Sermon “The Secret to Victorious living”
Philippians 4:10-19 “10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ,[a] who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. 15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Introduction: Finally, in his conclusion to the Church at Philippi, Apostle celebrates their good work of providing aid and support to his ministry in his time of great trouble. The nature of true Christian sympathy is not only to feel concern for our friends in their troubles, but to do what we can to help them. The apostle was often in bonds, imprisonments, and necessities; but in all, he learned to be content, to bring his mind to his condition, and make the best of it. Pride, unbelief, vain craving after something we have not got, and dissatisfaction with present things, make men discontented even under favorable circumstances.
It is a special grace to have an equal temper of mind always. And in a low state not to lose our comfort in God, nor distrust God’s plan, nor take any wrong course for our own supply. In a prosperous condition not to be proud, or too secure, or too worldly. This is a harder lesson than the other; for the temptations of fulness and prosperity are more than those of affliction and want. The apostle had no design to urge them to give more, but to encourage such kindness as will meet a glorious reward hereafter. Through Christ we have grace to do what is good, and through him we must expect the reward; and as we have all things by him, let us do all things for him, and to his glory.
We all have our little trade secrets, and Paul had his and he is sharing with the Philippian church how he was able to be in a jail facing death and be content at the same time. The key or the secret of victorious living is godly contentment. This kind of contentment must be learned as we realize That God has given us everything we need to overcome in every circumstance of life. Paul was in great need, lonely and lacking comfort, yet God had Paul on His mind. Through the Philippian church, God sent Paul some financial support by a steward named Epaphroditus while he was in jail. Now he wants to thank them and encourage them. During this study in Philippians, we have reflected on: There is a fantastic finish in your future, A Biblical Strategy for Success, Winning the battle of the Mind and now The Secret to Victorious Living.
Now at the end of this letter, he addresses the main point of the letter. It is in this last part that he thanks them for their help, and he does it in an unusual manner. For an innocent person in prison facing the death sentence, Paul has a very cheerful outlook. The thing that stands out in this passage is that Paul said in verse 11, “…For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Paul said this was something he had learned, but to be honest with you I have not learned that lesson yet.
I have no problem being content when I am feeling good. I have no problem being content when my car is running well, and the gas prices are not so high. I have no problem being content when my investments are shooting through the roof. I have no problem being content when the politicians tell me they are going to lower my taxes. I have no problem being content when everything is going well for my family. I have no problem being content when everything in the ministry is going well. My problem is that when the circumstances are not good it is difficult for me to be content. What about you? I have an idea that many listening may have that same problem. None of us have a problem exhibiting contentment when all the problems in our life have been eliminated. Paul had a contentment in the midst of the storms of life.
If we are going to have this same contentment, we are going to have to learn how to deal with the changes of life. Though the Apostle was a faithful servant of God He faced ups and down; fulness and hungry, as a matter of fact his life experiencing constant changes.
A new insurance commercial begins with young couple who just purchased a modest home and was talking about how wonderful it was, but for the angry birds. It was hard to sit in peace and contentment because of the barrage of birds hitting their windows. It is funny advertisement, but life is a lot like that as soon as one thing is settled, some else happens.
We have to learn how to deal with the changing of life. We find the apostle Paul in the most DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, he was in jail and he was saying, “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” He was not only saying he had learned to be content, he was also saying he had learned how to live in such a way that circumstance did not affect him in the slightest. Look at verse 12, we read “I KNOW BOTH HOW to be abased, and I know how to be abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” It is the very difficult times in life that separate the victorious Christians from the Defeated Christians! Let’s look at some of the things we find in this passage of scripture to see how we can become a victorious and live a life of victory.
1. Paul lived Victoriously with A Grateful Heart - Look at verse 10, we read, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”
But look also at, Philippians 4:14-18, we read, “Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”
In these verses, Paul is saying that regardless of the circumstances, in prosperity or poverty he learned to be content. At one time the Philippian church had supported Paul financially. But something happened and they lacked opportunity. As soon as they found out where he was, they sent the financial support and other need items by Epaphroditus. Paul was greatly encouraged by their gifts of love. Notice Paul’s gratitude, “But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again.”
Illus: Sir John Templeton, the billionaire investor, was once asked what the secret of wealth was. He said, "Gratitude. If you're not grateful, you're not rich--no matter how much you have."
The flip side of that is, "If you're grateful, you are rich--no matter how little you have."
You see, the reason today that many are living a life of discontent is that they feel they deserve more in life, and the fact is, they are not grateful for what they have now. People that have the most difficult time in life with discouragement are people who are not grateful for the blessings of God that He has blessed them with. They see it as a quantity problem, but it is not! It’s a heart problem. If God gave them twice as much as they have, they would still be discontent because they feel they deserve more. Listen to these verses from Psalms 78 and 106 when ungrateful Israel want meat.
Ps 78:29 “So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; 30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths,”
Ps 106:14 But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.”
They got what they wanted but lost what they had. Sickness and death invaded their camp, peace and contentment was gone. They were ungrateful, no amount of stuff can satisfy an ungrateful heart.
Paul could have sat in prison and thought of all the people who had wronged him, but instead he is thinking about all the people who loved him and wanted to help him, like these Philippian Christians.
A lot of pastors have become discouraged and resigned their churches because 2 or 3 percent of the people were giving them a hard time. Maybe 95 to 97 percent were for them, but the only thing they could focus in on was the 2 or 3 percent that were giving them a hard time. Contentment comes when we can see the good in people, not when we can only see the bad in people who want to make life difficult for us.
Too often, the depth of our gratitude is determined and motivated by physical things. We are thankful for our jobs, homes, cars, bank accounts, health, etc. We may look around our modern society and be thankful that we live by a higher standard of living than anyone else on the face of the earth. Suppose I could remove you from this situation and place you in the poorest country on earth, would you still be grateful?
Paul knew what it was to be physically in need. He wrote to Timothy making a request. In 2 Timothy 4:11-13, we read, “Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. And Tychicus have I sent to Ephesus. The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.” I gather from Paul's writings that this was a cloak that he needed to keep warm; it wasn't one he left behind because of the pressures of life.
Probably everything that Paul owned was on his back. He had very little of what this world had to offer, yet he was grateful. We live in a world today where we are taught to believe that if we want contentment in this life, we must seek to have everything we can afford and cannot afford. Paul’s life proves otherwise. He had very little of what this world had to offer but he said he had learned to be content because the one thing the world needs. In Christ, he lived a life of gratitude.
Paul wrote to the Colossians, in chapter 3:15-17, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
How can we become a victorious and live a life of victory? First, by living a life full of gratitude and second by living a life of Faith. This passage that tells us how Paul could face all kinds of bad circumstances and live in contentment because he lived a life of faith.
2. Paul Lived Victoriously By Faith - Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.”
Paul is now telling us how he can sit in a jail facing a death sentence, and be strong enough to have contentment in a situation like this. Notice this powerful little verse of scripture: I can do all things…not some, but all things. Through Christ…not through myself but through Him who strengthens me.
We all know what it is like to be weak and run down. But most of us all know what it is like to eat some nutritious food and take some vitamins that provide us with the energy we need. Spiritually speaking, Paul was saying that regardless of the circumstances, God gave him the strength he needed to deal with every situation. Paul learned to deal with every circumstance of victoriously because he lived a life of gratitude and faith.
3. The Same Victorious Living Is Available to Us. 19 “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
Lest we should have doubts and fears, Paul gives us this grand assurance. God who I know and have a genuine relationship is the divine giver. His infinite glory and heavenly abundance is the store of ample supply. Jesus, our Lord and savior is the supply channel. And the supply knows no limit. What more can the most expanded desires wish for? This promissory note from the Bank of Faith makes all believers rich beyond measure.
Paul knew personally, he could repay them for their kindness and love. Yet he was sure that God would repay them. This would experience no lack because of their liberality to Paul. Paul was saying, “For God whom I serve will supply all your wants, through Christ Jesus, according to the greatness of the power which Christ, as governor of the world, exercises in his glorious state of exaltation. You see the secret of Victorious is found in living a life of gratitude, living a life of faith know that God will supply all we need for every assignment every time!
