Joy In The Heat Of Battle Series

Joy in the Heat of the Battle

Jailhouse Religion #6

Philippians 1:27-30

Introduction:

1. As we have already found, Philippians is a rich resource for the Christian who is lacking in joy.

2. Because of Christ, every believer can experience true joy and fulfillment, no matter what is going on around him.

3. Last Sunday morning we discovered that a key principle to experiencing joy is keeping an eternal focus!

4. If only believers could actually live every moment with eternity in view–it would change our lives.

5. The passage before us this evening presents the conflict that Jude called contending “for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).

6. We are to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ as commanded in II Timothy 2:3–“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

7. In another place Paul told his young protege, Timothy, to war a good warfare (I Timothy 1:18).

8. If you are a soldier, there are several ways to have joy and peace in the heat of the battle.

I. The Conduct of a Good Soldier (v. 27)

A. Behaviour that Shows Your Allegiance

1. Do you act like a child of God?

2. Do you act like a believer of the Gospel of Christ?

3. If you want peace and joy in the heat of the battle, you need to start acting like your allegiance lies with the Kingdom of God instead of the kingdoms of this world.

4. What happens to a soldier in a foreign country who acts like he sympathizes with the enemy?

5. If he makes it home alive, he may find himself subject to court martial (at least that’s how it used to be)!

B. Behaviour that Submits to Authority–“whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast...”

1. In an army, the general should not have to stand over each soldier to be assured that he will carry out his assignment.

2. That is the spirit of what Paul is saying here.

3. He wanted to hear that they were doing their part in the fight for the faith without having to stand over them and make sure every day!

4. What is the rallying cry for some branches of the military–“Duty, Honor, Country!”

5. We Christians should encourage each other with the ideas of loyalty to that Heavenly Country, our eternal home on high.

6. Shouts of “Duty, Honor, Country” would not be out of place when the duty is to God, the honor goes to His name, and the country is Heaven!

II. The Cooperation of a Good Soldier (v. 27b)

A. Psalm 133:1–“Behold, how good and how pleasant [it is] for brethren to dwell together in unity!”

B. No one finds joy when he or she is in a constant state of friction with other people.

C. It is one thing to fight with the enemy–it is quite another to fight with one another!

D. Ephesians 6:12–“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].”

E. Here Paul reminds them of the necessity of unity or cooperation.

F. Cooperation in the ranks of an army is essential– without it, morale will drop way down, and key battles will be lost because of the spirit of divisiveness.

G. Let me assure you before we go any further–Satan wants to divide!

H. He knows the principle which Jesus stated in Matthew 12:25–“Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand.”

I. He wants to divide this church; he wants divide children from their parents; he wants to divide married couples; he wants divide faithful friends; he wants to divide you against Christ; he wants to divide your thoughts against you!

J. Don’t give into the immature spirit of divisiveness–be a good soldier in this battle–cooperate!

K. Consider these verses about division in the church: (Romans 16:17; I Corinthians 1:10; 3:3)

L. Think about this great principle concerning division in the home: “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; and they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mark 10:6-9 see also Genesis 2:24; Matthew 19:5-6; Ephesians 5:28-31)

M. Another principle concerning division is disobedience– anytime a person is disobedient or disrespectful to a person who is in authority over them, they are promoting a divisive spirit!

N. The Bible makes it clear–without unity or cooperation anything and everything will fall apart!