Fortifying Your Mind

Fortifying the Mind

Philippians 4:4-9

Online Sermon: http://www.mckeesfamily.com/?page_id=3567

Before Apostle Paul finished his letter with thanks and personal greetings, he gave five ways the Philippians could fortify their minds so that they might live their lives worthy of the Gospel of Christ. First, Paul says to “rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice” (4:4)! Rejoicing, the thread that is intertwined all throughout his letter to Philippi, is to “always” be first most thing upon our minds! The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), the “Christian’s distinguishing mark (Romans 12:12), a characteristic of the kingdom of God (Romans 14:17), and a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23; cf. Romans 14:17; 1 Thessalonians 1:6).” Rejoicing is not just having a positive attitude but instead is joy that wells up like the springs of living waters in those who “locate themselves in Christ, in whom is found righteousness and sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30).” Inexpressible joy is not about getting the perishable trinkets and toys of this world. It can only be found in realizing there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:1-2). Those who have been brought out of the miry pit of sin, those whose feet have been placed on the secure rock of salvation and those born of the Spirit are to sing a new song (Psalms 40:2-2) based on every blessing (Ephesians 1:3) they have in their Lord, Savior, and King. Since many of the greatest heroes of the faith have gone through “seasons of tribulations and discouragements,” Paul said one is to rejoice “aways” signifying that our joy in not to be found in our circumstances but in our eternal relationship with our Lord! Are we to thank the Lord when we “doubt, lose a loved one, in illness, during relational difficulties,” financial problems, trials and tribulations? Yes, the song of thanksgiving and joy must not leave our minds or stop from being sung on our lips! “Even if the road is hard, remember that He has planned your path, Psa. 37:23. He has promised to make all things work for good, Rom. 8:28. He has promised to go with you through everything in life, Heb. 13:5. He has promised you abiding victory, 1 Cor. 15:57; Rom. 8:37. He has promised us that the destination will be worth every mile of the trip, Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17.” Remember Paul wasn’t writing from a “Roman bath or sipped espresso in Café Roman” but in a dungy prison in Rome facing possible execution and yet he felt inexpressible joy in Christ who began and would finish a good work in him (1:6)!

Reflection. To the church of Corinth Paul wrote, “for our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:17). There are many circumstances in life that if we let them can crush our souls and make us feel like the living waters are being quenched and our joy in the Lord is being drained. And yet if even all we can do is crawl towards the Good Shepherd let us do so to trade yokes with Him (Matthew 11:29-30) and despite our afflictions, our struggles, and our persecutions; may be drink deeply from His grace and mercy and realize He is far from done showing you His beloved child glimpses of His glory! And should all He give you us is but a crumb from His table then rejoice for that is all we need to experience the miraculous, peace and joy in His loving embrace and presence!

Build the Wall of Gentleness

The second thing Paul recommends one to do to fortify one’s mind is to “let your gentleness be evident to all, for the Lord is near” (4:5). The Greek word epieikes is difficult to translate into English, however words such as “gentle, yielding, kind, forbearing, lenient,” “moderation, reasonable” and “fairmindedness” fairly represent what Paul meant by this word. In the context of prior verses Paul is saying that shining like stars in the sky (2:15) is only possible when cultivated in the fertile soil of a heart that puts the interests of others above that of one’s own (2:45). When one imitates the “self-love” of this warped and crooked generation then others can easily “wear on our last nerve” and provoke within us a “desire to retaliate and get vengeance.” Though they were “stripped of their honor and treated unjustly” by the Judaizers, the Roman government, and by those who preached Christ out of envy and rivalry (1:15); the Philippians were not to respond with harshness or retaliation but instead were to imitate the character of Christ who did not insist on His rights but instead in meekness and gentleness (2 Corinthians 10:1) became a servant to all. Joy is not found in selfish ambition or vain conceit (2:3) but in an open heart that is filled with generous love, grace and mercy towards everyone, even one’s own enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)! “Paul’s message to the Philippians was to rediscover their practical unity.” If Euodia and Syntyche would only exercise forbearance and gentleness towards each other by being “like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and mind” (2:2), then the spiritual health of the Philippian church would be restored!