Be Encouraged By Being Faithful

Be Encouraged by Being Faithful

Philippians 4:4-9

- Read Phil 4:4-9 / Pray

- How was your heart this morning? Were you ready to hear from the Lord?

- Did you enter into this place with a heart to worship and be challenged by God?

Point 1 - Rejoice! (Verses 4-7)

- Paul proclaims that we are to rejoice

- With peace we should show ourselves to those around us

- Note that there is a cause and effect in this passage

-- If we will live by God’s laws and remain faithful to His calling

-- Then, we will have God’s peace upon us

-- Life Application: Living for God gives us peace!

- Sometimes we have to take stock in ourselves

-- Do you have God’s peace?

-- Is there a reason to rejoice this morning?

-- Consider your life: What has God brought you through? Done for you?

- Psalm 2:11, “Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling”

- When we rejoice for God, the Spirit of the Lord inhabits His people

- Why? Because our focus is on Him, not us – and we must apply this today.

- Transition: But, look at how Paul leads us into living with rejoicing

Point 2 - How should we live and proclaim? (Verses 8-9)

- Finally (the last word) –there is much in these two verses that we need today

- Whatever we do, we are to lean on God’s Word for application in our lives

- Let’s lean on God’s Word today to live and be:

-- True … real; genuine; authentic

-- Noble … distinguished by rank or title

-- Right … correct in judgment, opinion, or action

-- Pure … clear; free from blemishes

-- Lovely … charmingly or exquisitely beautiful

-- Admirable … excellent; first-rate

- Ponder this morning what God would have you do – do you need to change?

- What does God want you to think about, to put into your mind, to live for?

- #1 thing to consider is ..... WHO are you living for?

- Are you living for yourself or the One who gave His life for you?

- 1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand that He may lift you up in due time.” // It is NEVER about us lifting ourselves up!!

- Life-long application for rejoicing: Go to Acts 7:55-56

- Is this the applause/honor you are seeking to have today?

Church, we are to live for God, not for ourselves – will we realize that today?