Second Wind

It takes endurance to be the fragrance of Christ. It takes crushing to have the fragrance released, so we are going to need endurance. We have hope as an anchor for our souls.

We are going to focus on two different men of God and their responses to trials and tribulations.

Paul is a pastor that is writing a letter to the first church he planted in Europe while he was on his way to Asia. Why is he writing this letter? Because he's in prison and he knows they are worried about him.

See Philippians 1:12-14. Courage is contagious. Not only was God evangelistically using Paul's trial, but other believers are ramping up their boldness. Fear is faith in the enemy and it causes us to shrink back. When we are bold, steadfast, and standing on the promises of God it causes the person next to us to be filled with faith and rise up as well.

Jeremiah was a prophet who God fashioned to be so before he was even born. He was a prophet that would end up standing in front of kings and speak to the nation. He was destined for impact. Jeremiah was tasked with calling out the nation forsaking God. He was not a popular guy. He started at Anathoth, his hometown. Ministry that's effective always begins at home. People hated what he was saying and therefore hated him, threatening to kill him. See God's reply to Jeremiah when he complains to Him. See Jeremiah 12:5.

God wants you to be where Paul was at, but to not get stuck where Jeremiah was. He wants you to be able to face difficulty, hardships, and loss like Paul and not give up, feel dejected, and lost like Jeremiah.

We've all been frustrated in the will of God. However, God's answer to Jeremiah isn't cruel. He's telling him that he is going to need to build some resilience. He hasn't even left his hometown yet, how would he be willing to endure what's coming?

Your first wind will never be enough. You can't do in your own power anything that will last. You will learn the hard way that we can't prevail alone. Jesus has overcome the world, we have to get through the "in this world you will have trouble" part. See John 16:33.

1) The only way to your destiny is through difficulty and disappointment. It's going to hurt. God's response to Jeremiah is a comfort. He knew Jeremiah didn't need to be coddled and cuddled, he needed to be challenged by reminding him of his calling. Your calling is pregnant with power. God was letting him know what was coming. You can't be surprised by what you prepare for. That's why we must train for the trial we are not yet in.

Paul did this. On death row, he can write a letter encouraging the church about God using his circumstance to advance the Gospel.

2) There are two sides to every chain. Paul had a Roman guard chained on either side of him. He didn't think that he was chained to the guard, he knew the guard was chained to him. He would just witness to them all the time. In Philippians 4:22 Paul says the saints in Caesar's household send their greetings. How did some in Caesar's household get saved? Because God put Paul in a prison. Just like He saved Israel by putting Joseph into a pit. What dream has God put into your heart that God will accomplish in a round about way that will involve your suffering.

It is an honor to be trusted with pain. Pain is to be cherished. He is near to the brokenhearted. Since God puts to use what He puts you through, would you be willing to use your pain as a platform for the nation's salvation?

Persecution is always a precursor to multiplication. Jesus always breaks the bread before He multiplies it.

The devil hopes you'll run from God. Don't do it. Remember what is chained to you. Develop a theological framework to process pain and disappointment through. If you don't, you'll conclude that there must not be a God or if there is, He doesn't care about you because of the pain you had to go through.

God always multiplies, so just like a seed goes into the ground and dies so that there can be even more life, we lay down our lives and accept the pain to be used for His glory.

3) Don't rely on will power, you have God's power. Whatever it is that is hurting you, it's chained to you, not the other way around, but we can't do it alone. Trust God for a second wind. The first wind came when God breathed life into Adam, the second came at Pentecost. The Helper is with us to empower, convict, encourage, and to give revelation. We need the Spirit to pour on us to make us what we could not be on our own.