Standing Firm in the Lord Pt. 2
Text: Philippians 4:8-9
Core Idea: If we want to press on, we must first stand firm in the Lord by thinking about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable – and putting them into practice. Then let’s do just that this week for when we do this, it’s promised that the God of peace will be with us to lift us, encourage us, and carry us when we fall.
INTRODUCTION
Well, we are currently going through the Book of Philippians – reflecting on what it means to press on with joy in all circumstances. And last week, we learned that if we want to press on to take hold of Christ, we must first stand firm in the Lord so that we won’t get swept away by the storms of life. How do we do that practically? Three things. First, we do so by having the same mind in the Lord – in that, we pursue and protect the unity of the church no matter what the cost may be. Second, we stand firm by rejoicing in the Lord – in that, the ground of our joy must not be in our circumstances but in the gospel realities that have been made possible through the work of Christ on the cross. It’s true that Christians may be pressed on every side, but we won’t be crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed – all because of Christ who has now become the rock of our salvation. Our joy is secure in Him. Lastly, we stand firm by presenting our requests to the Lord – in that, we choose to have absolute dependence upon God. We worry about nothing but pray about everything – we renounce all anxiety but cast everything on God knowing that He cares for us. Then let me ask you, “Were you able to stand firm in the Lord this past week?” Last week, one of the things that I emphasized was the importance of application – in that, it’s not enough for us to just know the truth but that we must live it out. Why? Because Christians are meant to display the power of the gospel through our lives. Our lives are intended by God to be a showcase of just how transformative the gospel is. So, in one sense, when we live out the truth, we’re testifying to the world that the gospel truly has the power to give life. Then it really doesn’t matter how many times you’ve read the Bible or how many times you’ve heard heart-convicting sermons – if you’re not growing, if your life is not being shaped by the truth, there’s something missing in your relationship with God. So, let me ask you again, “Did you make every effort to press on to take hold of Christ this past week?” If you did, great – praise the Lord. But if you didn’t, I would simply encourage you to start today because I really don’t want you to miss out on the joy of living in Christ. That’s right – when we live in obedience to the truth, it’s not restrictive, it’s liberating. It won’t rob you of your joy but multiply your joy. Then let’s not make the gospel to be just a Sunday thing. Let’s apply the gospel to the deepest part of who we are so that it will transform every aspect of our lives knowing that it’ll bring this unshakable joy and peace to our lives. Well, today, Paul will give us two more practical ways of standing firm in the Lord. So, let’s turn our Bibles to Philippians 4:8-9. Let me read this for us.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Let me share three things from this passage.
· THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS
· PRACTICE SUCH THINGS
· THE PROMISE OF THINKING AND PRACTICING SUCH THINGS
1) THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS
Here, Paul’s not telling us, “Oh, it would be good for you to think about these things” – but rather, he gives us a command, in that, this is something we must obey. Now, why is it important to control our thought-life? Why does Paul care so much about what goes on in our minds? It’s because how we think and what we fill our mind with is the decisive factor in forming our identity, our ambitions, our behavior, and ultimately our relationship with God. To put it differently, what we think about is the real measure of who we are. No wonder Paul talks about the importance of guarding our minds in many of the other letters that he wrote as well. For example, he says in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.” 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” And Colossians 3:2, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” All that to say, God is very concerned about what we fill our minds with day by day. In fact, do you know who else knows the importance of our thinking? The devil – which is why he’ll do everything he can to control what our minds dwell on. This past Wednesday, we had our first “drop-in discipleship” for men – which by the way was incredibly edifying and refreshing. I would love to see more of you come and be blessed – so, I hope you’ll join us next time which will happen in two weeks. Anyhow, we read through an article called “Bored to Death” – and this was an interesting article because the author had adopted the literary style found in C.S. Lewis’ book, The Screwtape Letter. If you’re not familiar with this book, it contains a series of letters from Screwtape, a senior demon, to Wormwood, a junior demon – discussing how they can tempt and lead Christians away from their faith. Then in a similar manner, this article is a letter from Grimgod (a senior demon) to Globdrop (a junior demon) – talking about the importance of keeping Christians’ minds dull. So, let me read you a portion of this article – and as you listen, keep in mind that this is written from Grimgod’s perspective. “My dear Globdrop, you stand at a stalemate. You’ve laid devastating traps only to see them avoided. You bemoan the slowness of it all. Do not howl too loudly, my impatient apprentice. Not all who fall, fall off cliffs. Almost by accident, you mentioned that your man has begun to spend hours a day upon his phone. Though you regret that he has bypassed those sites we love so much, look closer, nephew. Do you see any change in your man these past months? He is not the same. He is being consumed by what he consumes – he drowns in innocent trifles. Though the content is not criminal, his mind dulls. His appetites shrivel. His finger-joints grow sore and his eyes ache from all the texting, scrolling, clicking, and watching. Despite your sighing, he remains caught, even now, in a fierce strength, a hideous strength, a most suffocating strength – a strength of, well, nothing. It began with cultivating a habit. When stress tensed his shoulders, or work slanted uphill, he found some relief in small distractions – a good show, an interesting article, an appetizing YouTube video, a new follow on Twitter. They became therapeutic; a shot of relief from the mounting uncertainties of life. Then addiction. Gradually, as the season twisted and turned, he stuck his hand in for more and more morsels of amusement. It was all innocent enough, to be sure (as you should be reminding him!). Diseased with triviality, he lost appetite for all the food the Enemy laid out for him. There he now sits, a glutton for interruptions, spending hours on his phone — and countless hours on other distractions. He no longer possesses the power of fixed attention (so vital in the Enemy’s service). With one ding, notification, or some wisp of a thought, you can send him away from his prayers, from hearing one of those loathsome sermons, or break the spell that awful Book sometimes casts upon him. His mind is a city without walls, any diversion will steal him away. Men of Nothing – small men nibbling on snacks, never asking questions nor breaking from their modest comforts, never lifting their voices nor saying anything worthwhile to their neighbors; mummified men of blunted ambitions and stale joys who never rise to anything above themselves and bear no weight to keep them from blowing away – these men are hell’s delicacies, our most treasured trophies. In the end, he will have spent all his life doing neither what he ought nor liked.” There’s so much that we could talk about here but the point I want to draw our attention to is that the devil knows the power of thinking – which is why he’ll do everything he can to keep us away from thinking. He’ll fill our minds with absolutely nothing to keep us away from grounding our minds in Christ. Then let me ask you, “What are you thinking about right now? What consumes your mind the most these days? Where does your mind run to when you have free time?”
Well, Paul actually offers us six things that Christians should be thinking about in verse 8. Then let’s briefly think through them one by one. First, whatever is true. Here, Paul is not talking about things that are factually true, like 2+2=4 – but rather the truth of God which is found in the Word of God. Then here, Paul is exhorting the Philippians to immerse themselves in the Word and meditate on the truths about God – the gospel realities that are found in the Bible. So, we should think about how God is the Creator and the Sustainer of all that exists, how He is holy and perfect in every way, how He knows all things, how this Almighty God loves us, is thinking of us, wants to do life with so much so that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus to pay the penalty of our sins, how through Christ we are forgiven and transformed, how He is interceding for us right now, how God has given us the Holy Spirit to guide us and empower us to live a life worthy of the gospel, how He has placed us in a local church so that we don’t run this race alone, and how one day Jesus will come back to wipe away our tears and give us life everlasting. These are the things that must occupy our minds.
Second, whatever is noble. The word noble in Greek also means worthy of respect – which means that Paul is inviting the Philippians to think about the characteristics of people who are honorable. So, for example, we could think through questions like, “What does it mean to be authentic, humble, loyal, courageous, and sacrificial? How can I think of myself less and think of others more? What does it mean to have integrity – to be consistent in my character even when nobody’s looking? Who are those who I consider to be noble around me? How can I be more like them?” We’re called to think about lofty things – not dishonorable things.
Third, whatever is right – in that, we’re to think about the things that God deems good and just, not what the world thinks is acceptable. We’re to wrestle through what it means to do the right thing, holy thing in our specific context. So, what’s the right thing to do when we’re tempted to compromise, when people mistreat you or deceive you, when you’re anxious, when life gets tough, when you feel like giving up, and so on? How can I bring glory to God in all of my circumstances? How can I be thankful when I’m suffering? How can I trust God when I’ve lost so much in life? These are the things that we should continually think through (the things that are holy) so that we can live a life that is pleasing to God.
Fourth, whatever is pure. The word purity has the idea of being undivided – it’s to be wholeheartedly focused on one thing. Then here, Paul is calling us to think through what it means to be completely devoted to God. What does it mean to remain morally and sexually pure? What does it mean to pursue Christ with all my heart and mind? How do I remain unwavering in my faith even when temptations come? Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Do you want to see God? Then think about the things that are pure.
Fifth, whatever is lovely – in that, it refers to the things that are beautiful and pleasing to God. Then what are the things that God considers attractive? Seeing His people live in harmony, seeing His people being generous with all that they have, seeing His people take the gospel to the world, seeing marriages flourish, seeing parents guiding and instructing their children to love the Lord, and more. In fact, this is not limited to things that are only morally lovely but even aesthetically lovely as well which means that we should marvel at the beauty of His creation – enjoying the work of His hands in this world. Think of the things that put a smile on God’s face.
Lastly, whatever is admirable. The word admirable in Greek also means worthy of praise or commendable – the characteristics that we should emulate. So, for example, we could ask questions like, “How can I remain kind and gentle toward others even when they mistreat me? How can I forgive even when they don’t deserve grace? How can I love my spouse and children sacrificially? How can I empower others instead of taking advantage of them? What would it mean for me to invest in this person even if I know that it’ll cost me so much?” Think of things that would evoke admiration – things that build up others, not tear them down; things that are constructive, not destructive.
Brothers and sisters, we should think of such things because they’re meant to filter out pollution from our minds. Think of a water filter that’s designed to purify water – they allow water molecules to pass through but trap things that would pollute the water. In the same way, this verse is given to us so that it’ll serve as a filter for our thought-life which means that we really need to think through these things slowly, intentionally, and repetitively so that they will consume our minds and transform our lives. Remember that we will never drift into godliness. In fact, left to ourselves, we will fill our minds with absolutely nothing because our minds are prone to wander. We really need to put in a lot of work to obey this. So, this coming week, don’t drown yourself in things that will lead your mind astray from the things that are excellent and praiseworthy. Don’t be so quick to go to the next message, the next notification, the next post. Protect your time to slow down and be intentional to think about these things. Reorder your thoughts through careful and prayerful meditation of the Word of God. Friends, holy living begins in the mind. If you think holy thoughts, you’re going to become holy. If you think about garbage, you’ll have no desire to pursue righteousness. This is true because we cannot separate our inner thoughts from our outward actions – we will live out our thought-life. Then let’s not take this lightly. Let’s not allow our minds to drift off. Instead, let’s keep our minds on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable for this is how we stand firm in the Lord.
2) PRACTICE SUCH THINGS
In verse 9, Paul makes it clear that it’s not enough just to think about such things but that we need to put them into practice. Now, what’s interesting to me is that he doesn’t just say, “Think about these things and put them into practice.” No, he prefaces this second command by saying, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me – put it into practice.” In other words, he was basically saying, “Do you remember what I taught you? Do you remember the conversations I had with you, the way I connected with others, the way I spoke, the way I used my free time, the way I used my resources, the way I served you, the way I dealt with pain and suffering, the way I responded to injustice and persecution, and so on? Do you remember how I lived? Then do what I did because I was putting my thoughts into practice. So, watch me and learn from me. Follow my example because this is what it means to put your thoughts into practice.” Personally, I was incredibly thankful for this for two reasons. First, living examples are helpful because they bring clarity and wisdom. Sometimes, it’s not easy to turn our abstract knowledge into something practical and concrete to apply it to our lives. “I know I need to repent but how do I do that? When is the right time to forgive someone? What does it mean to be generous with my money and time? How do I study the Bible? How do I share the gospel with someone who is hostile against Christianity?” We have endless questions because we’re constantly trying to figure out how to put our knowledge into practice. Then how helpful is it to have someone who can speak into our questions because they’ve gone through them already? Second, living examples are helpful because they encourage us. Let’s be honest – living a life worthy of the gospel at times feels impossible to achieve. Who can truly live this way? But when we know someone who is living it out right now, it gives us hope – it inspires us to live like them as well. Then let me ask you, “Do you have a living example of faith that you can emulate? Do you have someone whose lifestyle is worth imitating? If so, are you spending time with them, learning from them, and modeling after them?” If we want to grow, we need the input and influence of godly people in our lives. Of course, this means that we need to be a good influence and example to others as well. In fact, D.A. Carson said, “If you haven’t said to someone, ‘Follow me – do what I do,’ then you haven’t understood the New Testament call to make disciples.” That is a sobering comment. Then are you discipling others today? The things that you have learned and received from others, are you living it out for others to see and emulate?
Now, remember that the Philippians were going through intense trials of many kinds. This is important to think through because when we’re experiencing great pain, it becomes incredibly easy to keep our distance from the Word and compromise in our obedience. We say to ourselves, “If I do this or don’t do this, God will understand. He’ll look the other way if I don’t read the Bible for some time, if I don’t pray, if I get drunk, if I hate this person, if I doubt God’s goodness, if I cheat, if I lie, and so on because He knows how much I’m suffering.” But brothers and sisters, we must remember that our pain does not give us the license to do whatever we want. Yes, God will forgive us if we sin, but we must realize that we’re cheapening His grace when we disobey and use our trials as an excuse to sin. Paul must have understood this because he doesn’t just say to this hurting community, “I’m so sorry for your pain” – rather, he says, “Put these things into practice.” Then, brothers and sisters, no matter what kind of circumstances you may be in, don’t give up on thinking, meditating, and obeying the Word of God (the things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable) for this is what it means to stand firm in the Lord.
3) THE PROMISE OF THINKING AND PRACTICING SUCH THINGS
Verse 9, “And the God of peace will be with you.” When we think and practice such things, Paul tells us that the God of peace will be with us in our lives – not just the peace of God (which is promised in verse 7) but the God of peace Himself. In other words, when we obey these commands, the Giver of this peace will draw near to us – which means that He won’t just offer His power but His presence as well. When it becomes difficult to stand firm in the Lord, He won’t just give us the strength we need to persevere – He’ll actually offer Himself to lift us when we fall down, embrace us when we’re discouraged, and carry us when we’re exhausted. He will walk with us and fight for us.
Now, it’s true that we don’t always feel like God is with us. At times, we feel abandoned, forsaken, and alone because we think that if He were with us, we wouldn’t be going through such a difficult season. But the Bible never said that we would have wealth, health, and suffering-free life if we remained faithful to God – He never promised that everything would go as we planned. But here’s what He did promise – His presence. Just before He ascended into heaven, Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “Surely, I am with you always, to the very end of age.” Then here’s how you can know that He is with you – you may not always feel His presence but here’s how you can know for certain that He is walking with you. By thinking and living according to God’s truth. When we do this, even if we don’t feel it at times, we can be sure that God is with us because that’s exactly what He promises us here in this passage. So, brothers and sisters, do you want to know that God is with you, fighting for you, walking with you, carrying you? Stand firm in the Lord by thinking and practicing such things. Discipline yourself to think about all that is excellent and praiseworthy – and practice such things for this is how we can stand firm with joy and strength in all circumstances.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, if we want to press on, we must first stand firm in the Lord by thinking about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable – and putting them into practice. Then let’s do just that this week for when we do this, the Bible promises that the God of peace will be with us to lift us, embrace us, and carry us when we fall. I pray that you’ll experience this week.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Why is it important for us to control our thought-life? How does our thinking relate to our living? Read verse 8. Paul commands us to think about whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. What are some practical ways to implement this command in our daily thought-life?
2) How do modern distractions, such as excessive use of smartphones or social media, impact your ability to focus on what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable? How can you mitigate these distractions?
3) Read verse 9. Why is it important to not just know the truth but also to live it out? How have you seen the power of the gospel displayed through your actions?
4) When facing trials, how do you ensure that you continue to obey God's word and not use your pain as an excuse to sin? What strategies help you stay grounded in faith during tough times?
5) Do you have a living example of faith that you follow? How has this person influenced your spiritual growth? Conversely, how can you be a living example for others?