Click Here to Read Philippians 1:19-30

“No matter what, I will continue to hope and passionately cling to Christ, so that he will be openly revealed through me before everyone’s eyes.  So I will not be ashamed!  In my life or in my death, Christ will be magnified in me.” (Phil. 1:20 TPT).

Throughout this entire first chapter of Philippians Paul has made one point very clear to me.  As far as he was concerned, he existed for no other reason but to glorify Christ.  Throughout his life from the point of his conversion until his death, he was determined to live in such a way that Jesus was represented with the utmost honor and reverence.  In thinking about Paul’s life and all that he endured as he traveled and preached, I saw that there was really only one way for him to accomplish this.  He had to lay his own life down and pick up the life of Christ and choose every day to live that out instead.  This has really been a challenge for me to even understand, but I have to admit that I believe it is what we are all called to do when we make the decision to follow Jesus.

Let us recall the rich man who encountered Jesus and asked, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16-22 NKJV).  After reviewing the commandments and claiming to have kept all of these his whole life Jesus answered the man with this: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matt. 19:21 NKJV).  At this the scripture goes on to say that the young man went away sorrowful because his possessions were great.  What Jesus was doing here was revealing that the true desire of the man’s heart was for worldly possessions and wealth and until he laid it down, it would remain a barrier between him and God, and all that God wanted to give him.

What I’m learning from Paul is that there were times in his life that he enjoyed great abundance and times when he endured great suffering.  Yet, he never changed.  In his letters he always remained joyful, encouraging, strong, positive, grateful, compassionate, and above all, loving.  He was not tied to anything this world could offer.  His life had one purpose: reveal Jesus.  In all that he did, in all that he said, in all that he thought, believed, and clung to; reveal Jesus.  He lived to display Christ until the time when he would die and gain Christ in his fullness, he didn’t even know whether he would prefer to live or die!  “So here’s my dilemma: Each day I live means bearing more fruit in my ministry; yet I fervently long to be liberated from this body and joined fully to Christ. That would suit me fine, but the greatest advantage to you would be that I remain alive.  So you can see why I’m torn between the two—I don’t know which I prefer.” (Phil. 1:22-24 TPT).

I have to be honest, when reading through this first chapter and reflecting on my own life circumstances I couldn’t help but notice all of the “I want”, “I need”, “I feel”, “I deserve” …etc. going through my mind.  I spend a lot of time focusing on what I want out of life and not enough time focusing on what Jesus wants out of my life.  Going back to Galatians 2:20 “it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me…” I felt like I couldn’t honestly say that my life belongs to Jesus.  I haven’t quite accomplished laying down my life and all that I desire of this world.  Worse, I haven’t fully grasped that part of the purpose of laying down my life is to free me up to serve others, accommodating their needs and desires.  After all, that is what it means to love and care for others above ourselves.  Saying it and knowing it in our minds is one thing but when we have an opportunity to practice it and we choose instead to follow what pleases “me” then it hasn’t really taken root in our hearts.

This is not easy, but this is what dying to the flesh is really all about.  And it isn’t to say that God doesn’t want us to be happy and have pleasures and things that we want in life.  But to what degree do those things matter to us?  Do we let those things govern our lives, our choices, our capacity to give and love?  Do we depend on those things for our joy and contentment?  I’m starting to understand that everything I have God has allowed me to have.  And it should all in some way testify of His goodness.  But if it becomes an idol to me, then it doesn’t testify of God at all.  If I’m not willing to give or even share something He gave to me with someone who doesn’t know Him, then I have essentially stopped the flow of His goodness.  Nothing I have belongs to be, not even my life.  It all belongs to Him; I am a steward of everything He gives me for a temporary time.  And if I hoard it selfishly, I’m no different than the man who took his mina and hid it away (Luke 19:11-27 NKJV).  Wow. And if I put all my joy, comfort, and fulfillment in things of this world then what happens if it gets taken from me?  If I lost everything I had, would I still declare Him worthy of all praise and honor?  Would my attitude and actions reflect that He is still my God, and that Jesus alone is all I need for joy to exist in me?

The book of Hebrews talks about the Word of God being sharper than any two-edged sword that even divides between the joints and the marrow (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV).  Meaning, that it is able to determine in us what is of the soul and what is of the spirit because we can’t always see it.  I’m discovering just how true that is as I’m going through this Bible study and simultaneously experiencing unexpected circumstances that are revealing to me just where my limitations of surrender lay.  I consider it to be the mercy of God to show us things like that because He always calls us to live higher.  Revealing things like this to us gives us the opportunity to open up our hearts to Him with a willingness to change.  See, God doesn’t just change us, he wants us to want to be changed.  We have to finally come into agreement that His will, His way, and His plan is better no matter what we may have to go through or give up.  And let us not forget that He is the one who changes us.  We just have to surrender.  And if our heart truly is surrendered, then He will always carry us through in His strength, His wisdom, His joy, and His hope.  As long as we are willing, He will take us the rest of the way. 

Let’s pray.

Father, you are so merciful to us.  Your patience with us is unfathomable at times.  We are so grateful for your Word that gives us guidance and truth.  We are so thankful for your Spirit who continuously changes and shapes us throughout our life, making us into the image of Christ.  As we reflect on our own lives, we ask that you would reveal to us any area that we have not fully surrendered over to you.  Show us anything in our lives that we have placed higher than you and give us the courage and the strength to lay it down.  We open our hearts to you and ask that you cleanse us completely of selfish, prideful, or rebellious ways that we may be filled up with compassion, joy, and love.  We make the choice now not to allow our soul to reign over us but to allow your Spirit to reign over us.  In this way we can be sure that our will is always aligned with your will.  Father, may your will be done in us this day, and may this be our choice every day.  In Jesus name we pray, amen.