Sunday, September 11, 2011

How you (and I) can live a believer's life VICTORIOUSLY?
Lessons learnt from the book of Phillipians

Victory
The believer's confidence comes from assurance in God - He begins, He completes. Victory is assured. Period.
Read Phil 1:6
6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Intercession
With the Holy Spirit interceding for you, you cannot go wrong.
Read Phil 1:9-11
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, 11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Conversion
When the motto of your life changes from "I live for myself and dying is loss" to "I live for Christ and dying is gain", you are closer to victory than ever before.
Read Phil 1:21
21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain

Trials
Facing unending trials and persecutions on the way of your Christian walk? You are on the right path - the victory path!
Read Phil 1:27-29
27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation,[a] and that from God. 29 For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,

Oneness
When you are united with other believers and look out for each other, God is glorified and victory is assured.
Read Phil 2:1-4
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Role Model
Keep Jesus as your role model for every aspect of your life and you cannot go wrong!
Read Phil 2:5-11
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Illumination
Shining the reflected glory of Jesus Christ in your life will give you an unparalleled edge.
Read Phil 2:14-15
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Order (as in Priority)
Value knowledge of Jesus above every other thing.
Read Phil 3:7-11
7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Unadulterated
Persevere tireless, relentlessly and without giving up.
Read Phil 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Similitude
You will be transformed into the likeness of Jesus Christ. No more pains and aches. Is there a better way to articulate victory?
Read Phil 3:20-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Loosen Up
Let go and let God!
Read Phil 4:6-7
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Yearnings
Pursue true treasure in your life.
Read Phil 4:8-9
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 comment:

  1. Richard,

    Nicely done. I love Philippians - deeply theological and practical at the same time - a real masterpiece. It really captures the paradox that living a victorious Christian life involves following the example of Jesus, whose victory came through his sacrificial, servant death. Quite an example to follow!

    P. James

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