Attitude Matters!

“Attitude Matters!” - Philippians 1:3-6

May 12th, 2024 (Emmanuel Baptist Church, Fundamental Baptist Church?)

Introduction

Use two glasses of water filled halfway as an illustration!!

Illustration: Glass half-full vs. Glass half-empty

The truth is that our attitudes have the power to completely change the way we see and do things. A positive attitude allows us to see the blessings of even the grim circumstances of life.

This was the case for Paul, the fact he was in prison for unjust reasons could’ve made him bitter, unhappy, negative. But Paul was a “Glass half-full” kind of person and so he writes a thank you letter to the Philippians while he’s in prison. In this he tells them how thankful he is for them and how he is praying for them. God would have us to be like Paul because the fact is that our heart attitude drastically changes the way we pray for others. It is crucial that we have a “glass half-full” attitude in our prayer life.

(Open in prayer)

I. A Thankful Heart - Verse. 3

Throughout his missionary journeys, Paul endured some difficult seasons of ministry, in Acts 16 we’re given just a glimpse of the suffering he went through.

· Seized and arrested after casting out the unclean spirit - Verse 19

· Multitudes rallied against Paul and Silas - Verse 22

· Beaten with rods - Verse 22b-23a

· Thrown in prison (Feet fastened in stocks) - Verse 23b

That’s a rotten experience with Philippi, isn’t it? If you or I were treated that way in a city like Philippi, we wouldn't want anything to do with that place! Yet that’s not how Paul sees it. Despite the terrible treatment he was given by the unbelievers in Philippi, he writes a encouraging letter to the believers in town, telling them how he’s praying for them and rejoicing for them. How could that be?! How could someone be so grateful for people who lived in a city that treated him like garbage? It was his attitude towards them.

And so to start off this bright and encouraging epistle to the Philippians, Paul opens up in the first few verses sharing how he is praying for them. My desire today is that we find the answer to one question; what’s your secret Paul? Paul was so grateful against all odds because of his heart attitude towards his brothers in Christ.

Paul’s first secret that shaped his prayer life was his attitude of thankfulness.

A. Thankful Always - v. 3a

Philippians 1:3

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

When it comes to being thankful, there’s no time like the present, Paul says, “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you[.]” At its core, thankfulness is the action of expressing our gratitude for someone or something to God. It’s an expression of gratefulness pointed up to God. The word is eucharisteo, where we get the word eucharist. Giving thanks is essentially an expression of giving grace to God. Before we eat each meal, what do we do? We say grace. In thanking the Lord, saying grace, we are recognizing God’s grace that has been shown to us in providing for us, and we return thanks to Him.

And so this giving of thanks was directed to God, and it was for “every remembrance of you”. Paul thought of his fellow brothers and sisters, and his heart was filled with grace and gladness. This is an attitude that ruled Paul’s heart all the time as he prayed for the believers. “every remembrance of you” Anytime the church was mentioned, or any time that Paul remembered them as he was in prayer, thanksgiving filled his heart and was poured out in prayer to God. This is amazing, because it had been 10 years since the last time that Paul had ministered among the Philippians, yet his heart was filled with an attitude of thanksgiving every time he thought of them.

B. Thankful For Compassionate Believers - v. 3b

This thankfulness that was in Paul’s heart and prayers for the Philippians were not without reason though. Thankfulness came because of every remembrance of them. Now what is that remembrance? He remembered the love and the care that the Philippians showed to Paul.

· Paul in prison

· Church sent Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25)

· Service to Paul (Phil. 2:29-30)

What a blessing this is to a believer in distress. Like Paul, we go through difficult circumstances for the sake of the Gospel. And its in those times that we need our brethren the most. When our trials seem this big (Make big action) and our hope of escape is this small (Make small action). A helping hand is the sweetest when we need it the most. When finances are running low, and a brother in Christ felt led to give you just the right amount of money. When you are having a hard day, and someone tells you they are praying for you. How refreshing this is! Paul was in the lowest of lows according to the world’s standards; the comforts of life were ripped out of his hands. But the Philippians pulled through and helped him in time of need.

Philippians 1:7

Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace.

“You were with me for the gospel in thick and thin! And for that reason I am so grateful for you! I thank God for your grace and compassion!”

Can’t we think of our own brothers and sisters today who were there for us? Through thick and thin, God provided a brother at the perfect timing. Looking back, I can think of multiple times believers. In times when I struggled through trials, they were there to pat me on the back and tell me they were praying for me. They’d would share me a Bible verse, reminding me of God’s love and care. I think of all the times Christians have ministered to me and to others, and I thank God for that. Just like Paul, my heart is filled with gratefulness for their loving care and grace.

Can you think of something you are grateful for from your brothers and sisters in Christ? When God uses others to minister to us, the natural Spirit-filled response is to give thanks to the Lord!

II. A Joyful Heart - Verse. 4-5

Thankfulness is what dominated Paul’s heart attitude when he though of his dear brothers and sisters in Christ in prayer. That was his first secret, but he wouldn’t have a “glass half-full” attitude in prayer without joy.

Philippians 1:4

Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

A. Joyful Always - v. 4

Like thankfulness, there’s no better time like the present to be joyful. Paul was “always” joyful when he came to the throne of grace on behalf of the Philippians. Every occasion he had, requests to the Lord poured out of Paul’s heart with a savor of great joy. What a selfless prayer this was! His joyful prayers didn’t depend on his circumstances. He’s not saying that we can be joyful when everything is going our way. If Paul’s secret to a healthy prayer life was to pray when you are feeling happy, we would hardly ever be praying for other people! Happiness is just a feeling, it is something that we feel based on the experiences that we have. But joy transcends our present experiences. Joy is the thing that remains when all else has left. Why? Joy is enduring because it is something that is happening inside of us.

Psalm 1 (Read vs. 1-3) Why is it that this tree brings forth fruit? Why don’t its leaves wither away when the sun beats down on it? Because it is “Planted by the rivers of water” Its roots are nourished by the rivers of water, so whatever may beat at the tree from the outside can’t affected. When we find our delight in the Lord and in the Word of God, we are just like that tree that is planted by the rivers of water. The sun may be beating down on us, the wind may be howling against our branches. But we’re doing just fine! That’s why Paul wasn’t depressed while in prison. He wasn’t bitter against those who locked him up. They may have taken his happiness, but they can’t touch his joy. True, lasting, enduring joy comes to us because we are secure in Christ. I’m good with God! I’m free from my sin, so what is prison to me?

“Though my body is held in shackles, Christ has set my spirit free!”

If we’re secure in Christ, born of the Spirit, made the children of God, accepted in the beloved, given the righteousness of Christ and forever loved by God Almighty, do you think prison bars can take away that joy? It has no chance!! And so like Paul we can enter into joyful prayer for our brethren even when things are rough. We are to always be in joyful prayer, there’s no time when we have an excuse to not be joyful.

B. Joyful For Partnership - v. 5

What caused Paul’s heart to rise up to the throne of grace full of joy for his fellow believers is found in verse 5

Philippians 1:5

For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

What a privilege we have as believers in Jesus. The tie that binds us together is the eternal Gospel of God. Many things bring people together. Common interests like sports bring people together.

Illustration: Winnipeg Jets “Whiteout night”

It’s an amazing sight to see all of those fans united together to cheer on for their team. But how much more does the Gospel unite us together! We share in common the power of God unto salvation. We are united around the message that is the power of God unto salvation. How great is our bond! What great rejoicing this causes in my heart, that you and I have been brought together because we have experienced the riches of the grace of God in the Gospel. There’s no greater bond known to man. People from all over the world gather together even here this morning because Jesus died on a cross. We are the ambassadors of God who have been given the privilege to endeavor in the ministry of reconciliation. What great unity we have because of the Gospel!

If you haven’t yet believed in Jesus to forgive you from your sins, then I’m afraid that you are not a partaker with us of the glories of the Gospel. You haven’t yet understood the great price that Jesus paid to save your soul from your sins and hell.

1 Peter 2:24

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

If you would only believe in what Jesus has done for you, you would be given the greatest privilege the world can afford! You would become a child of God and a representative of Jesus Christ if you came to Him. So trust Him!

The Philippians trusted Him, and they reaped the blessing of having fellowship in the Gospel with Paul. From the first day since they were saved on to the present day that Paul wrote to them, the Philippians joined Paul in the ministry of the Gospel. This was cause for great joy. When he remembered the history of the church, Paul’s heart burst with joy and gladness. Believers in the church had placed their faith in Christ, and they remained faithful, proclaiming the Gospel and partnering with Paul in spite of the opposition they faced. How exhilarating!

I can’t express how much of a blessing it has been to be your partner in the Gospel. We share the message that saves the souls of people who will last forever. We have bonded over the greatest message ever told. What then is our response to be in prayer? Rejoice! Thank the Lord for the partnership we have with fellow believers. Pray for the ministry of the Gospel; that wherever we are, and wherever others may be, that the Gospel would be spread forth through the whole world.

III. A Confident Heart - Verse. 6

The final piece of the puzzle when it comes to a “glass half-full” attitude in prayer is a confident heart.

A. Confident in God

God is the One in whom we place our confidence in. Paul says,

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

It’s not Paul who has begun the good work, nor is it the believer who starts the good work, it is “He” who starts that Good work. God is the One who has begun the work in us. Paul was absolutely persuaded that God would finish the work that He started. That word “confident” is in the perfect tense, which means that in Paul’s eyes, whatever work that God started, it was a settled matter that He would finish the work too. His prayers were jam-packed with confidence!

Unlike us, when God starts a work, you can rest assured that He will finish that task.

Illustration: January 1st gym commitments

B. Confident in God’s Work

And that work which God has begun is the lifelong work of sanctification. It had all started at the point of salvation when we become partakers with one another in the Gospel (Verse 5b). But the work doesn’t end right when we get saved, God has got a plan for every one of us. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us how we have been saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, but it doesn’t stop there. Verse 10 says that

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

God is at work creating a people for His name who will go out into the world by faith to tell of the Savior of the world.

Like Paul we can have full confidence that God will continue this work. When we pray for God’s will to be done through His work, we can be fully confident that He will do exactly that. We are confident because God has promised that He will finish the work, all of this stands on the character of God. You know your God, haven’t you seen Him prove Himself faithful? Hasn’t He proved Himself to be fully true all the time? He surely has! And we can bank on the fact that God will always finish what He has promised to finish.

How helpful this is to our own prayer life! When we pray for God to keep working in the lives of our fellow believers, we know 100% sure that God will answer that prayer request. So we can come boldly to the throne of God, knowing that our prayers will not be in vain! God is completely reliable, so be confident in His character when you come to Him.

That means that I can be fully confident that God will keep working in your lives. God is still working at Fundamental Baptist Church, whether or not I am here. God is still working in your life even in Pastor Boss or Pastor Andy leave! I’m confident that in 5 years from now, (if not, God will be drawing you back) you’ll still be praising Jesus, wherever that may be. I’m confident that next month, God’s Word is going to be opened, and it will be faithfully preached. I am confident of all of this because God has promised that He will finish the work that He has started in you!

Conclusion

I intend on praying for you this same way that Paul has. How helpful would it be if we would learn these few secrets Paul has to his prayer life! If we were to see life with our glass half-full, we would be a people that pray in thankfulness for others. Thankful for God’s grace in their lives, thankful for the blessings He has given to them and to us. We would be a people that pray with all joy. Rejoicing in every opportunity that we get. No matter what our circumstances may be, we rejoice because of the relationship we have with God and His people. And finally, we would be a people that pray with great confidence; knowing that God will always finish what He has started because He has promised to do so. After all, our attitude really does change everything. May it be that we would be a people who pray with a positive attitude.