Written ~ 10-03-2024
Read Philippians Chapter Four
Philippians 4
I am going to say that for a lot of people, Philippians chapter four is one their favorite chapters in the Bible. This chapter is full of joy and praise and finding strength in the Lord. It is easy to see why people gravitate to this chapter to find direction.
In Philippians 2:14 Paul said we need to do everything WITHOUT complaining and arguing. In chapter four, Paul starts off by asking two sisters in Christ to settle their disagreement. We aren’t told what they are arguing about, but it is clear that Paul needs them to come together and continue the work they are doing for the Lord. Paul considers them to be an asset to the Kingdom of God, so he asked a brother in the Lord to help them get through whatever difficulty they were having with each other. Since chapter four is the conclusion of his letter to the Philippians he wants them to know how much he loves them and wants to see them, and he cares about them so deeply that he doesn’t want a disagreement to tarnish the work they are doing to spread the Gospel message.
Philippians 4:1-3…
1 “Therefore, my dear brothers and sister, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.
2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner (this Christian brother’s name was Syzygus), to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.”
I would say that because Paul included this in his letter, it is important for us to take note that if we have disagreements, grudges or any judgements against another brother or sister in Christ, we need to nip it in the bud right away.
The next set of verses is quite a large chunk of goodness, we are going to read verses 4:4-9, then break it down into smaller pieces.
Philippians 4:4-9…
4 “Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me – everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
Truly… don’t you just love Paul! Before we dig into these verses… I want to point out one thing and let’s keep it in our minds as we go through these verses… “THEN you will experience God’s peace…” The word “then” might seem insignificant, but what we are going to keep in mind is just how difficult it is the have God’s peace if we don’t do what Paul talks about in verses 4:4-9.
Verse 4…
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – REJOICE!”
When everything is going right in your life it is easy to be joyful, it doesn’t take much to put a smile on your face. Rejoicing, words of joy become a part of your vocabulary. Joy spills over into every aspect of your life. It’s in those times of hardship, grief, anxiety, and loneliness, that joy is diminished. In verse 4, Paul says, “Always be full of joy…” The word “always” doesn’t give much room for exception. The word “always” means: at all times – constantly – perpetually – consistently – unfailingly – night and day. So, when we are feeling less than joyful, can we find help in the Scriptures? Honestly? It’s the first place we should turn. We must draw on the strength we find in Jesus.
Psalm 28:7…
“The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust Him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.”
If our hearts have given way to negative emotions, of any kind, we must turn our hearts back to the Lord. If we can’t get past the negativity in our spirit, it may be that deeper searching will need to take place. Placing our joyless heart in the hands of Jesus with full trust He will bring about full healing and comfort is the first step. Praying for the help of the Holy Spirit to bring your heart overflowing joy is the next step! We are made to worship the Lord!!
Nehemiah 8:10b…
“Don’t be dejected or sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”
Verse 5…
“Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” (In the Greek this means the Lord is near)
Guess what? It’s time to examine our hearts. Here are some questions we should ponder… Is your attitude a mournful, dejected, mad at the world type of energy? Do you walk into a room with downcast eyes and a cloud of doom hanging around your shoulders? OR… Are you being considerate? Attentive, thoughtful, and kind? Are you filling a room with light? Are you energizing your environment with the joy of the Lord? Is the Lord near? Can the Lord’s presence be felt when you walk into a room? Something to really think about… If the joy of the Lord is not being felt by those around you – you need to ask yourself why.
Verse 6…
“Don’t worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.”
Whoa, boy, this is a verse that catches up with us, doesn’t it? “Don’t worry about anything.” This is not just a suggestion to take lightly, this is a way of life. If we TRULY trust in the Lord to handle all of our affairs. Then “worry” should be placed in the hands of the Lord and left there. As we pray, our requests are made known to the Almighty God, when we pour out the innermost worries of our hearts and ask for God’s wisdom and His plan to unfold… we have got to believe it and thank Him for taking those worries off our hands!
Matthew 6:27…
“Can all your worries add a single moment to your lives?”
Where is your joy if your heart is filled with worry? Just asking…
Verse 7…
“Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
When we are able to give God all our worries, each hardship, overwhelming grief, anxiety, loneliness and any negative emotion burdening our hearts and minds, there is a promise in verse 7… after that word “THEN…”
We will experience God’s peace. This is not just your basic peace, this is a peace that we do not understand, it exceeds anything we can comprehend! But it’s real, it’s tangible. We rest. We breathe. God’s peace watches over our hearts, it puts a wall around our minds so we can experience JOY! When our hearts and minds are at peace, and at rest, we can experience the Joy that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ living within us!
Verses 8-9…
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me – everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”
Paul’s exhortation in these two verses should urge us to dwell on the things of Heaven. Think only on those things that evoke JOY, PEACE, and LOVE… not worry, anger, and fear. Did you notice the word “then” in verse 4:9?” God’s peace in our lives will be with us when we fix our thoughts on the Lord and all His goodness.
Fix your thoughts on…
“Truth ~ Honor ~ Righteousness ~ Purity ~ Loveliness ~ Admiration”
Think only about what is…
“Excellent and Worthy of Praise”
When we put into practice everything these verses have encouraged us to do. Do you know what happens? The peace of God will be with you, and you will experience a kind of Joy that you didn’t think was possible. If you are not at peace, if worry has dominated your thoughts, write out these verses and read them over and over again. Use them in your prayers to the Father, ask Him to take away the worry and fill you with His joy and peace.
In the last section of chapter four, Paul is expressing his thankfulness to the provisions given to him from the believers in Philippi… let’s look at what he said…
Philippians 4:10-14…
10 “How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.”
In this passage Paul is thanking the Philippian church for their gifts and support to his ministry. Paul has learned during his journey to live with very little and with a lot. Sometimes with a full belly, sometimes empty. He has learned to rely on the Lord for everything, to be strengthened by the very presence of Christ in his life. In today’s culture, have we learned to live with little? Have you spent an extended period of time where you have gone without food, and you don’t know where your next meal will come from? In our culture today, do we really know what it means to live without? Seems to me that in the world today there is a constant pursuit for more, more, more… You have plenty but you want more…
Philippians 4:13, “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength…” This verse is probably one of the most well-known verses in the Bible. It can be used for encouragement for every situation life throws at us. Paul lived in a time where the teaching of the gospel was looked down upon. The religious leaders did not like the message he was spreading. Paul spent a lot of time imprisoned because he had a heart for the churches he ministered to and was not going to stop teaching. He didn’t expect anything from the churches, but he was humbled and blessed when they offered support.
Verses 4:15-19 show us Paul’s thankful spirit, he didn’t need the recognition, he wanted the people who supported him to receive the blessing, the reward from the Lord.
“As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News… No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. At the moment I have all I need – and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me… They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
So, what is the message we can take from verses 4:10-19?
Who are you in these verses? Are you the one who has learned to live with little? Are you the one who has learned to be humble and thankful when you have been blessed with more than you need? Are you the one who gives to those in need, even when you don’t have much to give? Are you the one who gives generously, without ulterior motive, from your abundance?
Since Philippians 4:13 is one verse in the Bible that I would say most people have memorized… let’s add verse 4:19 to it…
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength…and this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
It’s important to take the focus off ourselves and focus solely on Christ. Paul is such a fitting example of living his life fully committed to his service to the Lord. He has learned to live in every situation, every circumstance. But never once do we hear him boast about doing anything on his own. Christ is his supply, his strength… in everything.
In verse 4:12 he says,
“…I have learned the secret of living in every situation…”
What is that secret? It is trusting in the Lord fully, to give you strength, to supply your every need. What is your need? In what situation do you need strength? Through our Salvation, our acceptance of Christ Jesus in our hearts and lives, that’s where we draw strength.
Thank you, Lord, for the peace You have given me. The joy in my heart is overflowing. My prayer would be that those closest to me would also experience and enjoy the peace and joy of the Lord. In everything!! I REJOICE in Your Name LORD! Thank You Jesus for filling my heart, my mind, my soul with Your strength. Thank You for being near to me, giving me confidence when I need it the most. Thank you for giving us the words from Paul’s heart! He is someone I look up to! I strive to live as confidently as he did. He had such a content, peaceful way of looking at everything he experienced. I really want to learn from his example – he really did strive to be more and more like You every single day. He spread the Good News of salvation even though he went through much persecution, it’s because You gave him strength! I want that too – the confident strength through You, my Savior, my Lord.
~AMEN~