Not Defeated Unless You Quit

CURRENT RADIO SERIES All Things New   CURRENT TV SERIES All Things New

“If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” --Daniel 3:17-18 It seems like every week – maybe even every day – I run into people who are facing very difficult times in their lives. I visit with men and women in hospitals, those who've lost loved ones, those with heartaches and family problems. But I've found there is a glorious difference in the believer who has a “but if not” belief. A "but if not" belief is a relentless trust in God, like that of the young Hebrew men in today's passage who had a steadfast belief that God could deliver them. Yet even if God did not, they still remain faithful and true to Him, knowing He is their ultimate deliverer. You can’t defeat a man or a woman who has that kind of faith! You know why? Because their ultimate hope is not in worldly deliverance, but in the ultimate deliverance that Christ will bring when He comes to rule, and sin and death are no more. A "but if not" Christian stands boldly in the face of any circumstance. So commit yourself to trusting in God's ultimate deliverance, no matter what you may be experiencing today. On that day, He will proclaim final justice and conquer your pain and sorrow forever! BE A "BUT IF NOT" CHRISTIAN BY TRUSTING WHOLEHEARTEDLY IN GOD'S PROMISED DELIVERANCE, NO MATTER YOUR CIRCUMSTANCE! Not Defeated Unless You Quit Saturday, February 22, 2020 by Dr. Paul Chappell “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” 2 Corinthians 4:7–10 Paul knew a lot about trouble. Most of his ministry was marked by opposition and persecution, and eventually he was martyred for his faith. Yet despite all that he endured, Paul remained undefeated—not because nothing went wrong, but because nothing could make him quit. Paul said, “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). The devil does not have the power to stop us. But he does have great skill in convincing us to stop ourselves. He whispers in our ears that we are failures and that we should give up. He is lying. The great basketball player Michael Jordan said, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions, I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s precisely why I succeed.” If we give up because we are troubled, perplexed, persecuted, or cast down, we will not win the victory in the battle God has placed before us. Trouble is not a sign of His displeasure. Instead it is often a measure of how effective we have been in our work. Do not let setbacks stop your service to God. Today's Growth Principle: The only way to win victories for God is to remain in the battle.