Philippians 1:12-18 Series

Philippians 1:12-18

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

We as believers are examples of the work and power of Christ in order that these examples would then be used by God to begin a work in the unbeliever who is being called to Him.

Paul understands that even from what seems to be the worst of situations in the life of the believer God is using it for His good and His glory. Usually the more horrendous the Christians situation was or is the more God is able to use it to bring glory to Himself.

This is important because it shows the greatness of our gift of faith and our ability through the strength of the Holy Spirit to bring focus on God.

Let me ask this, if you are a Christian and always complain to others about the things in your life that bring you stress and pain how does that look to the unbeliever? Well if you were to just stop there it wouldn't give any hope to that unbeliever at all.

But what if you then said “but God” and went on to talk about how God worked through these things and the great outcomes that came from this. Sounds like the many stories we see in scripture doesn't it, and the story of Joseph is one that comes to mind.

God brings about situations and the great outcomes of those situations in order that unbelievers can see the power and glory of God and if we are just stuck in our misery displaying no hope it is near impossible then at that point for God to work through you. God's will will for sure happen but it will just be through another with greater faith.

Not only are these situations for the unbeliever that God is calling to himself but it is also for the weaker brother and sister in Christ who needs the encouragement and strengthening of their faith through our example. If you want to be a powerful Christian leader show strength and faith in the worst of situations and when God works in that and the outcome is great because of it those who are weaker will hopefully become stronger and more faithful themselves.

This is how God works, this is how God grows powerful Christians, this is how God is glorified.

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

There have always been those that are just Christians and others who are preachers, pastors and teachers in which look to their own glory. They seek what's in it for them and not what's in it for Christ. They seek fame and fortune and everything is focused on them when you look deep into their lives. The world is flooded with them today and they are the majority and they are also mostly not true Christians. They are rather deceivers and the deceived and many fall prey to this.

The prosperity gospel, the false tongues, the rolling around on the floor and fake fainting spells, the false healings, these things and much more are not only unbiblical but they are the tools of Satan to lure in weak people in order to feed off of them.

They compete to see who can con people of the most money to buy their mansions, fancy cars, jewelry and jets. These are the ones that God will one day confront in a way in which the horror of His wrath will be before them and at that point there will be no return for them. The time for repentance will be gone and the time for judgment will be at hand.

Those who do it out of love for the gospel and ask little to nothing in return they one day will hear the words “good and faithful servant” from the mouth of the one they love most dearly.