performance of his life in a concert hall, he took out the little, five-dollar, worn-out, beat- up violin that he had polished and refined. He put it up to his chin, and he began to play, and everybody in the concert hall whispered, “Listen to the beautiful sounds of the Stradivarius.” (“Rejoicing in Our Suffering,” Preaching Today, Tape No. 74)

I have met and will continue to purposely meet many five-dollar, worn-out, beat-up, violin-type people around the world. At first glance there isn’t much to look at until you realise the master has got hold of their life and something beautiful emerges. I have heard the beautiful sound of the Stradivarius from the amputees of Sierra Leone; the persecuted of northern Nigeria and Burkina Faso; the raped and the child-soldiers of DRC; the prisons of Niger; the HIV stories of Eswatini; the famine of many nations; the slums of Kenya; the lepers of India; the graves of Zimbabwe; the orphans of Malawi; the list just goes on. And the sound coming from the pain … there is none like it in the whole world! 

They are rejoicing because of mercy. They are not carrying the evil acts that were committed against them. Mercy has cleansed the evil that has been done to them. They do not give up, they have beautiful ministries given to them because of the atrocities done to them and they received them by the mercy of God. And so have we. Today I am with a wonderful Pastor on a missions trip who knows this mercy. He nearly gave up but God gave him a fresh ministry, He was merciful. 

If your life is tough right now pursue mercy from God and for others. Mercy will see you through. Mercy will open heaven to you. Mercy will give you a ministry. Mercy will cause you not to lose heart.

Before moving into chapter 4 I had to come back to this verse today.

It’s a verse not only to memorise but to live by?

What does it mean? Here are 7 thoughts to mull over:-

• We don’t try anymore to please God by our performance, instead we welcome the Holy Spirit to have a relationship with us.
• The Lord being the Spirit means this is a new spiritual covenant; buildings, styles, practices, philosophies of ministries are not the big deal, for God is bigger than anything we build for Him, no matter if we build it out of some divine revelation we have had of Him. The monopoly on truth never exists.
• What we build isn’t necessarily wrong, so long as we know who we are truly building for; neither can we say because we have come away from these established norms that we are now the exclusive enlightened ones.  
• The Spirit in us will increasingly declare the righteousness of God in our lives which makes us realise we are not condemned.
• The Spirit empowers us to overcome destructive patterns and behaviours, to be free from them.
• There is freedom to be in the presence of God for the Spirit is the Lord.
• The Spirit in us means people see the presence of God in us, that makes sense, but there’s more: the Spirit increases that for He continually changes us, there is a progression of His seen manifest presence of our lives.