Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III

Sermon Synopsis 8.31. 25

Opening Prayer

Yes, Lord. So, God, we thank You. Speak to us—our spirits are open to receive it now. We will be changed because of what we’re about to hear, and we give You glory and praise today. We will never forget how Your Word met us right where we were and moved us to where You would have us to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Scripture Reading

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NKJV) – Seeing the Invisible

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

I.               Introduction

Look at somebody real quick and tell them: “There’s no quit in you.”

There comes a time in all of our lives—no matter our title or Christian tenure—when we want to throw in the towel and say, “I’m done.” This is when the weight of life, the heaviness of the assignments we carry, and the exhaustion of walking toward God’s promises become too much.

Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 4 that even though hardship and setbacks are real, there is still an assignment over your life. What you do is not the sum total of who you are—it’s simply the platform God uses to reveal your purpose.

The enemy is not just after you; he’s after what God wants to accomplish through you. That’s why he tried to kill Moses as a child, and why Herod tried to kill Jesus at His birth. It wasn’t about them—it was about their destiny. Likewise, the enemy comes after you because he senses the extraordinary thing God wants to do in and through your life.

And let’s be honest—the weight of carrying that assignment can get heavy. Sometimes you’ve said, “Lord, I can’t carry this anymore.” Sometimes you’ve prayed, “Lord, come get Your people.” For some, the weight gets so real that you’ve even thought, “Maybe it would be easier if I didn’t wake up tomorrow.”

But look at you—you’re still here. You’re still standing. You’re still breathing. You’re still in the fight, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world!

Even when you’ve felt like quitting, God whispered: “There’s no quit in you.”

Paul wrote this letter to a church under pressure—surrounded by Greco-Roman culture that glorified strength and shamed weakness. Corinth was filled with trade, philosophy, and immorality. False teachers—so-called “super-apostles”—mocked Paul’s weakness and promoted a success-driven gospel.

But Paul, battered and worn down in body, declared: “Do not lose heart.” He pointed them to a crown not of olive leaves, but eternal glory. Against a culture obsessed with strength and victory, Paul said: “Even though the outward man is perishing, the inward man is being renewed day by day.”

II.               Remain Determined to Persevere

Somebody shout: “Persevere!”

Paul says, “Do not lose heart.” That is a declaration of endurance. The enemy’s goal is to wear you down until you quit—physically, emotionally, spiritually.

But perseverance is in your DNA. Your ancestors endured chains that were meant to break them, sang songs of freedom in the fields, prayed in hush harbors, marched when dogs and hoses were turned against them, built businesses from scraps, and raised families with nothing but faith.

And you—you’ve survived heartbreak, layoffs, sickness, betrayal. Perseverance is in your bloodline. There’s no quit in you.

A.    Perseverance Produces Purpose

1. James 1:3 says the testing of your faith produces endurance. Trials aren’t wasted—they build you up for the next level. Without struggle, there is no growth. Without resistance, there is no strength.

B.    Endurance Expands Capacity

1. Endurance is not just about surviving pain—it increases your future capacity. Athletes know this well. Marathoners and sprinters push past fatigue, and their bodies adapt to become stronger under stress.
   1. The same is true spiritually. You’re praying for God to give you more, but He must first prepare you for it. Endurance stretches you for greater capacity.
   2. Think about Noah Lyles, the Olympic sprinter. In Paris 2024, even with COVID symptoms and asthma, he chose to compete—and still won bronze. After collapsing on the track, he showed the world that victory is in his blood.
2. Likewise, you have victory in your bloodline. The struggle you’re facing is not breaking you—it’s building you.

III.               Remain Dependent Upon His Power

Paul says, “Though the outward man is perishing, the inward man is renewed day by day.”

At some point, you will come to the end of yourself—when money runs out, when friends walk away, when your strength is gone. But when you come to the end of yourself, you meet the beginning of God.

A.    Strength Comes from Surrender

Isaiah 40:31 says those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.

1. Waiting is not inactivity—it’s trusting God over your own ability. Sometimes you must admit: “I’m not OK.” That’s not weakness—it’s surrender.

B.    Grace Is Sufficient in Weakness

1. Paul testifies: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” God’s grace is what sustains you when you have nothing left.

IV.               Remember You Are Being Developed in the Process

Paul calls it “light affliction.” But let’s be real—it doesn’t feel light. Yet, what was heavy five years ago feels lighter now because God used it to build you.

A.    What You Went Through Prepared You for Now

1. Your past pain became training ground for your present strength.

B.    You Are Built to Outlast What’s Trying to Outlast You

1. Trouble is temporary, but the enemy tries to convince you it’s permanent. Don’t give your trouble tenure. Don’t live as a permanent victim.
2. Stop rehearsing defeat. Stop using the pandemic—or any past event—as an excuse. If God could rebuild after Katrina, He can rebuild your life too.
3. So don’t lose your focus. Don’t stop being faithful. Don’t lose your fight.

V.               Rejoice in a Divine Perspective

It’s all about perspective. Paul says don’t look at the things which are seen but at the things unseen.

A.    Vision Is Greater than Visibility

1. God gives you revelation long before manifestation. That’s why people may think you’re crazy when you’re shouting over something they can’t see yet. But you know what God showed you.
2. Some people only shout at manifestation. But vision-shouters rejoice early. Which one are you?

Closing Appeal

Somebody here today needs a real relationship with Jesus Christ. Somebody else needs to rededicate their life. Maybe you need a church home, or maybe you just need prayer. Whatever it is—don’t leave without saying yes to God.