Shalom, my dear brothers and sisters, we are going to continue with our study of the book of 2nd Corinthians and I would like you to open the word of God if you are able to 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 in this session together and we are going to read all the 18 verses that are found in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 and so please follow me. I am beginning with verse 1. We are called against some which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not walk after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold, casting down imagination, And every high thing that exaltes itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ, of Messiah, and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

If any man trusts, if any man trusts, if any man trusts to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's. And not for your temptation, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed. That such as we are in peace, that such as we are in word by letters, when we are absent, such will we be also indeed when we are present. And comparing ourselves among ourselves, and comparing ourselves among ourselves, are not wise. As though we reached not unto you, as though we reached not unto you, for we are come as far as to you also, in preaching the gospel of Christ.

By you according to you, according to our rule abundantly, to preach the gospel in the gospel, in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things, made ready to our hand. And I will stop here. Apostle Paul speak to the apostle Paul speak really directly to those who have accused him. With the grace giving, with the grace, with the grace giving, and the believers giving to the Lord's word, and to the needy in Judea, in Jerusalem, and to the needy in Judea, in Jerusalem, from among the Jewish people, he is now presenting the challenge to those that really were, in a sense earlier, rebelled against the Lord and against him, and were accusing him.

But he does not. He does not. the Corinthian believers in the gospel of the Corinthian believers in the gospel of the Corinthian believers in the local assembly. which ye have not accepted, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with me. So, he is speaking specifically to some from among the Corinthians, that he needed to just kind of challenge them, but Shaul Paul does so graciously. And he did not boast of himself, and he did not boast of himself, but he did not boast of himself, but he always boasted in the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Remember at the end of chapter 9 we read in verse 15, Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Paul was so overwhelmed with the gift that God had given to all humanity. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. And Paul never boasted of himself, but he always boasted in the person of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. In fact, in Romans chapter 5 and verse 11, we read, And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we now have received the atonement, the reconciliation. He is boasting always, beloved brothers and sisters, in the person of the Lord Jesus and not in himself.

In Galatians chapter 6, to the Galatians he said in verse 14, But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Paul always boasted in the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and not in himself. In Philippians chapter 3 and verse 3, For we are the circumcision which worships God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, in the Mashiach Yeshua, and have no confidence in the flesh. Paul always, throughout his ministry, he always boasted in Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Remember in Romans 1.16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, of the gospel of the Messiah.

For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe, to the Jew first, and also unto the Greek. So, when Paul is approaching the Corinthians, he is reminding them that he never really boasted of himself, as some assume that he did so, but he always boasted in the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. In fact, the enemies of Paul boasted in themselves. In 2 Corinthians chapter 11 and verse 12, we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, It says, But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion, that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.

In other words, they were glorying in themselves, those that were accusing Paul, And Paul wanted to remind the Corinthians that he comes to them not in pride, not in self-exaltation, but in humility and in simplicity, beloved brothers and sisters. So, this is important to understand. I just want to read one or two more verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 2, where in the first letter he wrote to them, in the first few verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 2, And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2 verses 1 to 5. So, Paul did not come to the Corinthians in a proud way, but in humility. And so, now he is challenging the believers and those that rebelled against him earlier of the assembly at Corinth. And so, now in these last chapters, we will notice that as the Apostle Paul is writing in this letter. But in this 10th chapter, the Corinthians did not quite understand the various aspects and area of ministry. And so, the Apostle Paul, in chapter 10 verses 1 to 6, he is really presenting before them how to wage a spiritual warfare. You know, we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and power, the rulers of darkness in the heavenlies.

And so, Paul is going to share with the Corinthians, in chapter 10 of this second letter, how to wage spiritual warfare. If we are going to be victoriously living the life of the believer here under the sun in this world, as believers, as part of the ecclesia, the called out one, how do we handle spiritual warfare? Secondly, in verses 7 to 11, Paul will continue to instruct and help the Corinthians to understand as to how to use spiritual authority. You know, God had given authority to special individuals, to certain individuals, various authorities in the local assemblies, in homes, in various areas of the work of the Lord. Well, how to use spiritual authority?

This is also very important to understand. And finally, in verses 12 to 18, Paul will help the Corinthians to measure, how to measure spiritual ministry. Is your ministry, my ministry, our ministry, is Paul's ministry, or any ministry of every one of us who serve the Lord, and every believer, is your service for the Lord, is spiritual? How do we measure spiritual service for the Lord? So, in verses 1 to 6, he began to expound, as he writes to the Corinthians, as to how to wage spiritual warfare. In verses 1 and 2, Paul beseeched the Corinthians not to listen to what some others says about him. Notice he says, Now, I, Paul myself, beseech you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent, I am bold toward you.

But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, notice the word some here, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. So, you notice how he began. In these first two verses of 2 Corinthians chapter 10, Paul is really beseeching the Corinthians not to listen to some. Notice the word some that he is using here in this text here. Because some say certain things about the Apostle Paul. Who does he think he is? He takes authority that is not he. He is proud and arrogant. He is this, that, and the other.

Accusing, you know, many times it's so easy to accuse the spiritual leaders in the body of Christ, the body of Messiah. It happened historically among our people of Israel as well. When they accused Moshe, and they accused others, Joshua, and they accused the prophets, and so on, and the nation of Israel accused their leaders. And that is very similar today in the church age. Often times there is accusation against the spiritual leaders. As the Apostle Paul himself, Shaul Paul, was accused also. So, it's not something out of this world to say, well, they accused. Even Paul, even Yeshua the Messiah was accused by the spiritual leaders in the time when he was here on earth.

Well, that's the human nature. And that is what the Apostle Shaul Paul wants to develop in the mindset, in the heart of the believers at Corinth. He said to them, I beseech you. And I beseech you on the basis of the meekness, and the gentleness of Christ, of the Messiah. You remember when Yeshua was here on earth, and how meek and gentle he was here, as he served among his people Israel, here when he was in his public ministry. You remember the invitation? In Matthew 11, verse 28 and 29, This is the rest of salvation. This is the rest of followers of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. He's offering the rest of salvation.

Yeshua, salvation, peace with God. But he's offering also the peace of God. He shall find rest unto your souls, as you learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart. Matthew 11, 28 and 29, Well, Paul Shaul is saying, I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who knoweth in present and base among you. In other words, I'm the lowest from among you. But being now absent, I'm not with you now, but when I'm away from you, I'm bold to tell you certain things. But I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present. In other words, I don't want to be boldly telling you things when I'm with you, because there are some among you that are accusing me.

Notice verse 2, but I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some. Notice the word for some. Some what? Which think of us as if we walk according to the flesh. So, notice that, you know, you and I might say as we read the writings of Shaul Paul, the epistles, all these 13 epistles, we might say, well, Paul must have been such a godly man. Now, he was not perfect, like all of us are not perfect, but Paul sought to please the Lord and he is just beseeching the believers at Corinth not to listen to those who accused him that he was walking in the flesh or walking according to the flesh.

Now, you see, when we are in Christ, we are no longer in the flesh. We are in Christ, in the Messiah. But even those who are in Christ can, a time when they are not living in a good, healthy relationship with the Lord, they can walk after the flesh. In other words, they are in Christ positionally, but they are walking carnally and they are walking after the flesh. So, Shaul Paul is emphasizing this here, beloved brothers and sisters. Some which think of us, verse 2 at the end, as if we walked according or after the flesh. And Paul is saying, I beseech you. You know, when Paul beseeched the brethren, he beseeched them.

Twice he is using the word, I beseech. In verse 1, now I, Paul, mentioning his name, I, Paul, myself beseech you. Verse 2, but I beseech you that I may not be bold. I don't want to come and be bold to point to you that you have been listening to those that spoke in such a way against us that we are walking according to the flesh and not according to the Holy Spirit of God. He said, when I come, I don't want to speak like this to you because I want you already to understand not to listen to these some and that also these some will change your mind and we realize that Paul really, what he said and what he did for the benefit of the Corinthians was not done in the power of the flesh.

It's amazing to see how Paul was in a sense opening his heart to the Corinthians and he continued now in verses 3 to 6 not only that he beseeched the Corinthians not to listen to what some said about him but Paul now answered to those who think of him in such a manner. Now he's giving them an answer from among the Corinthians in verses 3 to 6 and he's speaking directly to them. Notice verse 3 Though we walk in this as human we do not depend on our flesh here. In verse 3 he says For though we walk in the flesh we're still here in this body we still have this sin nature but yet we do not walk after the flesh.

You see the difference? You see? The expression we do not walk after the flesh that means that we are not the flesh is not that which governs our lives. We are seeking to walk in the Spirit to walk in according with the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God and not allowing the flesh to take control all over our life and when he used the word for flesh he doesn't mean the skin that is on the bones. What he means here about the old sin nature that we all have beloved brothers and sisters. the flesh is the sin nature you know that we have and we have this sin nature that's still within us and we are struggling here in this world because of this sin nature and therefore Paul is dealing with this by telling those who accuse him that he is not walking after the flesh.

So this is essential for all of us beloved brothers and sisters to understand. That's why Paul is writing so strongly to the Corinthians about this. You will notice by the way that he continues in verse 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds casting down imagination and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

So what happened here in the next verses actually verses 3, 4, 5, and 6 the Apostle Paul presents before us here what kind of warfare is going on and how and how to handle warfare in the life of the believer and he's speaking about himself and those that are with him who are constantly under opposition Satan Satan attacking them the world is influencing them those who claim to be believers are against them those who are not believers are opposing them and they are in a war and you remember elsewhere the Apostle Paul will say to the Ephesians in Ephesians chapter 6 he will say we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities against

powers against the rulers of darkness of this world against spiritual wickedness in high places so Paul is saying listen he says in verse 4 now for the weapons that we are using in this warfare are not carnal oh no they are not carnal we are not using we are not trying to win spiritual things with our flesh with our carnality you see a believer a Christian follower of Christ follower of the Messiah can be carnal 1 Corinthians 2 tells us but the spiritual minded believers they still have this warfare here in this world but the first thing that he is mentioning here that the weapons that he and those who serve with him using is

number one not carnal not carnal at all because carnality in other words being fleshy being guided by the human nature it's not that which pleasing the Lord and that's why if you remember in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 Paul said Paul said about the carnal one he says in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 14 for the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit for there are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned this is the natural man this is the unbeliever but then he said but here's a spiritual man but he that is spiritual judges all things yet he himself judges of no men but then in chapter

3 of 1 Corinthians he said and I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual but as unto carnal even as unto babes in Christ babes in the Messiah so the Corinthians were carnal they were believers they were saints but they were carnal saints but Paul says no no our weapons of warfare are not carnal we are not fighting we are not wrestling here in this world with our own flesh we don't do so secondly notice that he continue and he says now in the next verse same verse verse 4 but they are mighty through God in other words our weapons of warfare are not not carnal number one but number two they are

mighty they are powerful but they are powerful through God it is God that works this within us he is the one that assists us in our spiritual warfare but he continues and he says notice this not only that we are not using the weapon carnally in the flesh and that we are strengthened and our weapons are mighty but it is through God through God the Holy Spirit but this a mighty powerful ability to do this warfare we are able because of the help of God to pull down strongholds in other words because we lean on God for the spiritual warfare we are able to pull down even strongholds you know there are many strongholds in

this world for God's people there are many strongholds in the Hebrew the word is mivzarim a stronghold other translation called it strongholds or you know places where there is fortress places that we are somehow inside or there are things that are causing us fortresses in our lives that keeps us and keep others from living for God and there are very areas in our life in the life of God's people that are sadly causing them pulling them down away from the Lord certain weaknesses and failures and attractions and desires and motivations that have become like a stronghold in our life Paul says no we our weapons are number one no carnal number two they are strong

through God and number three they are able to pull down many many strongholds many many fortresses that seems to be strong but with the help of the Lord he can defeat them and help them along and if there are some of us that might have various strongholds in our lives that cause us to stumble and not fight the fight the spiritual warfare in the strength of the Lord and not in the flesh there are strongholds the Lord is able to mightily pull it down to help us like it helped Paul and those that were with him and the Corinthians needed to learn that he continued and he says look what the the mighty strength of

God is able to help us in this victory is verse five now casting down imagination you know imagination to cast down all sort of human imagination beloved brothers and sisters imagination that rise up in the mind of men casting down arguments casting down every proud obstacle casting down proud things that are raised and happen in our life anything that the weapon which is God's strength help us to cast down imagination human arguments proud obstacles because we do not do it in the power of our flesh but in the power of God and then notice he continued in verse five and notice not only casting down imagination but casting down every high thing that exalts himself

against the knowledge of God you see beloved brothers and sisters everyone and every mind every against everything and everyone and every high thing that exalts himself against the knowledge of God we know better than God some say what God said in his word is not correct some say some say well we know better than God and Paul says no no no the weapons of our warfare are not carnal the weapon of our warfare are mighty through God the weapon of our warfare are able to pull down stronghold the weapon of our warfare is casting down imagination the weapon of our warfare is casting down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God

and notice that number six the weapon of our warfare verse 5b at the end is able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ in other words when we use this spiritual weapon which is the strength that comes from God we are able to fight that warfare to wage that spiritual warfare and to defeat everything that is before us not to do it in the flesh we are able to pull down stronghold we are able to cast down human imagination we are able to cast down every high thing that exalts itself against God we are able to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ that's amazing what our pastor

Paul is saying unto the believers at Corinth you remember the verse that we read in Ephesians chapter 6 and verse 10 finally my brethren be strong in the Lord not in yourself but in the power of his strength this is such an amazing truth to learn beloved brothers and sisters we cannot trust ourselves we often time fail when we don't allow God to lead us to our people of all God says in Zechariah beloved brothers and sisters God said to Israel and the word of the Lord came to Zerub Avel the leader of the nation of Israel in verse 6 of Zechariah chapter 4 then he answered and he spiked to me saying this is

the word of the Lord unto Zerub Avel saying not by might nor by power but by my spirit sayeth the Lord God said it is not by might not by power by human power not by your flesh but it is by my spirit says the Lord of hosts this is the very same lesson that Shaul Paul is seeking to teach the Corinthians who were accusing him and speaking against him and saying that he came in the flesh he was not really doing what he did in the power of God he had to correct them and said to them in verses 3 4 5 and 6 he said for though we walk in the flesh we

do not walk after the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of stronghold casting down imagination than every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought notice of Messiah and if there is anyone who pleased God from the day that he was born until the day that he died the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah he is the one that did always always the thing that pleased the Father you remember what we read about the Lord Jesus John 4 and verse 34 Jesus says my meat and my drink is to do the will of him that sent

me and to finish his work chapter 6 of John verse 38 and 39 we read Yeshua's word for I came down from heaven not to do my own will but to do the will of him that sent me what an amazing testimony Yeshua the Messiah had to say to the Jewish people when he was here among his Jewish people in the land of Israel well Paul is the following of our Lord Jesus Christ Jesus the Messiah he is instructing in verses 1 to 6 that how you are going to wage spiritual warfare beloved brothers and sisters of the Corinthians here it is I don't do so in carnality in the flesh but I do so

in the power in the mighty hand of God in the power of the Holy Spirit of God and now in verses 7 to 11 as he moved for verse 6 he is telling them and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled he says really we have readiness to go against all disobedience because disobedience is that which do not please God he said when your obedience is fulfilled what how beautiful it is when to see an evidence of your obedience to the Lord when you are here God's people are to be obedient beloved brothers and sisters this is exactly what we all need sadly we fail in this many times

beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Yohanan that is John wrote in 2nd John and in verse 5 he said and now I beseech thee lady not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee but that which we had from the beginning that we love one another John has written to the believers and how wonderful in verse 4 he says I rejoice greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have received a commandment from the father so walking in truth loving one another walking in love and obedience to the Lord is a desire of God and it was a desire of the apostle Paul for the Corinthians as well now we

are moving along to the next portion how to use spiritual authority Paul is speaking of himself he is opening his heart to the Corinthian believers as he is writing to them in 2nd Corinthians 10 verses 7 8 9 10 and 11 how to use spiritual authority don't look on the outward appearance he is saying to them in verse 7 he said do you look on things after the outward appearance if any man trust to himself that he is Christ or the Christ belong to the Messiah let him of himself think this again that as he is Christ even so are we belonging to Christ we belong to the Messiah we belong to the Lord Jesus

in other words that don't look outward only but recognize the Lord knows our hearts and the Lord knows everything about everyone so he is saying in verse 7 do not look on things after the outward appearance doesn't it remind us when King David was going to be chosen to be the king of Israel you know when Shmuel came to the family of Yishai that is Jesse to look out for a king to reign instead of Shaul who failed the Lord and when Yishai that is Jesse presented his sons before the Lord we find out that the Lord had to remind Samuel that the Lord is looking on the heart the Lord knows the heart of

everyone that belongs to him and serves him and so Samuel needed to learn that the Lord is looking on the heart man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the heart this is so beautiful to see the Lord look on the heart of David and you see the inside then he saw that he was a man of God's own heart and therefore be careful do not look on things on outward appearance if any man trust to himself that he belonged to the Lord okay let him of himself think this again well make sure that you are right with the Lord that you belong to the Lord we also belong we know it

because of our relationship with him Paul is saying to the Corinthians and then he continued to speak about authority and he speak of authority that was given to him for edification he says in verse 8 for though I should boast somewhat more of our authority which the Lord has given us for edification and not for your destruction I should not be ashamed he said even if I will present my authority before you and if I boast in it I am not boasting in it because I gained it on my own I received this authority from the Lord which the Lord hath given us and you notice he used the word us because Paul never wanted

to exalt himself he speak about others although he was the apostle others were serving with the apostle but he is using the word us and I think he would apply this to you and I as well whatever measure of authority the Lord has given to us in our life he wants us to recognize that this authority was given to us in order that we will edify and bless others and glorify the Lord Paul did not want to seem as if he is testifying unto the Corinthians and terrifying them that they will be afraid of him he didn't want them but he had an apostolic authority in verse 9 he says that I this is Paul

may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters you see I'm writing to you these letters but I'm not writing them in order for me to terrify you to scare you but I'm writing to you in order that you will be convicted and restored to the Lord in verse 10 he's telling these Corinthians that some of them this is very sad some there said that Paul's letters were powerful but Paul really had no authority and that he's weak when he's present with them but in that Paul's speech was really contemptible really not good as they were accusing him here in verse 10 beloved brothers and sisters notice that and I'm reading this for

his letters you see they are saying for his letters say they that they is the some among the Corinthians who were really rebelling against the Lord and rebelling against the authority the apostolic authority of Shaul Paul they say are weighty and powerful his letters and that he's bodily present he's weak because when you look at Paul he didn't look like some sort of a man he looked like a simple Jewish man who was just among his brethren and among his people and reaching out with the message of the gospel he was he was just another person that he came to serve the Lord and then they say that his speech was really worthless amounts to

nothing have no account amount to really nothing contemptible they say about him some from among the Corinthians this is pretty sad when they were speaking about the one that came to minister to them and to lead them to the Lord Jesus the Messiah in verse 11 Paul did not want anyone to think that his letters were written notice verse 11 let such an one who think this that such as we are in word by letters when we are absent such will we be also indeed when we are present he says let none of you think for a moment that I am just writing this letter when I am far away from you and I am

not going to speak like this when I am present with you oh I can assure you he is telling them that when I will come I will tell you everything to your face in a humble way in a proper way not in pride and arrogance he saying in this verse beloved brothers and sisters so Paul really longed to encourage the Corinthians so he's saying to them notice such people you know that we're speaking about let's such as one think these that such as we are in word by letter when we are absent such will we be also indeed when we are present we will be just the same when we will come to you we'll

speak honestly with you we'll speak graciously with you in the authority that the Lord had given unto us but it will be only for your benefit not for anything else and so beloved brothers and sisters you notice what Paul Shaul Paul is doing here in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 number one he's teaching the Corinthians presenting before spiritual warfare that he himself waging spiritual warfare in the power of God secondly he's presenting before the Corinthians how to use spiritual authority and he's showing to them that his spiritual authority was given to him by God and whatever he's saying to them when he's far away through the letter he will say to them the same thing when

he's present with them but he will do it in humility and with a godly authority and thank God when someone behave like this for the benefit of God's people well now in the last verses of 2nd Corinthians chapter 10 verses 12 to 18 Paul is emphasizing the third thing how to measure your spiritual service for the Lord how do you measure that how do I measure it how does Paul measure it any service that we do for the Lord is it carnal ministry or spiritual ministry and how to measure it in a godly way how to value it and so in verse 12 onward Paul is emphasizing this to the Corinthians in verse 12 hear

the false measurement and he says notice that beloved brothers and sisters he says for we dare not make ourselves of the number or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves but they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves they are not wise anytime and how careful we we all have to be God gave you a service for the Lord God gave me God gave another brother another sister another believer any service for the Lord we should never measure our service for the Lord by comparing ourselves with one another we dare not make ourselves of those numbers that compare themselves with some that commend themselves you know some people commend themselves they speak about

themselves and how great they are and how this they these we of course need to share with others what the Lord is doing but not to exalt oneself but to share the word for encouragement and for information but ministry need to be done in such a way that we don't measure ourselves and compare ourselves and commend ourselves no the Lord has to be the one who will commend his own people and so this is wrong he is saying here we need not compare ourselves with others especially when there is when there are those that commend themselves that's wrong in verse 13 on to the end of the chapter to verse 18 here is a true

measurement spiritual measurement we need we need to ask ourselves some questions about the service and the ministry that the Lord has given to us and how we are handling the service that the Lord has given us to do true measurement is first of all to ask ourselves am I where God wants me to be do I do what God wants me to do and where I where God wants me to be notice verse 13 and 14 but we will not boast of things without our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed to us a measure to reach even unto you for we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure as

though we reach not unto you for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ you see God has given Paul a field to serve him God has given you and I a certain field to serve him Paul used whatever the Lord had given to him and he have arrived to the Corinthians he shared with them the gospel when you read in Acts chapter 18 you will notice how Paul have arrived to Corinth and shared the message of the gospel we read in chapter 18 of the book of Acts after these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth and he found a certain Jew by the name

of Aquila born in Pontius Italy came from Italy with his wife Priscilla and so on not notice what he did he was first of all being a tent maker with them serving with them as a tent maker but then he went to the synagogue on every Shabbat and he ministered to his own brethren you remember he himself set up this principle I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believers to the Jew first and also unto the Greek he always went first to his own Jewish people this is the field and the service that the Lord had given him initially and

then also to the Greek and he went to the Gentiles after some Jewish people accept him some Jewish people rejected him some Gentile people accepted him some Gentile people rejected him but he have done the sphere that the Lord had given unto him and then of course he went later on many of the Corinthians hearing believe him as he was preaching the gospel there in the various areas in Corinth after he left there the synagogue and apparently he was for a month and a half there ministering the gospel leading people to come to know the Messiah to know Jesus and to accept the Lord and so Paul is saying in verses 13 and 14 of

our chapter we will not boast of things without our measure but according to the measure of the rule which God has distributed unto us a measure to reach even unto you God have sent us in your direction he continued to say for we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure we are not going beyond what the Lord has given to us so though we reach not unto you for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ the gospel of the Messiah so first of all to us where am I where God wants me to be am I in a sphere of service where God wants me to be every

one of us have to ask ourselves this question is this the ministry that the Lord gave me to do that is essential beloved brothers and sisters you see God gave Paul the field that he was going to serve and do you remember when we read in Acts chapter 9 and verse 15 we do read but the Lord said unto him go thy way for he that is Paul is a chosen this is Shaul Paul he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name sake God gave Paul Yeshua gave Paul

a ministry to minister and a sphere of service that he gave to Paul he didn't give it to you he didn't give it to me he gave each and every one of us a service to do in our sphere that he had called us to in Acts 22 we do read in verse 21 and he said unto me depart for I will send thee far hands unto the Gentiles he became the apostle to the uncircumcision you see Paul is sharing with the Corinthians are you where God wants you to be Paul says I am where God called me to be where the Gentiles I have arrived to you Corinthians again verse 14 for we are

come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ secondly true measurement how we need to ask ourselves those three questions am I where God want me to be Paul says here I am I am where God wanted me to be I reach you I am called to be an apostle to the uncircumcision to the Gentiles to the nations and I came to you and I preached the gospel unto you secondly is God glorified by the ministry that Paul ministered or you and I or anyone who served the Lord this is the second question that one has to ask himself verses 15 16 and 17 notice that verse 15 not boasting of

things without our measure that is of other men's labor but having hope when your faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand but he that glories let him glory in the Lord now this is important do we do ministry for the glory of the Lord Paul says I do my ministry for the glory of the Lord I'm not boasting of things without our measure notice he used the word boasting here verse 15 verse 16 verse 17 not boasting verse 16 and not to boast in

another man's line of things made ready to our hand somebody else will have another ministry we are not boasting this and taking it for ourselves saying as if we did so the Lord used that man that servant in his service and thirdly but he that glorieth if you want to glory if I want to glory and Paul saying I am glorying we are glorying in the Lord we are not glorying in ourselves because our ministry need to glorify God and not to glorify ourselves this is a fascinating statement that Apostle Paul is mentioning here to the Corinthians this is beloved brothers and sisters is something we all need to learn you know I am thinking

of when Paul said but he that glory has had him glory in the Lord he of course as a Jewish man looking back at the history of Israel when Jeremiah the prophet spoke to the nation of Israel in chapter 9 Jeremiah 9 verse 23 and 24 what the Lord desire for everyone that belongs to him in verse 23 and 24 of Jeremiah chapter 9 Jeremiah by the word of the Lord said to Israel thus says the Lord let not the wise man glory in his wisdom neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glorieth in this that he understand and

know as me God says that I am the Lord which exercises loving kindness judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight says the Lord can you imagine beloved brothers and sisters how God said to his earthly people Israel look don't glory in your wisdom don't glory in your power don't glory in your riches but glory in this that you understand and that you know God and that you understand the loving kindness of God the justice of God and the righteousness of God here upon the face of this earth God delight the Lord delight when his own people have come to a point that they glory in him we can glory in

our Lord Yeshua the Messiah because of who he is and because of what he has done for us thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift the gift that was given to undeserved people such as us all and so Paul is instructing the Corinthians that you see the true measurement of the ministry that God gave to his people are measured number one am I where God wants me to be is God glorified by my service for him verse 17 but he that glorious let him glory in the Lord and finally in conclusion of this second Corinthians 10 in verse 18 the apostle Paul teaches the third lesson of true arguments concerning the measurement of the

service that one does for the Lord can the Lord command the ministry the service that you do is it really done for him can he command this can he command you can he command me can he command us you see in verse 12 Paul said to the Corinthians for we are not making ourselves of the number of those that compare themselves with themselves and commend themselves no no we we do not commend ourselves we leave it to the Lord to do so and he closed the letter the 10th chapter with verse 18 by saying for not he that commandeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth only only whom the Lord commendeth is approved

only whom the Lord commendeth is the one that can be approved in his ministry and that really searching our hearts beloved brothers and sisters when the Lord commend his servants they are blessed they are blessed beloved brothers and sisters this is so important in 1st Corinthians chapter 3 we do read in verse 10 we read according to the grace of God which is given unto me as a wise master builder I have laid a foundation and another builders their own but let every man take heed how he build there upon how do we do the work of the Lord can the Lord commend your ministry and my ministry and any one of us beloved friends

dear brothers and sisters your service for the Lord can he commend you for that notice that in 2nd Corinthians in this book in this chapter in this second book chapter 5 and verse 10 we do read for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that everyone may receive the his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad am I where God wants me to be is God glorified by my ministry can the Lord command my ministry Paul is saying to the Corinthians and he says as far as he is concerned he himself was in the will of the Lord and he wanted the Corinthians to understand especially

those that spoke against him he didn't want that the remaining believers in Corinth will listen to their sayings that's how he began that tenth chapter I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ whom in present am base among you but being absent am I bold towards you but I beseech you that I may not be bold when I am present with the confidence wherewith I think to be bold against some we think of us as if we walked according to the flesh brethren we did not walk according to the flesh we ministered to you and we sought to lead you not only to salvation but to lead you spiritually in your

life that you will be able to serve the Lord Jesus the Messiah may God help us all as we seek to serve the Lord may God help us to be humble before him and may he speak to all of our hearts for his glory and for the honor of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah well my dear friend God bless you until the next time we say to you Shalom Shalom you