II Corinthians 4:16-18 ~ The Perception of Ministry

Excerpt:

Paul warns us that we should no longer walk like the Gentiles are walking.  They are walking in ignorance according to deceitful lusts which is part of the process of corrupting the physical body.  But we are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, our inner man, to continually be renewed day by day by the spiritual process.  Whatever Christ does in us, we never lose.  Whatever transformation He makes, we never lose even throughout eternity.  This physical body we lose.  This earthly life we lose.  Our possessions we lose. 

That is why when Paul prayed for people, he prayed for their inner man, their spirit, that is where our strength is.  And so as we continue to experience the difficulties and the hardships of life, we make choices as to where we are going to find our guidance and strength from.  And those choices determine the path of life that we take.