Since Paul’s letter to the Christians in Philippi is filled with calls to “rejoice in the Lord” (3:1) while Paul himself was in prison (1:7, 13-14, 17), we are meditating on just what Paul tells us to do to live a “defiant joy.” Meditate with me on chapter 3…
Don’t put confidence in the flesh. We make plans. We have our strengths. We have our expectations. But they can easily come crashing down and then we realize that man proposes and God disposes. Don’t put confidence in the flesh. Trust in God.
View everything else as garbage compared to having a relationship with Christ. Paul had it all when he was living as a Jew. In fact, he was even righteous under the Law of Moses, but he would rather be righteous living by faith in Jesus Christ! Since Christ has risen from the dead, everything else is garbage (comparatively speaking).
Remind yourself of the righteousness you have in Christ. Your sins are forgiven. What else is there to be concerned about?
Know Him. Develop your relationship with Jesus. Read the Gospel accounts regularly. Meditate on them. Read the broader message from God, both the Old and New Testaments. Worship Him often.
Meditate on the power of His (and your) resurrection. The next time you preside over the Lord’s Table, share what the resurrection means to you.
Be satisfied with the fellowship of His sufferings. Paul was glad to share in Christ’s sufferings to bring the Gospel into the heart and mind of others because he knew that was the only way others could be saved. If we are worthy to suffer because we are teaching and / or defending the Gospel, then that is a good thing!
Acknowledge that you have not obtained perfection yet! Cut yourself some slack. This is not to ignore sin or to tolerate it, but you are human. You will not live up to your own view of perfection, much less Christ’s.
Stay focused on reaching the goal! But don’t let the world distract you from your goal of sharing in Christ, the resurrection, and the hope of heaven. Allow heaven to always stay in the center of your heart, your life, and your decisions.
Live by Christ’s standard. He is the standard. We will answer to Christ for living Christ’s teachings. That is all.
Eagerly wait for the Savior! He is coming back and He will change this body of our humiliation and conform it to the body of His glory. Can you imagine how that will feel?
Paul Holland
