We have this treasure that has been poured into these jars of clay. Every day we face challenging situations that seek to destroy our peace, our hope, and the joy of the Lord, which is our strength. Every day we face challenges. No one is exempt. No matter how long or short your walk is with the Lord, we all face challenges.

The Word of God tells us that we have an enemy of our soul, and his job is to steal, kill, and destroy. His mission is to destroy what God has entrusted in us. But we have this treasure, which is the gospel of Jesus Christ, that has been deposited in us.

Pastor talked about this deposit, and one of the questions he asked was, Are we able to guard the deposit? And that really challenged me.

We have been entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but we must be diligent. As Peter said, we must be sober and vigilant, because our adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

1 Peter 5:8–9 (NKJV)

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

We have an enemy. The Word of God is very clear. We are not only called runners in this Christian life, but we are also called soldiers. We are in a spiritual warfare, and every believer must be aware of that.

That is why the Bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God, so we can withstand the wiles of the enemy. If you are a believer, you are in a war.

When Paul refers to earthen vessels, back in those days those vessels were not fancy. They were everyday vessels, not considered valuable. Today we have fine china that we only bring out on special occasions.

But God, in His sovereignty, chose to deposit the gospel—His Spirit—into us. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. And this treasure is not ours. Everything we do is because of the power of God working in us, and everything we do is to bring glory to God.

Because we represent the King of kings and the Lord of lords, we must guard this deposit. The world is watching us, and there are people strategically placed to cause us to stumble. But we are not unaware of the enemy’s tactics.

Job 31:1 (NKJV)

“I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?”

Psalm 101:3 (NKJV)

“I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.”

Because the Spirit of God is in us, where we go, He goes. What we see, God sees. We must guard our eyes, our hearts, and our minds.

When we are hard-pressed on every side, we must still guard the deposit, knowing that we are not crushed. Even when we are perplexed and do not know which way to go, we must not give in to despair.

We know the faithfulness of God. We know that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Even when we are struck down, we are not destroyed.

We are called to bear one another’s burdens. We do not leave one another behind. Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

Guard the deposit. We have been entrusted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We have this treasure in jars of clay. His grace is sufficient, and His strength is made perfect in weakness.

Do not disqualify yourself. Even in hardship, even in pressure, even in persecution, guard the deposit. This is the race that truly matters. This is the one race none of us can afford to forfeit.

Father God, we are so grateful. You know everything about us, yet You still chose to deposit this treasure in us. Not because of our goodness, but because of Your grace.

We thank You for a community of believers who help us stay the course and finish this race. Help us to guard the deposit You have entrusted to us, and to pour out what You have poured in.

We thank You for Your faithfulness. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen.