Knocked Down, But Not Out

"We get hunted down, but we are never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but never destroyed" - 2 Corinthians 4:9

In his life as God's servant and a church planter, Paul took a lot of shots.

Physical shots when he was beaten up and put in jail because of his faith in Christ.

Emotional shots when close friends turned on him.

Vocational shots when guys he had mentored made power plays and put him in a bad light professionally.

Relational shots when long-term, intense friendships were frayed.

No wonder he felt hunted down. No wonder he felt like he was always picking himself up and dusting himself off, shaking the cobwebs out, breathing deep, refocusing and trying to decide whether or not to move ahead.

But he moved ahead every time. Because he knew that the One was in him, giving him life, extending his calling was greater than the one who was seeking to steal his joy, kill his body and destroy his ministry.

When you feel hunted, haunted, or harried, remember this - no matter how bruised or bloodied you may be, the final victory is always yours because Jesus was bruised and bloodied for you.

You may get knocked down but, by God's grace, you will never be knocked out.

And that means you can always get up and keep fighting.