Ep 82 – Philippians Pt 6

the Joy of the Lord. Hara kiri, You that’s Philippians. Chapters 123 and four. And today we’re gonna look at chapter four. The chapter four has to do with the peace, the power and the provision of God that provides that secure mind that we need in jesus christ, gives us handles on real problems, on how to solve them. And so let’s jump into the discussion that Vicki and I are having on chapter four of the Book of Philippians. So we are back again with chapter four. The secure mind in this beautiful little gem, in the epistle to the Philippians and we saw the Joy of the Lord is rooted in a single mind. A submissive mind, a spiritual mind. But here we’re looking at the secure mind and there are three aspects of the secure mind. First, God’s gonna give us peace. He gives us his power and they’re all based on his promises. And so Vicky, let’s just pick up the text as we begin this fourth chapter. Therefore, my beloved brethren whom I long to see my joy and my crown Stefanos in this way stand firm in the Lord. My beloved Stefanos is different than the dilemma, which is a royal crown Stefanos was a wreath or garden awarded two victors in the ancient athletic games. The other one was like a ribbon almost worn as a royal crown. So just a distinction there between these two greek words keep going. I urge Yoda and I urge sink tiki to live in harmony in the Lord. Now it’s interesting their names, Yo via and Cindy, He so good smell or good fragrance, Yerodia and Cindy he has to do with sin is with and he he is uh luck or fortune. And here are two women with great names that are having conflict with one another. And paul is urging them to live in harmony in the Lord and keep keep going with the text for Nevo comes from friend. The inner mindset which regulates our outward behavior. So how we think is once again repeated friend is the root of the english term, the diaphragm, the muscle that regulates our breathing. So the spiritual mindset regulates our practical everyday living. That’s what it’s saying here Miss ceos cios companion Sesay was which is also the word for a husband and a wife, but also when you’re working together. Yes, uh you know, you’re yoke fellow literally zero was the uh the yoke and when jesus said, take my yoke upon you and learn of me. But here he’s saying, season goes uh companion using the word for those who are preaching or serving or ministering the gospel together. So season goes is also used for the word for a husband and a wife. But it’s also the word for yoke fellow. Uh comrade. Uh there’s the word yolk in it and with so with the yolk. These were women who are intimately working together, but we’re having friction. Does that ever happen in ministry. Does that ever happen in the home? Well, God is giving us his solution to these problems and here they are, he says, um uh he mentions here together with Clement also and the rest of the fellow workers, Senior Gross, whose names are in the Book of Life True Companion. Many ceos from birth offspring real genuine sissy was yoke fellow again, this is also used for marriage. And then he says, look, rejoice in the Lord. You got something to be happy about is not just working together trying to produce something, but we are in the Lord and we need to have the joy of the Lord pick it up. Let your gentle, epic e spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near a gentle spirit. Epic ease is an adjective derived from epi on or fitting and echoes equitable affair. Yeah, this is a beautiful word because it describes the kind of attitude and temperament we need to have with people. Yeah, we know what’s right, we know what’s right and wrong. But we also need to give people some room to be able to humble themselves, get things right, not just be I got you. Type of a person like a gestapo, but I think we’re talking about, you know, giving people relaxing the strict standard when it’s necessary to keep the spirit of the Lord. Not just the letter of the law. That’s what it’s talking about here. Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God. So God says, when you’re involved in these, you know strife and friction and problems in ministry or marriage or friendships, there’s something to do here. Don’t be distracted here, there and everywhere. Prayer is the key. Prayer is so important. Let’s pray about you know the problems, let’s thank God for the opportunities. So he says he had prayer and supplication. He has four kinds of prayer with thanksgiving. That your request be made known to God. Now pick up some other passages of scripture that deal with this Vicky and Matthew 625 for this reason I say to you, do not be worried anxious about your life as to what you will eat or to what you will drink nor for your body as to what you will put on is not life more than food and the body more than clothing. First, P 257 says casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Isn’t this beautiful? I mean, God look even christians get into real bad arguments, you know, christians curse christians get into fights. Christians who are trying to do the work of God could be on top of one another just choking one another. God says, hey, I have a solution, you know, because you’re still dealing with the flesh when you get to that point the flesh is is really very active and it’s really diverting you from the purpose of becoming christ followers. And so prayer is so important. Thanksgiving is so important. Looking out for the other person is so important. He’s telling us casting all our anxiety on jesus christ, who cares for us, He cares for us more than he cares for what we can do. Amen. Amen. Yeah. So uh and then the peace of God, he says that surpasses comprehension will guard your heart through devil your hearts and minds through christ jesus. So God really wants peace more than he wants productivity. God wants peace more than he wants us to just do a job, you know, and just grin and bear it. No, he wants us to have the peace in our home, the peace with our Children, the peace with our workers. So the goal is to have a secure mind. But in order to have a secure mind, you need these three things. You need the peace of God, you need the power of God, you need the provision of God. We just don’t come up to a secure mind. There’s gotta be activity going on and here with all of these present imperatives that he tells us there’s nine of them. Then he gets to here, he says. And the peace of God verse seven in Philippians four, which surpasses co comprehension. It overpasses. Uh we have it, but we have it hyper habit if I can use that expression will guard through level your hearts and your minds in christ jesus like a sentinel or guard God’s gonna give us that peace when we are doing what God tells us to do in those first uh six verses do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit. But with humility of my regard, one another is more important than yourself. That’s when the fighting will stop. Look at the chapter three verse eight and Philippians Vicki more than that. I count all things to be lost in view of the surpassing value of knowing christ jesus, my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish so that I may gain christ Yeah. And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and your minds in christ jesus. So it’s not only our mental, it’s our emotions, our hearts and our minds our mental outlook. We have to have them united. You know, you could say something, I’m gonna I’m gonna talk like this, I’m going to be like this today, but your emotions and your heart have to be united, the whole being is going to be united. Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good repute if there is any excellence, if there’s anything worthy of praise dwell or Louisa on these things, the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me practice these things and the God of peace will be with you Now the thing that I love about this is that God says look, oh here are these nine beautiful uh christ like qualities, but I don’t have them in myself, I have to credit that to my account, I have to be able to know that vicariously uh jesus christ gives me, he died for me vicariously he gives me now as my head all these things that he is by faith and I have them and that’s how I can have the peace of God. And then he says in the last verse in verse nine uh he talks about the the things you have learned, Montano, which is the same word as a disciple and received a great you know and you’ve heard and you’ve seen in me and you’ve you’ve heard a cool and seen Orao in me practice process. So these things and the God of peace will be with you. I just love this because it’s a cap, it puts a cap on how to get the peace of God. He says, look, you have me as an example, the apostle paul, let’s say we have jesus christ, our perfect example who died for us was buried Rose again. These incredible qualities are in him, he’s not fighting, he’s not you know at odds would totally in control totally at peace and he will guard our heart and so we now are told do it just do it then the peace of God and the God of peace will be with you. And in you mean phenomenal passage of scripture, when the home, when you’re having fights in your home, when you’re having fights in the church, when you’re having fights and ministry, when there are things that are going down the tubes, this passage needs to be brought up and see what God has to say about these improper present imperatives. And it all relates to the gospel here. These women were trying to work together with the Gospel, but they couldn’t work together and and he says, you know, it’s time to pray, it’s time to pray. So that’s my take on these nine verses. What about you? Um, I just think that this piece, it surpasses understanding, that’s how, you know, it’s God’s peace, it’s not something that we manufacture ourselves. It’s a piece that, you know, you mean, you don’t get it by smoking a cigarette or or or maybe having some wine, having some whiskey, you know, you get that sense of, I feel a certain way. No, no, no, this is the inner people. A lot of people are on medications from doctors of, you know, for anxiety and and all sorts of things, things that you may not really need the medicine for, because we have the Holy Spirit, if you’re a real christian, you have God, the spirit living inside of you and you can surrender to him. And if we read God’s word, it actually jumps off the page when the spirit of God is trying to remind you of something. Sometimes when I get up to have my devotions, I’m thinking and then whoa, there’s a thought that God really wanted me to meditate on that day and he speaks to me and that’s his piece to guide me for that day and for the rest of my life. You know, then it continues. But I rejoice in a little greatly that at last now you have revived on earth, allow your concern for me. Indeed you were concerned before, but you lack the opportunity, not that I speak from want east is the word for coming late. I have learned to be content of turkeys. This is the key now to the power of God uh to realize that I I am self sufficient in whatever circumstance I’m in, I know how to get along with humble, to pinot means and I also know how to get live in prosperity to overflow in any and every circumstance. I have learned the secret here. It’s a big secret hey, whether I have a lot or have a little, I have jesus christ of being filled and going hungry both of having abundance and suffering lead. What does he say? I can do all things through christ, jesus comes back into the picture, who strengthens me. I just think so many times we live life based on circumstances, I have money, I’m happy, I don’t have money, I’m not happy, I’m healthy. I’m I’m happy, I’m not healthy, I’m not happy. Uh you know, things are going great with my job with my kids and know the apostle paul says, look whether you have a lot or a little, whether things are, you know, they’re blowing all around you like a storm inside you have jesus christ, he’s never left you, He will never forsake you. I just love the second aspect of the secure mind, the power God’s power to give us that secure mind. What do you have to say? It’s a gift from God, We surely can’t muster it up? I like the word hiss tedious, it reminds me of being hysterical, you know, like you’re hysterical and you’re like, you’ve never been hysterical, have you not? Really? No. The other day when the sink was overflowing, the pipes were hysterical until you called the right person to fix it. And that’s what he’s saying, you know, the right person is is jesus christ when internally you feel hysterical when internally, you know, things are externally going crazy and internally you’re you’re feeling like, what am I gonna do? You have a base. Remember prayer. Remember the fact that you can be content whether you have a lot or a little self sufficient in whatever circumstance I’m in and uh just a great mindset here to know God’s power in my life with material things with physical adversity with all of that. And then the last when he says, I can do all things through christ who strengthens me. But then go ahead and read the end of it. Now the provision part. Nevertheless, you have done well to share sing Sing sing, which is together with fellowship. Fellowship to do it with. Okay. And in my affliction, Eclipsys pressure, which constricts rubs together in a narrow place that hems in financially. You yourselves also know Philippians that at the first preaching of the Gospel after I left Macedonia, no church shared kino neville with me in the matter of giving and receiving. But you alone for even in Thessaloniki, I’m going to say it the greek way. You sent a gift more than once for my needs area. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit car pose, which is fruit, which increases planas o greater in number or quantity to your account low. So he’s really asking not for himself, but he’s really allowing them to be part of God’s provision for his ministry and preaching the Gospel. Think about that. So if you really have faith and know that God has given you a gift like evangelist or teacher encourage or whatever it is. Then when you employ that you it’s God who’s doing it through you and the people around you are encouraging you in that way. And then he says in verse 18. But I have received everything in full. I have an abundance. I am amply supplied. Having received from Aphrodite is what you have sent a fragrant aroma. An acceptable sacrifice. Well pleasing to God, really, this was the, the reason for the epistle and Aphrodite’s was bringing a gift to paul from the Philippines and now he’s bringing back the Philippians letter as a thank you. That’s what’s going on here, Vicky. But you never feel in his writing that he’s got this emergency and man, if you don’t send your money, the ministry is gonna be stopped. None of that. Why? Because it’s all full of faith. It’s all full of faith that he absolutely understands that it’s it’s the Lord who’s who’s responsible and these beautiful images, you know that he’s talking about. I’ve received everything in full. I’m amply supplied. Uh, you know, and he uses this a fragrant aroma and acceptable sacrifice. Well, pleasing to God, it’s so, it pleases God so much when we become a part of extending the gospel somewhere else in the world. Amen. And then he says, this, go ahead Vicki and my God will supply, please grow all your needs according to his riches. Pluto in glory in christ jesus. Now to our God and father be the glory forever and ever. Amen, greet every saint in christ jesus. The brethren who are with me, greet you. All the saints greet you, especially those of caesar’s household. The grace of the Lord, jesus christ be with your spirit, I’m laughing because even when they put him in prison wherever he was remember in the Philippians jail right? He led the Philippians jail into christ well the walls came tumbling down the change they prayed and they didn’t run away. Yesterday we had a band come from florida to our drug rehab and he, I didn’t know this, but we took the, one of the boats out on the Hudson river, we’re water skiing, we’re tubing with the with the guys who are drug addicts now they’re given a day break. We went down there, we had, we treated him to some pizza and this one guy just arrived, his name is Michael, total drug addict, living in the forest with this other guy that came and accepted christ named robert and he begins to weep and he says I was praying yesterday to be able to be on the water in the ocean and here I am today on the river, water skiing with you guys. And then we had an opportunity to turn the motor off and to just sit there and pray for this young man in his thirties who was addicted to heroin and he trusted christ as his personal savior weeping, weeping. It was just so great and this is the picture of caesar’s household, the Apostle paul is in prison but he’s evangelizing everybody around him and these Philippians know this because he evangelized the to be a jailer who now is in that church and who knows, but that he was the one that sending some of this money to encourage paul now. And paul is putting that in there so he could relate to he was going to kill himself. Oh, he was he was going to commit suicide. Yes. So, you see, don’t worry about it. Now, when you take care of other people’s needs, you may take care of a few of their needs, but God will supply all of our needs according to his riches and glory, through christ, jesus. Well, we’ve been having a fabulous time getting into this little epistle, but now we’ve just kind of skied right over the water. We have skimmed the surface like they say, But this is such a fabulous thing. The secure mind. three things about the secure mind. Number one piece number two power and number three provisions. And and this is the solution. This these are the answers to the christian life. People are struggling with insecurity without, nobody loves me. Nobody cares. They’re struggling with a position in the Church of position in the company. Listen, The reality is we can rest assured in Jesus Christ, it’s about the Gospel, even these women that were fighting. It was about the gospel and here we are now talking about it 2000 years later and getting instruction from God on how to have his peace, his power and his provision in our life Vicki, I want you to just kind of give us some concluding thoughts to what we’ve been looking at. I love the book of Philippians and to think that in the middle of right now, what we went through these past couple of years with Covid and other things, a lot of people in the church had come up to me and mentioned uh, that they’re really struggling with anxiety, uh, being separated from everybody and fearful about their physical conditions and everything. And you know, it’s always great to be able to know the scripture and let them know that we don’t have to worry in life. God knows what’s going on. He’s, you know, he knows everything and he’s our father. He’s a good father. A lot of people who come through the church and they’ve had not fathers who were not nice, they’ve abandoned them or they beat them or they were drug addicts or alcoholics. And when people come to christ what a difference to have a father who was so trustworthy and so loving. You know, I remember the one little statement you used to always tell me when in a fix. Remember Philippians 46. Remember Philippians 46 worry about nothing, pray about everything and be thankful for anything. Yeah. Say that one more time. Slowly. Worry about nothing, pray about everything and be thankful for anything and the peace of God will guard your heart and your mind and that’s scriptural, that’s scriptural. So you have it in Philippians 46. What God tells you to do when you are anxious when your mind is being ripped apart in all kinds of ways, Philippians 461 more time when in a fix. Remember Philippians 46 worry about nothing, pray about everything and be thankful for anything. And then concerning the power. My favorite verse verse 13, I even wrote a song about it. I can do all things through christ who strengthens me all a tabaro Hari because of the grace of christ, because of the power of christ. I can do all things through christ who strengthens me. And then that last uh you know scripture verse that we have in terms of we not only have his peace, we have his power, but that last verse that is my favorite in Philippians. For in terms of provision is verse 19 and my God will supply all your need all your needs according to his riches. Now that that’s a lot of riches in glory in christ, jesus. My God. You have to have a personal relationship with him. Do you have a personal relationship with him? Because he will not only meet your forgiveness. Need, he will accept you, he will protect you. He will forgive you, he will encourage you and love you, but he will also provide for you financially. He’ll meet all your needs, your food needs, your clothing needs, your life needs. He says don’t be anxious for anything, Pray about everything. So may God bless you tom and Vicky with. It’s all greek to me, and I hope it’s been a nice discussion that we’ve been having here with you through the Book of Philippians, the Joy of the Lord.