Philippians 4:8-23 with Josiah Shipley - The Secret of Contentment is IN CHRIST

Philippians 4:8-23 and the Secret of Contentment in Christ

We're in philippians 4. Tonight will be our last week in philippians last one all right. So last week we got through. Hey miss carrie we got through philippians 4 1 through 7 and we had read verse 8 and we hadn't finished it.

So we're gonna try to finish chapter 4 today. Uh we're gonna start in verse 8. So i'm gonna start by reading philippians 4 8 through the end. So that's 8 through 23. Guys i'm gonna read out of the esv.

It doesn't matter what you read out of of course but i'm gonna read out of the esv today. So philippians 4 8 through 23. Here we go. Finally brothers whatever is true whatever is honorable whatever is just whatever's pure whatever's lovely whatever's commendable there's any excellence.

And if there's anything worthy of praise think about these things what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Practice these things and the god of peace will be with you. I rejoice in the lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me.

You were indeed concerned for me but had no opportunity. Not that i'm speaking of being in need for i've learned in whatever situation i am to be content. Verse 12. I know how to be brought low. I know how to abound in any and every circumstance.

I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yet it was kind of you to share my troubles. And you philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel when i left macedonia no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only even in thessalonica you sent help for my needs once and again.

Not that i seek the gift but i seek the fruit that increases to your credit. I have received full payment and more. I am well supplied having received from epaphroditus the gifts. You sent a fragrant off a fragrant offering a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to god.

And my god will supply every need of yours according to his riches and glory in christ. Jesus to our god and father. Be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Verse 21. Greet every saint in christ. Jesus. The brothers who are with me greet you all.

The saints greet you. Especially those of caesar's household. The grace of the lord jesus christ be with you in spirit. Okay. Very good all righty. So we left off in verse eight. That's where i'm gonna leave off.

Philippians as a Prison Epistle and the Themes Paul Repeats

Um but i do want to just make sure we remember philippians. And for those of you who maybe haven't been with us while we've been going through philippians didn't have a chance to just real quick. Philippians is one of the prison epistles means it's one of the letters paul wrote while he was in prison.

Hey brother marty. Um and up to this point paul has repeated certain themes in this letter. He's repeated rejoicing. He's repeated standing firm in the spirit. He's repeated unity. He's repeated about the deity of christ.

About jesus being god. Um about about the body of christ and being in christ. Jesus. At the beginning of chapter four paul called out two women two women by name who apparently were causing enough of a division at the church in philippi that he needed to write a letter and call them out by name.

However he did so humbly and with mercy knowing that they were fellow workers but they were causing division. He had a really good balance about it. He didn't candy coat it but he also didn't forsake them.

He encouraged them to come back to the fold and do what they were supposed to do. And then last week and you can go find this one on youtube. Also we talked about anxiety. And there's an anxiety which is perfectly natural and not sinful in the sense that you are anxious or you're afraid or you're worried.

But then there's the con that's crippling right. Hey rita the kind that you allow to take hold of you so that you don't obey. So we we quoted from uh deuteronomy 31 where it said have courage. Fear not knowing that you can't have courage if there's not some element of fear.

What the bible is telling us to do is if you're afraid do not allow that fear to keep you from obeying. So when it says be anxious for nothing. Okay. But instead in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto god.

It's saying don't let that anxiety keep you from trusting in god right now. Watch this. And we pointed this out last week. Notice in verse six and seven thanksgiving is already in your heart even though he hasn't answered your prayer request yet.

Guys we need to be thankful to god for who he is. Not just for what he's done but for just who he is. As brother jeff said this morning enter his presence with thanksgiving in your heart and enter his courts with praise.

So verse six says the peace of god. And verse seven says the peace of god which surpasses all understanding will keep and guard your hearts and minds in christ. Jesus. And verse nine says the god of peace will be with you.

So in verse seven through nine we have the peace of god and the god of peace. You see god will give you peace. But then just give it to you and walk away. The peace of god will be with you. But also the god over peace the god.

He's a god of love. He's a god of justice. He's a god of holiness. He's a god of peace. He will give you his peace. The peace of god not worldly peace. What does that do. That buys you a couple days. And then you're back to worry again.

The peace of god and the god of peace will be with you. He doesn't just give you his peace and walk away. Verse nine says. The god of peace will also be with you for those who trust in his name. Isaiah 26 3.

And he keeps you in purpose. Uh he keeps you in perfect peace for those whose mind is fixed on him. So again verse eight. Finally brothers whatever is true honorable just pure lovely commendable excellent praiseworthy.

Think about those things. I have all those written out here in greek. I just want to talk to a couple. First off true. A lay face is the greek word for truth in john 18. Pilot asked jesus. This is where we left off last week what is truth.

And then pilot walked away and went back out to the crowds who wanted barabbas. And then it finished talking to jesus. He didn't wait to hear the answer. In john chapter eight jesus told the jews in john 8 32.

And you will know the truth. And the truth will set you free. Now veggie tales and parents all around have used john 8 32 to tell their kids. You see you got to tell the truth. You got to tell the truth.

Well that's true. But that is a microscopic view of what john 8 32 is talking about. John 8 32 is talking way more about simply a child telling the truth. Jesus told the jews. And you will know the truth.

And the truth will set you free. And then two verses later he says who the son sets free will be free. Sounds like a song doesn't it. They didn't come up with it from the bible. John 14 6 jesus said i am the way i am the truth i am the life.

No one comes to the father except through me. You see when john 8 32 says you'll know the truth and the truth will set you free. It doesn't mean you simply telling the truth. Jesus is the truth. Right.

That's what in you know ephesians 4 says. Speak the truth in love. Speak the things about jesus speak the truth because they are true in love. Okay. Very good. Uh so whatever is true whatever is just or right.

Um whatever is honorable worthy of honor and respect. How about whatever is pure or holy. Haggios means set apart by god. Okay these type things set apart by god not by man. Not a church building or religious ceremony.

Things set apart by god made holy by god. And his word his law. Uh his word. And then you go on. It says whatever is lovely or worthy of love commendable excellent worthy of praise. This last part verse 8 think or dwell or consider these things.

I'm gonna talk about that word for just a minute. Hey bill. So the end of verse says think about or dwell on or consider count these things. What does that mean. Greek word means to consider it to be true.

You see in verse 8 it's not just telling you to think about doing these things or to consider these things or to to just let these things you know mull around your mind for a little bit. That's not what it says.

In fact this same word is used in hebrews 11 19. In hebrews chapter 11 the bible's speaking a lot about faith of those who've come before us and mentions abraham. And it mentions how abraham who i believe demonstrated one of the greatest acts of faith in the whole bible.

In that god said your seed will be traced through isaac. And god said kill isaac. And abraham believed that he was going to sacrifice isaac and abraham believed that his seed would be traced through isaac.

And he believed both of those at the same time. That's faith. Hebrews 11 says. For he considered he counted. He thought that god could even raise his son from the dead you see. And so he obeyed. So my point is this abraham didn't think or consider or count on god's ability to do that just as a possibility.

Ada abraham believed god could do it and acted on it. When in philippians 4 8 when it says think about or dwell on or count these things it doesn't mean just consider them and then let them pass by. It means to consider them as true and let your actions result from that.

So the things that we should consider count dwell on are the things that are true honorable just pure lovely commendable. Are those. The things that you and i think about dwell on consider they should be.

And maybe sometimes we need to check on where most of our time and energy goes and does it fit the list. God has provided continuing verse 9. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me.

Sorry lost my spot. Practice these things and the god of peace will be with you. It's not a one-time prayer. It is a lifelong heartfelt commitment to god. Notice it says. Practice these things. Practice these things.

Not just not just doing one time not just walking down the aisle. Not just prayer prayer. But these things practice habitually over and over. Pick up your cross daily. It is a constant him decrease him increasing and you decreasing every day you dying the self.

Not a one-time decision. It's a lifestyle for the leaders out there pastors leaders of your home. Uh any notice this. Paul in verse 9 said what you have learned received heard and seen in me practice these things.

Paul's putting himself out there just like he did in first corinthians 11 when he said you can follow me because i'm following jesus. It's not just do what i say guys. That does not cut it for god. That doesn't cut it.

Do what i say not what i do for god that doesn't cut it. Guys let your light so shine on my men that they can see your good works and glorify the father which is in heaven. Paul says whatever you have received learn heard of or seen in me any of that what i've written down what you've heard me preach what you've seen me do what you've heard me say practice those things.

That's how careful we are to not have a single careless lord word come out of her mouth or do nothing out of robbery you can see but take every thought captive to obedience to christ. Uh let's see what else we got here.

Um if you practice these things the god of peace will be with you and it will be his peace. Guys it has been said and i think rightly uh the person with the least amount of peace is a believer who is not obeying god.

If you are a believer and you are in our disobedience to god. Or if you're a believer on here and you have ever been in disobedience to god which is every believer on here. You know what i speak of. Well you don't have that peace of god.

You lie in bed thinking about what you need to do what you ought to do every day every waking moment it's like josiah what are you doing. Josiah you know what you're supposed to do and you're not doing it.

You see it's not just the sin of commission but omission for he who knows what to do and does not do it to him and his sin. So with all that being said with all that being said practice these things then the god of peace will be with you.

If you're a believer and you're not experiencing the peace of god it's probably because you're not obeying. We have used this verse before and my sunday night crew will probably laugh at me. I find a passage that really speaks to me and hits me home personally.

And i just want to share it with everyone for weeks on end and i can't shut up about it. So whether it's romans chapter 8 or john 330 right now it's first samuel 15 22. First samuel 15 22. And for those of you joining in we're in philippians chapter 4.

First samuel 15 22. Um let me just quickly go over this again. We talked about it last night. God tells saul and his men to go attack a city and don't bring anything back. Bring those spoils for more.

Well saul and the men go in and they win the battle. And they bring back animals and cattle. Okay god uh send samuel to talk to saul. And god says to saul what are you doing. I told you not to bring back anything.

And the soldiers brought back cattle. Now saul didn't. But the soldiers did. But notice the lord spoke to solve a leader because he didn't do anything about it. So we've mentioned this before fathers pastors.

God spoke to the leader who didn't do anything about it. He spoke to saul. Now saul said this. Yes. But god we did bring back the cattle even though you said not to. I understand that god. But they brought back the cattle to make sacrifices to you.

Now i mentioned this last night. Can you have a better excuse. Any of us who have ever disobeyed. We've never had that good of an excuse. Did you hear that. Yes god we disobeyed and we brought back the cattle from the foreign land that you said not to.

But we did it. So we can make sacrifices to you. That is a better excuse than any of us have ever had for our sin. Most time it's just for personal gain or praise or pride. They went and got cattle that god told them not to so they could offer sacrifices.

And then god tells all this through samuel. Do you think i desire sacrifice more than obedience. First samuel 15 22 says this. Look to obey is better than sacrifice. To obey is better than sacrifice. God doesn't want your sacrifice or your money.

He requires your obedience. God doesn't want your money. He requires your obedience. Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe. Right. Like the song jesus said if you love me you will keep my commandments.

Obey. It really is that simple. Obey. If you want to love god more and more obey if you want to serve your church family more obey. Obey. Obedience. Obedience to god is the way that we show our faith by obeying in all circumstances as we're about to see and let's pray that we can set the example paul set to anyone in our life anyone in our sphere of influence that we can look at anyone say whatever you've learned received heard or seen me do practice those things and the god of peace will be with you.

Let us be so in tune so aligned with conforming to the image of christ that we can say you can follow me in what i say and what i do because i'm following jesus. I want to be able to say that now i'm not there yet.

That's where i want to be. That's where i want to be. And i want to have a desire to be able to say that to anyone at any time. First 10 i rejoice in the lord. Greatly. Sorry. 10 and 11 i rejoice in the lord greatly that you at length uh have received your concern with me.

I'm sorry i rejoice in the lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me. But you had no opportunity. Not that i am speaking out of need. For i've learned in every situation i am to be content.

So remember paul is in prison probably on house arrest guarded by roman soldiers. It's at the end of acts 28. Um and he's not allowed to leave. Now he can have visitors and he can preach the gospel. He's not allowed to leave.

He's on lockdown if it were. And if you remember we mentioned it in chapter one it's about to mention again epaphroditus. He's the one that the church of philip i sent with the gifts financially and other gifts to give to paul.

And remember epaphroditus got so sick he nearly died. But he was committed to his job. And he made it to paul with those gifts. And then he got better. Um paul is saying thank you for those gifts. I thank you.

And and paul is very appreciative but he goes. But that's not where my happiness and contentment come from. You see paul has spent all the philippians repeating the word rejoice rejoice rejoice rejoice.

But he wants the church of philip. I know that he's not rejoicing just because he got the gifts. That's not why he's rejoicing. Let's read verse 12 through 13. I know how to be brought low and i know how to abound in any and every circumstance.

I've learned the secret the secret of facing plenty hunger obedience and need. In verse 13 is the answer to that secret that i can do all things through him who gives me strength. Now did you notice the bible just told you the bible is giving you the secret to be content in any and all circumstance.

And it's verse 13 that i can do all things through him who strengthens me. This is probably maybe the most misapplied verse in the whole bible. You'll have unbelievers that have this tattooed on them or quilted in a pillow.

And i'm afraid that even we as christians aren't really understanding what this verse says. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. You see in any and all circumstances. In any and all can you get more specific.

In any and all circumstances i have learned the secret of being content. I know how to have a little i don't have a lot. In any and all circumstances i can do all things through him who gives me strength.

And i think the problem that we all including myself at times have missed is the through him. Guys we said previous weeks this piece of god we're talking about in verse six and seven the bible says it can only happen in verse seven in christ.

Jesus in christ. Jesus in christ. Jesus guys your conversion. Okay your regeneration. When you were saved if you will you were positionally placed in the body of christ. We spoke about this at length a couple weeks ago.

You were placed in the body of christ. You are now in christ. If any man be in christ he's a new creation a new creature. Old things have passed away. Behold all have become new. Did you notice that. 2 corinthians 5 17.

If anyone's in christ he's a new creation. Guys in genesis chapter 1 god didn't make a new earth that comes later. He didn't make new animals. He created them out of nothing. Well if any man being christ he's a new creation.

He's a new creation. The old josiah the old richard the old bill is dead. Now our struggle remains because we're still in the flesh. But our spirit is renewed. Our spirit is made new. It's a new creation.

God didn't just mend your old heart. He gave you a new heart and a new spirit according to jeremiah 31. Because jeremiah 17 says the heart is desperately wicked and incurable. Who can understand it. So god gave you a new heart and a new spirit.

And in philippians chapter 4. Hey tom in philippians 4 when it says i can do all things through him who gives me strength. Well guys that's only for those who are in him. Ladies and gentlemen if you're out there today and you're not in him you're not saved.

You're not a believer according to philippians 4. Let me encourage you. You can experience the peace of god unlike any peace you've ever experienced. I can testify to that. And there are 200 other people here who can testify to that.

You will experience peace like you never have before. And you will experience contentment and joy. And not in passing worldly things many eternal things. For whoever calls on the name of the lord will be saved.

Serve something greater than yourselves. And you'll know what i speak of. Search the scriptures for it. Reach out to us at whitney if you have any questions for it put in the inbox and we'll try to answer all your questions.

It is not a sin to have questions when you read the bible. Guys if you read this bible and you don't have questions either you're lying to yourself. You're not reading it for real. Or you need to be a pastor.

Okay. And it's not the last one because even pastors have questions when they read the bible. It's written by god. Now we can understand it. But guys you can't tell me that you can read this whole thing from cover to cover and never stop and say hmm i don't think i quite get that.

That's not how it works guys the sin is not in having questions. The sin is having questions ignoring them not trying to find the answer not caring to find the answer or being afraid of what the answer really is and living in disobedience knowing that what you're doing is wrong.

Guys if you're a believer here you have died and you are killing your flesh every day decreasing it so he can increase. Um you know second corinthians 12 7 through 10 on a wow moment one of our uh women's ministry videos a couple weeks ago uh deborah and vicki and mercedes spoke about this passage.

I believe it was this passage in a way second corinthians 12 7 through 10 speaks of because i'm in the flesh but my spirit is in christ. When i am weakest i'm actually strongest. You see when i have decreased john 330 when i've decreased my flesh so much so that he can increase in a way.

When i'm weakest i'm really strongest. Not by my own strength but that him that's in me. I'm actually strongest when it says i can do all things through him who gives me strength it's because i'm getting out of the way.

And he living in me is doing it. I can only do all things through him. Because i am getting out of the way i'm pushing myself down and letting him increase in me. I want to read a quick passage on this uh idea to you guys.

This is in galatians chapter 2. You can write it down for later or read it with me. I'm going to be in galatians chapter 2 and i'm going to start in verse 15. Galatians 2 15 through 21. I'm going to go ahead and read it galatians 2 15 through 21.

We ourselves are jews by birth and not gentile sinners. Yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in jesus christ. I'm going to repeat that part guys i want everyone to hear that a person verse 16 is not justified by works of the law but through faith in jesus christ.

So we also have believed in christ jesus in order to be justified by faith in christ not by the works of law. Because by the works of law no one will be justified by the works of law. No one will be justified by the works of law.

No one will be justified verse 17. But if in our endeavor to be justified in christ in christ we too were found to be sinners. Is christ then a servant of sin. Certainly not verse 18. For if i rebuild what i tore down i proved myself to be a transgressor.

For through the law i died to the law so i might live to god verse 20. Listen very carefully. For i have been crucified with christ. It is no longer i who live but christ who lives in me and my life i now live on in the flesh.

I live by faith in the son of god who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of god because if righteousness comes by the law then christ died for no purpose. I got to read verse 20 one more time because this is the core of what we're talking about in philippians 4.

Verse 20 of galatians 2 i have been crucified with christ. If anyone wants to come after me he must pick up his cross that torture device daily and follow me. I've been crucified with christ. And it's no longer i who live but christ who lives in me and the life i now live on in the flesh.

I live by faith in the son of god who loved me and gave himself for me. Guys the christian walk is you and your flesh decreasing. And the new man the new man in christ increasing because christ is increasing in you that you are mortifying the flesh you're putting to death the deeds of the flesh.

And you're living in the spirit. Okay. And you're living in the spirit. It's not thinking less of yourself. It's thinking of yourself less. It is not thinking left less of yourself like oh i'm such a bum i'm such a loser.

God knew that. According to romans 5 8 god knew that before he died for you he never waited for you to become a good person to die for you. Or he would have been waiting all the way until your death. Because there are none good there are none righteous not even one.

According to romans three there's no one even seeking god. Wrap your head around that there is no one on this planet that is seeking god without god. There is no one who has ever sought god without god.

Let me ask you a question. Did abraham come to god first. Or did god come to abraham. Did moses come to god first. Or did god come to moses. Okay. No one has ever sought god without god. Okay guys the holy spirit is at work in every believer watching this right now.

And the holy spirit is working in you. Philippians we read this last week two weeks ago maybe enabling you to desire and work out his good purpose. Ephesians 2 10 says we are his creation created in christ jesus for good works that god planned ahead of time that we should walk in them.

Well jesiah how do i know what works god has planned ahead of time for me. Obey. And the rest will be laid laid out. Is it really that simple. Yes. Trust the lord with all your heart. Lean not on your own understanding in all your ways.

Acknowledge him and he will direct your path. See his word is a lamp to your feet and a light into your path. He's a lamp into your feet because it shows you where you are right. But he's light into your path because he shows you where you're going.

Okay. So with that being said if you obey he will direct your path. He will light your path. You have to obey now. You obey now in everything in word or deed do a son done for god and not for men. And he will reveal what you need to know in due time.

In summary i'm going to read what i wrote on this. It's a little long paragraph. A little long paragraph. In summary the more sanctified you become the more conformed to his image formed in the body of christ.

Dying to self living in christ the more christ-like you become in outer action and inner desire the more this verse philippians 4 13 reveals that it's not about christ helping you in the flesh to do worldly things for your personal passing happiness.

But about what christ can accomplish through working through a center like me and you. Paul shows us that no matter our circumstance in the work for christ he encourages us to do all things for his namesake.

Though we are weak in the flesh he's able to use us and all the more when we forsake worldly pleasure and focus on him. Guys i can do all things through him. He strengthens me. Not because josiah shipley can do it but christ living in josiah.

And that doesn't mean i simply sit back and don't do anything. No it's work out my own salvation with fear and trembling because god is working in me enabling me to desire and work out his good purpose.

Philippians chapter 2. So guys constantly dying the self constantly decreasing so he can increase. Takes work takes work. But at the core of our all of it is obedience. And at the core of obedience is faith.

Guys your faith is never demonstrated more than in obedience. Well just i thought it would be love. Yeah. And who told you to love christ. So obey. The secret of being content for a believer is to realize that on your own you can do nothing but through him you can do all things.

The secret to happiness and contentment for believers. Realizing that on your own you can do nothing but through him you can do all things. My sunday night crew is going to laugh at me. But i can't help but read through romans 8.

Anytime i see the word all i have to read through romans 8 a little bit. So i'm going to be in romans 8. You can write this down for later. I'm going to read verse 26. And i'll try to stop. I'll try to stop by 32 or so.

Romans chapter 8 starting in verse 26. Likewise the spirit helps us in our weakness. For we don't even know how to pray as we are. But the spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

And he who searches the heart knows that. Uh what is the mind of the spirit. Because the spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of god not people made holy by man saints. Or anyone who believes that jesus is lord.

Verse 28 of romans 8. And we know that all things work together for the good of those who love god. Those who are called according to his purpose. For those for he who foreknew he predestined to be conformed in the image of his son that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

And those he predestined he also called. Those he called he also justified. And those he justified he also glorified. Here's what i wanted to read. Verse 31. What shall we say to these things if god is for us who can be against us.

Verse 32. He didn't spare his own son but he gave him up for us all. How will he with him not graciously give us all things. Verse 37. Knowing all things were more than conquerors guys. Verse 32 romans 8 32.

Hey britney romans 8 32. Wrap your head around this verse for a minute. He didn't even spare his own son. But he gave him up for us all. How with him. Will he not give us all things that we need. If you're a believer listening us now if you're lost.

Guys if you're not in christ there's a different story. That's why the call to salvation goes out to the whole world. But for those of you in christ guys god the son has already given himself. He died.

How with him. Would he not give us all things that we need. What other material things would he not be willing to give us. He didn't even spare his own son. But according to isaiah 53 it wasn't the jews or the gentiles or pilate or harrah.

But it was god who crushed jesus. Jesus said no one's gonna take my life. I'm laying it down. He didn't spare himself. How much less will he give you all you need. Again back in philippians 4 saying i can do all things to christ who strengthens me shows that on our own we can do nothing but in him we can do all things so long as we are decreasing and he is increasing.

We are dying the self and he is living in us now. I know this may sound repetitive guys but this is key because this verse has been misapplied and twisted more than any other verse i can think of in the bible i can do all things through him for those of us in him allowing him to live through us decreasing so he can increase crucified with christ.

Yet we live in our weakness. We are strong because we're letting him live in us. We can do all things not for worldly passing happiness but for his namesake. For his namesake which we'll see in just a minute.