Struck down, but not destroyed

By “struck down” we can understand that it is something that was attacked:

A) throw down a building, construction or walls.
B) throw a person, animal or thing on the ground.
C) lose power, dignity or privileged position.

Every day we find a number of people who are hit by various situations. Life brings moments in which we feel shaken, weakened, or pushed to the ground. But when these moments arrive, we must remember that our strength does not come from ourselves; it comes from God. He is the one who sustains us, lifts us up, and gives us the ability to stand firm when everything around us seems to collapse.

Nothing is impossible for God. Tribulations or anguish cannot destroy us, because God Himself sustains us at all times. People, circumstances, or spiritual battles may attempt to strike us down, but none of these things have the authority to finish us, because our lives are in the hands of the Almighty.

To destroy is to turn a thing into pieces or make it disappear by fire.

Here we can see the meaning of this word, and that is that when something is destroyed, it ceases to exist. What was once standing is now gone; its form, its usefulness, and its strength have vanished. And this is why the Bible is so careful when it distinguishes between being struck down and being destroyed. Being struck down means falling, being weakened, suffering an impact—yet still remaining alive. Being destroyed means the end of something, its complete elimination.

We can see a clear example in the story of Goliath, who was destroyed by David:

Then David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone; and he slung it and struck the Philistine in his forehead, so that the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth.

1 Samuel 17:49

No matter how big or small things are, if it is time for them to be destroyed, that is how it will be. Goliath was a giant feared by an entire nation, yet he was destroyed by someone much smaller in stature, a young shepherd by the name of David. This teaches us several things. First, that human size, power, and appearance mean nothing before God. Second, that destruction is final—Goliath did not rise again. And third, that God’s strength works through our weakness.

But now we arrive at a biblical truth that gives us deep comfort: there will be moments when we are shaken, moments when life hits us so hard that we fall—but falling does not mean being destroyed.

The apostle Paul expresses this reality with extraordinary clarity:

8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

This passage describes the Christian life with remarkable honesty. Paul does not deny the existence of suffering, anguish, or persecution. He does not present a false gospel of comfort and ease. Instead, he acknowledges the reality of battles—but he also proclaims the reality of victory.

We may be hard-pressed, but we are not crushed. The pressures of life may corner us, but they will not suffocate us. We may be perplexed, confused, and unsure of what to do, but we will not fall into despair, because our hope is not based on human solutions, but on divine promises.

We may be persecuted, criticized, abandoned by people, rejected, misunderstood—but God never forsakes us. We may be struck down—yes, there are moments when life will knock us to the ground. But we will not be destroyed. The blow may knock us down, but the hand of God lifts us up again.

This is the confidence we have as children of God. Even when we experience moments of weakness, even when we feel overwhelmed or defeated, we know that destruction is not our destiny. God has promised to uphold us, strengthen us, and carry us forward. And because of that, we can continue—even bruised, even tired, even struck down—knowing that in Christ, we are never destroyed.