PRESSING ON WITH CHRIST (PART 1)

A series on the Book of Philippians  

1)    BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The book of Philippians was written around 62AD by Paul while he was a prisoner in Rome. The Philippian church was founded in 50AD by Paul on his second missionary trip (Acts 16). It was the first church to be founded in Europe.

Philippi was located in northern Greece (called Macedonia in biblical times). It was thriving commercial centre between the crossroads of Europe and Asia.  Because of his imprisonment, Paul could not personally oversee them, so he wrote this letter.

The Purpose of the Book:

• To make Christ our focus in life
• To experience the joy of Christ
• To thank them for their support
• To encourage them to preach amidst trials
• To teach them how to live
• To address specific problems

The Outline of the Book

• Chapter 1 (Christ our life) -                 Living for Christ
• Chapter 2 (Christ our Example) -       Becoming like Him
• Chapter 3 (Christ our Goal) -              Pressing on to His Call
• Chapter 4 (Christ our Sufficiency) -   Experiencing His Goodness

The key verse -    Phil.1:21   For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

One of the key words in Philippians is “Joy.” It is mentioned more than 18 times. Remember, repetition of words show emphasis of truth.

·         Joy in Living (Phil.1)

·         Joy is Service (Phil.2)

·         Joy in Fellowship (Phil.3)

·         Joy in Reward (Phil.4)

2)    LIVING WITH CHRIST (Philippians 1)

Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ – that’s our title in ministry. As in all letters, Paul follows the format of his day (Phil.1:1-2)

·         Identification of sender

·         Identification of recipient

·         Greeting

What are the 7 powerful truths on how to live with Christ?

a)    Be thankful and prayerful (1:3-5)

Have a heart for people. Even in prison, Paul prayed for the Philippians, Remember, the best way to influence people is to pray for them.

b)    Trust God to complete His work (1:6)

God’s work for us started when Christ died for us. God’s work in us started when we believed on Christ. God’s work in us continues as Christ lives in us. God’s word will be completed when Christ comes again

c)    Abound in love for people (1:7-9)

Living with Christ involves loving people. Our love for Christ is reflected in our love for His Church and His people. Love people, serve people.

d)    Discern what is best (1:10, 11)

We need to have the ability to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad, vital and trivial. Be sincere and without offense. Have righteous character traits that flow out of a right relationship with Christ.

e)    Proclaim Christ at all times (1:12-18)

Whatever the circumstance that you go through, it is a God-given opportunity to proclaim Christ.

f)     Magnify Christ with your life (1:19-26)

Magnify Christ, yield to Him and follow His leadership. As long as we insist on our own way, He is helpless to help us. As you magnify Him, He becomes more real to you.

g)    Stand fast in conduct and unity (1:27-30)

Cultivate responsibility, accountability, unity and a steadfastness in adversity

For me to live is CHRIST

•       Live for Him

•       Live in Him

•       Live with Him

•       Live through Him

Don’t run away from what God is doing in your life. You will miss the opportunity to get it right. Christ must become our all, our motive for action, our goal for life, our source of strength. Our whole life focus must be Christ. Jesus must be the centre of our lives.

·         Is Christ everything to you?

·         Is magnifying Christ you main purpose and aim?

                                          

MISSION HIM POSSIBLE

Keys to Overcoming Impossibilities (Exodus 14,15 - the Crossing of the Red Sea)

One of the greatest and most dramatic miracles in the Old Testament was the parting of the Red Sea.

The Israelites were battling an impossible situation. They had come out of an ordeal but were in a greater ordeal. Things got from bad to worse to impossible. The Red Sea was before them and the might of the Egyptian army behind them. What could they do?

What do you do when you are battling impossibilities? Why does God allow trials to take place?

·         Trials are opportunities to declare God’s greatness (Ex.14:4)

·         Trials push you into your destiny (Ex.14:23)

·         Trials position you to trust God (Ex.14:13)

·         Trials reveal the condition of your heart (Ex.14:10-12)

Remember that God’s Purpose for Israel was:

·         That Christ the Messiah would come through them

·         That they would fulfill destiny and posses the Promised Land

·         That they would serve God

Your journey to your destiny will involve overcoming impossibilities and triumphing over trials. Here are some inspiring statements about how people handled trials.

·         When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. (Corrie Ten Boom)

·         It's not the absence or presence of problems that determines one's peace of mind; it's the absence or presence of God. (Unknown)

·         God doesn't always still the storm, but He can calm the sailor. (Unknown)

·         A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain. (Mildred Struven)

·         In adversity we usually want God to do a removing job when He wants to do an improving job. To realize the worth of the anchor, we need to feel the storm. (Unknown).

·         When you down to nothing, God is up to something (Unknown)

·         Man’s extremities are God’s opportunities (Unknown)

What is God’s formula to overcome Impossibilities?

1)    Don’t fear (Ex.14:13)

Ex.14:13  And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today….

2)    Trust God (Ex.14:13,14)

Ex.14:13,14  And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

3)    Go Forward (Ex.14:15)

We need to move forward in obedience

Ex.14:15   And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

4)    Give Glory (Ex,15:1-21)

Ex.15:1…I will sing to the Lord, for He has triumphed gloriously…

God is able. God will save you. He will accomplish for you and fight for you. He who parted the Red Sea. will make a way for you through your impossibility. What impossibility are you battling?  God will help you overcome your impossibility. With God all things are possible (Mk.10:27)

Not Mission Impossible but Mission HIM possible

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Psalm 37:3   Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
God wants you to feed on His faithfulness. Focus, meditate and dwell on God’s faithfulness

God is faithful, abounding in faithfulness. Faithfulness is central to God’s character. Everything He says and does is certain. He is 100% reliable, 100% dependable, 100% of the time. He does not fail, falter or forget. He says what He means and means what He says. He does everything He says. He will see it through to the end. God is faithful.  Don’t forget this and don’t take this for granted.

•    God is faithful – He is faithful to save (1 Cor.1:9)
•    God is faithful - He is faithful to give you victory (1 Cor.10:13)
•    God is faithful - He is faithful to protect you (2 The.3:3)
•    God is faithful – Even if we are faithless, He remains faithful (2 Tim.2:13)
•    God is faithful – He is faithful to do what He says (Heb.10:23)
•    God is faithful – He is faithful to forgive (1 Jn.1:9)

To experience God’s fruitfulness, you need to have a fresh understanding of God’s faithfulness.

3 Powerful aspects of His Faithfulness

1)    Every Word God says is true
2 Cor.1:20   For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.
Num 23:19  “God is not a man, that He should lie,  Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?  Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
God’s Word is eternally true. Faithfulness grows out of truth. What is true is trustworthy

2)    Every trial has a God-given purpose (Job,23:10; Jam.1:3,4)
Rom.8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

No one can prevent God’s destiny from being fulfilled in your life except you yourself. God is faithful and will cause all things to work for good to those who love Him. When you go through hard times, God has purpose. A trial causes you to depend on God, moulds your character, reveals your heart condition and repositions you to fulfill destiny.

3)    Every promise will be fulfilled
Deu.7:9  “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;
God is faithful to fulfill His promise. He keeps covenant and mercy to those who love Him and keep His commandments. He makes promises and keeps promises


Abraham and Sarah experienced the faithfulness of God
•    God gave them a promise
Gen.12:2-3  I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

•    God fulfilled the promise and gave them a son.
Gen.21:1,2   And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had spoken.  For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him

•    They judged God faithful who had promised
Heb.11:11   By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

•    They believed God will fulfill what He had promised
Rom.4:20,21   He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,  and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.


What God said, He did. What He promised, He fulfilled, because He is faithful.

How about you today? You can find hope in your darkest hour through the faithfulness of God. Are you troubled by the trials of life? Remember, God is faithful.  Why don’t you put your trust in Him today?

Great is the Faithfulness of God

MOVING FROM BARRENNESS TO FRUITFULNESS

“Be Fruitful and Multiply” – This is our theme for 2012. It is going to be a year of change and increase. We need to get ready to experience the favor of God.

Heb.6:14 “Surely in blessing I will bless you and in multiplying I will multiply you.”

God wants you to experience fruitfulness in every area of your life – spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially, relationally, etc. To receive fruitfulness, you need to deal with barrenness. Barrenness means being unfruitful, unproductive, empty, closed-up, shut-up, lifeless, hopeless and helpless. It is the opposite or absence of fruitfulness.

Have you been in a place where nothing seems to be happening?
Is there a family need that you are struggling with?
Are you battling financial struggles?
Do you have unfulfilled dreams that have caused you to be discouraged?

For every “Problem of Barrenness” there is the “Promise of Fruitfulness” Remember, barrenness is an opportunity for you to experience God’s Fruitfulness.

HOW CAN YOU MOVE FROM BARRENNESS TO FRUITFULNESS?

Key 1 - God has allowed things to happen for a purpose
· Life’s journey is paved with the unexpected but God knows your problem and need.
. God wants you to trust and believe Him and His Word. He wants to birth godly character and
Christian virtues
. He wants you to experience His fruitfulness

Key 2 - God’s timing is not your timing
· It took Abraham 25 years from the time the prophetic Word was given to see the birth of Isaac.
· It took Joseph 13 years to see God’s dream fulfilled.
. Your journey to fruitfulness is a process. It takes time.
· Rom.8:28 declares that all things will work together for good to those who love God according to
His purposes. God is working & things will work out

Key 3 - Don’t stop doing what is right
· Even when we don’t seem to receive our fruitfulness, we need to keep doing what God wants us
to do.
· Like Hannah, don’t stop praying
· Like the widow of Zarephath, don’t stop giving
· Like Hannah and Elizabeth, don’t stop going to church
· Like Sarah and Abraham, don’t stop believing God and His promises (Heb.11:11; Rom.4:20,21)

Key 4 - Change your barren mindset
· Your mind plays a significant role in the plans of God. We need to renew our minds (Rom.12:2).
· Get rid of negative thoughts like - “It will never change”, “I am a failure”, “It won’t happen”,
“It’s hopeless”, “I’m hopeless”
· Memorize/ meditate God's Word. It will counter your negative mindsets.(Heb.6:14; Col.1:10;
Gen.1:28; Jn.15:5; Phil.4:13; Phil 4:19, Eph.3:20; Mk.10:27, Is.41:10; Pro.3:5,6)
· The new year demands a new mentality. You can’t think old and expect the new. You can’t
think barren and expect fruitfulness.

Key 5 - Nothing is impossible with God
· God is faithful to His promises. He will fulfill what He has spoken.
· God will intervene. He visited Sarah and she conceived at the set time.(Gen.21:1,2)
· With God all things are possible (Mk.10:27)

God will visit you and bring fruitfulness. Don’t waste this year. Do what God wants and seize the
fruitfulness of God. Shanthini and I want to believe that 2012 will be one of the best years of your life.

God Can, God Will

God is ushering us into a season of great favor. We need to position ourselves to receive. We need to make right choices. We need to know who God is and what He has done for us.

1) God is working for your good in all things
Rom.8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

God causes all things to work together for your good. God is good and He has your ultimate good.

2) God has purposed His best for you
8:29, 30 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

He foreknew you. He predestined you. He is making you become Christlike. He called you. He promoted you. All these are in the past tense. It has already been done by Christ.

3) God is for you who can be against you
8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

When you go through trials, or whatever that comes against you, remember God is with you and for you. He will never let you go. God is on your side.

John Wesley (just before he died) – “The best of all, God is with us. The last of all, God is with us.”

4) God will freely give you all good things in His will
8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

God freely gave His Son Jesus Christ to die for us on the cross. This was the ultimate victory. This was the greatest gift.

5) God will make you more than a conqueror
8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

God has destined and designed you for victory

God does all these things because He loves you. He has provision for every need, victory for every adversity and answer for every problem. His love is the basis of His doings. Get a fresh revelation of His love. God loves you and has got your Highest good. Let God be the most important person in your life.

Overcoming Discouragement

Elijah was a great man of God. He had seen miraculous provision (1 Kings17) and the power of God. It was amazing how God used him to confront the prophets of Baal at Carmel (1 Kings 18). And yet when Jezebel threatened to kill him, the great prophet got extremely discouraged (19:1,2). How did such a great man sink into the depths of despair?

All of us can get discouraged. Discouragement is a dangerous state of mind because it leaves us open to the assault of the enemy. There are important principles from the life of Elijah that we can learn and apply. My desire as we study 1 Kings 19 is that each one of you will overcome discouragement.

How did Elijah get discouraged?
a) Vulnerability - He was physically, emotionally and mentally exhausted. He was emotionally strained and cracked under pressure. All of us have limits and it is important for us to realize it before we get to the end
b) External Attack - He was verbally attacked. This caused him to be gripped with fear and doubt.
c) Disconnection from God - Somehow the events that happened got him disconnected from God. He was looking at himself not at God. Discouragement is a dissatisfaction in ourselves based on a distrust in God
d) Self-centredness – He was depending in himself to overcome. He looked at the circumstance/threat and not God
e) Alone – He was isolated. He didn’t have friends to encourage him

What did he do when he got discouraged? What happens when we get discouraged?
a) He ran away (19:3). So many times when we are discouraged, we want to isolate ourselves and be alone. It is during this time that we need some good people to help us
b) He tried to handle the problem himself
c) He wanted to die, that was his prayer. (19:4). He had enough of life and wanted to end it all.
d) He felt a failure (19:4). There was a serious sense of hopelessness and defeat.

How do you Overcome Discouragement?
a) God will help you, cry out to Him. God came to help Elijah (19:5). He sent His angel to minister to him. God is always there to help us. We are His children and He will take care of us.
b) Watch when you are vulnerable. Be careful when you are weary and tired.
c) Take care of your physical needs. God ministered to his needs. An angel gave Elijah food and he slept a lot (19:5-8) We need to eat and rest. We need to take care of our immediate needs.
d) Allow God to speak to you (19:9,12). Allow God’s Word to minister to you, listen to God’s voice.
e) Get rid of self-centredness (19:14). Stop making excuses. Stop blaming others.
f) Restore purpose - God restored his vision (19:15-17) and he got back to work.
g) Have a good friend. Don’t isolate yourself. God brought Elisha into his life (19:19-21)
h) Don’t worry about what people have done to you. Forgive and release them. God will deal with them.

Elijah overcame discouragement and went on to do even greater things. In 2 Kings 2 he was caught up into heaven by the chariot of fire. What a way to go!!

See you on Sunday.

RENEWING YOUR MIND

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1) Do not be conformed to the world - We cannot be fashioned, shaped or follow the patterns of the world

2) Be Transformed - Transform means to change into another form (eg. a caterpillar changing to a butterfly). We all need to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.

3) Renewing your mind - Transformation takes place as our minds are renewed. Change always starts in the mind. Renewing means to make new (remove the old and put on the new), renovate (remove the unwanted and put on the new)

4) Power of Your Thoughts (Pro.23:7) - You become what you think. Character is the result of your thoughts. The way you think will affect the way you feel and what you do. Your destiny is linked to how you think.

5) How to Renew your Mind? - 4 powerful principles that will revolutionize your life
Meditate on God’s Word
Influences to watch
Negatives to get rid
Determination to keep changing and improving

a) Meditate on God’s Word
Get the Word into your mind. Saturate your mind with God’s Word. God’s Word is the agent of transformation. God’s Word has the power to renew our minds
Jos.1:8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

Principle of Sowing and Reaping
Gal.6:7.8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Laws of sowing and reaping
· You reap what you sow
· You reap more than you sow
· If you are not reaping, you have not sown
· You reap at the appointed time. Sowing and reaping is a process.It is God that causes you to reap

Thought > Action > Habit > Attitude > Character > Destiny > Eternity
Sow a thought, reap an action. Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap an attitude. Sow an attitude, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny. Sow a destiny, reap an eternity

b) Influences to watch
Ps.1:1; Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
Watch what you see, what you hear and who you are mixing with. We are here to influence the world but we cannot allow the world to influence us

c) Negatives to get rid
Eph.4:22-24 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
Guard your thoughts. The old must go, the new must come. Put off the old, get rid of every thought that is against God’s Word or negative. Put on the new. Put on God’s Word, put on good thoughts

How do you get rid of negative thoughts?
· Confess and ask God for forgiveness (1 Jn.1:9)
· Yield your life to God (Rom.12:1)
· Release your negative thoughts to God in prayer (Phil.4:6,7; 1 Pet.5:7)
· Be on guard.
· You may need to change your environment (Ps.1:1)
· Set your mind on God’s Word. (Col.3:2)
· Have a Daily Devotion – prayer and God’s Word (Jos.1:8)
· Be committed to Church (Heb.10:24,25)

d) Determination to keep changing and improving
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth (Col.3:2) Put on the mind of Christ (Phil.2:5). There must be a determination to keep changing and improving. This involves daily decisions, continual evaluation and a yieldedness to God. Our goal is to become like Christ and walk in His will
Phil.4:8,9 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

To be like Christ is to think the way He would think in every situation. Renewal brings revival.

See you on Sunday