He is Still in The Fire// Week 4// Refinement

Refinement

2 Corinthians 4 November 8, 2020

I. Introduction:

A. We are doing a series on trials that is called “He is still in the fire” and there is no

place, where the fire of trials is felt more than in the process of refinement.

1. Refinement is defined in Webster’s dictionary as the removal of unwanted

substances so as to improve something

2. In the life of a Christian refinement is the removal of the stains of the world,

devil and flesh that we have picked up as we have walked through life and

replacing it with the life and character of Jesus!

3. It is less and less of me seen in my life and more and more of Jesus being

manifested through us.

B. Turn to 2 Corinthians 4 where we will see this process of refinement being

worked out in Paul’s life through the trials he was going through in ministry.

1. But he starts the chapter in verse one saying he does not lose heart – simply

he does not get so discouraged that he gives up!

2. But as we move down to verses 6-12 he talks about the various trials he faces

and why he does not give up even when facing difficult trials.

• So we learn in 2 Corinthians 4 the reason why Paul does not give up when facing

various difficult trials is because …

II. Refinement produces more of Jesus in us!

A. In v6 Paul is saying that the very life of Jesus, the glory of God is living inside of

our bodies, these clay pots, these mortal bodies that are given to break and die!

1. The powerful life of Christ inside of these weak, prone to break and die

bodies! He calls it “this treasure in earthen vessels”

2. He says the reason God did it this way is so that so there would be no doubt

as to where the power comes from – God and not us!

3. Watch for this as I read v6-7.

B. Now he moves to the different kinds of trials he goes through. Read v8-9

1. Define

a) Afflicted but not crushed –

(1) Afflicted means to be pressed from all sides. Like being in a large

crowd and people are squeezing in on you. A pressure cooker of

trials.

(2) But not crushed means you do not break under the pressure

b) Perplexed but not despairing –

(1) Perplexed means you see no way out of your trials. You are at a

loss of what to do, uncertain, full of questions but no answers!

Ever been there? I have

(2) But not despairing means that even in the midst of those kind of

trials you do not lose hope!

c) Persecuted but not forsaken

(1) Persecuted means suffering for your belief in Jesus and His Word

(2) But not forsaken means that God did not abandon you but stood

with you in those times

d) Struck down but not destroyed

(1) Struck down means that this trial came with such force that it

knocked you down

(2) But not destroyed means that maybe you were knocked down but

you were not knocked out!

2. The reason they were not crushed or despairing, or forsaken or destroyed by

these trials is because of the power of God within them. It became clear to

them and everyone around them that watched them at these times that the

power to stand in these trials was not from them but from God!

C. Then he tells us the purpose/product of these trials! Read v10-11

1. Did you catch it?

2. Read again the dying and death part in both verses!

a) He is summarizing all these experiences of being afflicted, perplexed,

persecuted and struck down as dying experiences

b) We see the same idea in Romans 8:35-36

3. Read now the “so that” phrases in each verse.

a) The purpose of these trials is that the life of Jesus, the glory of God, the

treasure inside of these clay pots can be put on full display through our

life in these bodies.

D. Let me show you another passage where we see this process in operation in Paul’s

life. Turn to 2 Corinthians 1:8 where Paul tells us about the afflictions he went

through in Asia: Read 2 Corinthians 1:8-9a

1. This time of difficulty was so big upon his heart that it deeply burdened him;

it was bigger than he was strong, it put him in extreme despair, and he even

was convinced that he was going to die from this.

2. But note the reason for this heavy and difficult trial –

a) Reread 9b – “so that …

3. God will even use trials sometimes just to refine our faith and wean us from

trusting in ourselves because it is not only foundational to navigating our

trials but it is foundational to our entire Christian walk.

4. Jesus Himself said that He did nothing of Himself and everything He did was

in dependence upon His Father. The more we depend upon God and not

ourselves, the more Jesus’ life will be manifest through us!

III. Application

A. This is a passage that I have clung to over and over again in trials trusting that

God was doing exactly what He said He is doing in this passage. It has not only

given me hope and the ability not to quit in ministry but in life when I go through

trials!

1. Because like Paul I know, that God is using these trials to make me better! I

have learned that trials can make you either better or bitter! The outcome of

them is in our lap depending how we look at our trials!

2. Rather than losing heart in my trials, this has become my hope in my trials!

3. Trials are an opportunity for God to make me more like Jesus, and the more

like Jesus, then the more glory God will reveal in and through me!

B. Read 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

1. Illustrate with the balance of temporal and eternal

2. Importance of where our focus is – while we look at …

C. Take a moment to examine your heart and life:

1. Are your trials making you better or bitter?

2. As you look at your life, over the past six months do you see more and more

of Jesus coming out of you or is there more and more of your fleshly

responses?

3. Finally, do you have the same spirit of faith that Paul had in believing and

focusing upon Jesus and His work of refining you and producing in you an

eternal weight of glory while acknowledging the realities of your temporary

light trials or are you focusing upon your trials while only acknowledging

Jesus and His purposes for your life?