“Pressed To Be Blessed”
Philippians 1:21; 2:5; 3:13-14
1. My bro and my sis, this book was written to the church in Philippi by the apostle Paul while imprisoned in Rome. His purpose for writing this epistle was to encourage the church at Philippi to continue to spiritually grow in Christian living. It’s a letter dealing with the level on which all believers should be striving to be and where God wants us to be. Now I need to tell you that Philippi was a special church to Paul, not only because they were one of the only churches serious about their walk with Christ, but also because of how he got to Philippi and what happened while he was there. The bible says that Philippi was his second missionary journey, not by choice but by God’s will.
a. You see Paul was in Galatia and he wanted to go south to Asia, to the church at Ephesus, but God put up a roadblock and said no. So then he tried to go north to Bithynia and Acts 16:7 says that the spirit suffered them not.
i. So he couldn’t go south, he couldn’t go north and he was coming from the east, so that only left one direction west. But when he went west, he ended up in Troas which dead end at a body of water. The bible says that Paul did not turn around and seek another direction but he sat there and waited for further instructions from God.
b. Now my bro and sis you need to catch this because many of you have been in Paul’s shoes where that it seemed like no matter what direction you went in, in life, it was a dead end. I mean the year 2001 just wasn’t your year. Every road led to a dead end.
i. Your job situation seemed to be a dead end.
ii. Every financial move you made ended up at a dead end.
iii. Your marriage seems to be at dead end.
iv. Even your spiritual growth seems to have come to a dead end and you’re now saying, “Oh what shall I do? Where shall I turn? Where do I go from here? How can I stop 2002 from being like 2001”?
1. And Paul has given us the answer, don’t do anything, just wait for instructions from God, for Psalm 37:23 says, “that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (elab).
2. And until God says, “get to stepping”, you need to do what Isaiah says in Isaiah 40:31, “just wait” (elab). For they that wait upon the Lord, he shall renew their strength, they shall mount up on wings as eagles.
a. Though the pressures of life weigh you down, just keep on pressing for your blessing (elab).
2. So the bible says that Paul waited on the Lord, God directed him to get into a boat and to go over into Europe and when he got there, he went straight into Philippi and many marvelous things were done in Philippi. Because of time, I don’t have time to deal with them this morning, so lets get to the letter that was sent to Philippi. Remember the purpose of this letter was to encourage them in their Christian living and the 1st section of this letter deals with the philosophy of Christian living.
a. Paul says in chapter 1:21 “for me to live is Christ and to die is gain”. Now if you notice in your bibles that the word is, is in italics, this means that the word is was not apart of the original writing. The original wording said, “for me to live Christ, and to die gain”.
i. This is the philosophy that every Christian must adopt. To live Christ now in order to gain the fullness of Christ in death.
ii. To live Christ means that your walk everyday must be Christ-like.
1. In your home you must live Christ. On your job, etc.
2. To walk where that others will see Christ in you because you may be the only bibles some may ever read (elab).
a. On last night, if you were in the club, you were not living Christ.
b. If you cuss folk out at a drop of a dime, you are not living Christ.
c. If you are a C.M.N.E. Christian. Christmas….
d. But to live Christ means to serve Him daily for the word says “that you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow Christ.
e. In times like these, God is wanting to know is there anyone who is willing to develop the philosophy of Christ and live Christ (elab).
f. Is there anyone willing to press to be blessed (elab)?
3. So in chapter 1, Paul deals with us developing the philosophy of Christ. When we get to chapter 2, he tells us that we must pattern our lives from Christ. He says in chapter 2:5, “let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus”. This deals with us having the attitude of Christ. Now I need to hang my hat right here because many believers have been fooled by the devil into believing that we are to simply imitate Christ. This verse does not call us to be imitator’s, it calls us to be duplicators’. Imitators’ are look-a-likes of the real thing. And the one thing about an imitator is that when it is put to the test, when it’s tried by the fire, it will always fail because it’s not the real thing.
a. It’s just something different about real Coke and Wal-Mart’s cola. One is the real thing.
b. It’s just something different about Apple Jacks and cinnamon circles. One is the real thing.
c. And there’s something different about an imitator and a duplicator. One is the real thing.
i. And you can always tell which one is real, because if you push the wrong button on the fake one, he’ll let you know it.
d. But when you are a duplicator of Christ, then you have within you the mind of Christ, which in turn gives you the proper attitude for the Christian life, it will cause you to pattern your lives after Christ.
i. And I don’t mean any harm, but there are some who confess to be children of God out there with some nasty, snotty attitudes. If you can’t say amen, say Hey man. I know they’re not in this church today, but in some of our churches, some people with some nasty attitudes.
ii. Nasty dispositions. Can’t sit by them. Can’t say good morning to them. Can’t smile at them without them looking at you funny or turning their nose up at you. That’s not living Christ.
1. When you have the attitude of Christ, you know how to pattern yourself off of Christ. How to walk worthy in your calling, how to serve in lowliness, meekness and longsuffering. You know how to put up with one another in love.
a. Even when they tear you down, you love them anyhow.
b. When they strike you on one cheek…
c. When they call you out of your name….
2. And listen, when you start pressing for your blessing. When you realize that it’s getting late in the evening and the sun is going down. When you realize that time ain’t long and soon and very soon, were going to see the king, you will develop within you the philosophy of Christ and the pattern of Christ and finally you will gain the prize of Christ.
4. Oh the bible says in chapter 3:13, “I count myself not to have apprehended”. Which means that I haven’t gotten to where I need to be yet. I’m thankful for where God has brought me from, but, I haven’t gotten to where I am going. And the reason why many won’t press to be blessed is because they think have already arrived. Driving a new car, they think they’ve already arrived. Living in a new house, they think they’ve already arrived. Pocket full of money, they think they’ve already arrived, but not until I see Jesus, I’m going to stay on bended knees and keep on pressing for my blessing. The bible says this one thing that I do, I forget those things which are behind, and reach forth unto those things which are before me. The things which are in my past, they still want me, but I don’t want them. Am I right about it? You’ve got some women, married men, in your past that still want you. Forget those things behind you and reach out to the one before you.
a. You’ve got some men, married women, in your past that still want you (elab).
b. You’ve got some drugs in your past..
c. You’ve got some alcohol in your past..
d. You’ve got a lifestyle in your past..
e. Don’t let your past cancel out your future, reach for those things which are before you.
5. And finally, press to be blessed. Press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Press toward the prize of a shiny crown. Press toward the prize of a heavenly home. Press toward the prize of a robe in glory. Press to be blessed. You’ve had some trials in 2000 and will have some more in 2001 but press to be blessed. You’ve had some ups and some downs but press to be blessed.
