Paul was sustained by God's sufficient grace, the constraining love of Christ, and the confident hope of being with the Lord after death.
In the face of constant pressure, physical affliction, and even despair of life, Paul kept going. Les teaches that God's grace proved sufficient for every shipwreck, beating, hunger, cold, and nakedness, and that Christ's love compelled him to endure. Paul also lived with the assurance that death would only bring him into the Lord's presence.
2 Corinthians 5:14 — This verse directly names the constraining love of Christ as the compelling force behind Paul's perseverance.
2 Corinthians 12:9 — God's answer to Paul's threefold prayer reveals that His grace was the sustaining power for Paul's ministry.
2 Corinthians 1:8 — Paul's description of being pressed out of measure in Asia shows the extreme hardship he faced, yet the Lord gave strength to bring him through.
Scripture records Paul's prayer to the Lord three times for his painful affliction to depart. The Lord answered, 'My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.' Paul also tells of the overwhelming trouble that came to him in Asia, where he was pressed out of measure, above strength, so that he despaired even of life. In that same context he understood that the Lord who permitted the affliction was also the Lord who had the strength to bring him through it. Paul says plainly, 'The love of Christ constraineth us.' He describes himself as 'I die daily,' connecting his endurance to the constant physical pressure and suffering he carried for the gospel. He also expresses confidence in 2 Corinthians 5:8: he was willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. And he could give thanks to God who always causeth him to triumph in Christ, even while he was pressed down and distressed.
Les highlights that Paul was just as human as any believer. He had the same passions, appetites, and feelings, and he could get down and he could get rejoicing. Les points to Paul's pressing troubles in Asia, where he despaired even of life, and to a painful, repulsive disease that Paul asked the Lord to remove three times. God did not heal him, but said, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' That grace carried Paul through shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, cold, and nakedness. Les also marvels that Paul was physically downtrodden and not a specimen of health, yet he persevered and established churches everywhere he went. The Lord had promised Ananias in Acts 9 that Paul would suffer for His name's sake, and Paul did. The sustaining factors, Les explains, were the love of Christ constraining him, the confidence of being present with the Lord after death, and the triumphant work of God even in the middle of pressure.
Les reminds us that the Lord told Ananias in Acts chapter 9 that Paul was a chosen vessel to go to the Gentiles and would suffer for His name's sake. Paul's 'I die daily' reflects that constant pressure. He had no idea how much Paul actually suffered for the gospel, but the Lord had appointed it from the beginning of Paul's ministry.
Paul asked the Lord three times to take away his affliction. God did not remove it. Instead He told him, 'My grace is sufficient for thee.' Les explains that this grace carried Paul all the way through his ministry, through shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, cold, and nakedness. God's answer did not change Paul's circumstances; it gave him the strength to endure them.
Les says Paul was not using fickle language, but everything he said was prompted by the Holy Spirit, and he was there for the love of Christ. The love of Christ constrained him, so he was able to suffer all the privations he later lists. Even when he was pressed down and distressed, Paul could say, 'Thanks be unto God, who always causes us to triumph.' This is what kept him from giving up and going back to Tarsus.
After years of suffering from the Judaizers and the Romans, Paul was confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. Les points to Paul's circumstances: he had been suffering for years because of his apostolic work, and he eventually died a martyr's death. The hope of being with Christ was part of what sustained him while he walked by faith.
Despair and Divine Strength
Les shows that Paul was pressed out of measure and despaired even of life, yet the same Lord who permitted the affliction gave the strength to bring him through it.
Grace Sufficient
Paul asked three times for his painful affliction to be removed, but God did not heal him; instead, 'My grace is sufficient for thee' carried Paul through every hardship.
Perseverance Through Physical Weakness
Les points out that Paul was physically downtrodden and not healthy, yet he persevered and established churches everywhere he went.
Determination to Finish
Les wonders what kept Paul from going back to Tarsus, noting that Paul kept going until Rome finally put him to death.
Suffering Appointed by the Lord
Les reminds us that the Lord promised Ananias that Paul would suffer for His name's sake, and Paul's 'I die daily' reflects that constant physical pressure.
Confidence of Being With Christ
Paul was confident and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord, even after years of suffering from Judaizers and Romans.
Pressure Yet Triumph
Les shows that Paul could be pressed down and distressed, yet he could also say thanks be unto God who always causes him to triumph.
The Love of Christ Constrains
Les teaches that the love of Christ constrained Paul and enabled him to endure privation after privation, even when he was accused of not bringing the truth.
2 Corinthians 5:14: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
Paul names the compelling love of Christ as the motive behind his endurance.
2 Corinthians 12:9: And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
God's reply to Paul's threefold prayer for relief shows that grace was his sustaining power.
2 Corinthians 1:8: For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
Paul reveals the extreme pressure in Asia that made him despair of life.
2 Corinthians 5:8: We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
Paul's willingness to leave the body shows his confident hope in Christ's presence.
1 Corinthians 15:31: I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
Paul links his daily dying to the constant physical pressure he faced for the gospel.
2 Corinthians 2:14: Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Even in pressure and distress, Paul could give thanks because God always caused him to triumph.
Acts 9:16: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
The Lord appointed suffering for Paul from the very start of his ministry.
Les teaches that Paul was under constant physical pressure and suffering for the gospel. The Lord had promised Ananias that Paul would suffer for Christ's name, so daily dying represented the constant danger and affliction Paul faced in ministry.
When Paul asked three times for his painful affliction to be removed, God replied that His grace was sufficient. Les says that grace carried Paul through shipwrecks, beatings, hunger, cold, and nakedness throughout his ministry.
Les points to God's sufficient grace, the love of Christ constraining Paul, and the confidence that death would bring him into the Lord's presence. Even when Paul despaired of life, he could rejoice that God always caused him to triumph.
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