Down But Not Out

2 Corinthians 4:8–9

⁸We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

Before you were a Christian, when something sad or bad happened to you, you cried until you had no more tears left. Your heart simply broke into pieces, and you felt trapped, depressed and totally defeated.

But after you became a Christian, even when something worse happens to you, you still cry, but you feel comforted inside. You are sad outwardly, but your heart isn’t heavy. You don’t understand why, but deep down inside you, there is something lifting you up. That something buoyant, which is rising from the inside of you, is the life of Christ in you!

You cannot be completely distressed because Christ in you is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who says to you, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27)

Yes, it is a bad situation and you are in a tight spot, but Christ in you is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), and He says to you, “It will all be all right. I will provide a way out for you.”

You know you are not defeated because Christ in you is your victory (1 Corinthians 15:57), and He says to you, “You are not fighting for victory, but fighting from victory, for you already have the victory in Me.”

In the past, before you knew Christ, when you were down, you were out. But now, when you are down, you are not out because Christ in you is the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:27) “Hope” in the Bible means “a definite positive expectation of good”. 

So Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious marriage! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious family! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of glorious health for the rest of your life! Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of a glorious life! 

Christ in you is the definite positive expectation of all the glories of God revealed to you! Hallelujah!