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?
