Fine-Tuning the Believers Attitude

10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. 15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen. 21 Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. 22 And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household. 23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

INTRODUCTION:

Sometimes the circumstances of life may be difficult. Living above the circumstances can sometimes be a challenge. In order for you and I as believers in Jesus Christ to live above our circumstances, sometimes we need for the Lord to find tune our attitudes.

Our text describes three ways in which the Lord must sometimes fine-tune the believers attitude.

I- THANKFULNESS FOR THE CARE AND CONCERN EXPRESSED BY OTHERS. (Philippians 4:10)

Philippians 4:10 NLT

10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me.

The ability to live consistently above your circumstances must begin with a thankful heart. Notice some key elements expressed by Paul.

A- Paul is thankful for the gifts sent by the Philippian believers.

1- Paul was thankful and filled with joy for the Philippians, who had been used by God to supply For the material needs in his life.

2- Paul recognized that God was ultimately the supplier of his needs – God had used the Philippians to bless Paul.

3- As Christ followers, you and I must resist the temptation to succumb to Satan’s trap of worry.

a- God loves us and will always take care of our needs.

b- We need not fret, God is with us in every situation.

B- Paul is thankful for the love and concern behind the gifts given by the Philippians.

1- Paul knew that the gifts that were given was motivated by love and concern for him.

a- We should always be thankful to the people that God uses to bless us.

b- We should always recognize the love and concern behind the gifts that are given and recognize that God’s love is also behind them.

2- The true blessing seems to have been that Paul had not heard from the Philippians in some time.

a- Paul used an unusual phrase in the original language to express his feelings concerning the renewed expressions of love from the Philippians. He writes “ὅτι ἤδη ποτὲ ἀνεθάλετε τὸ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ φρονεῖν.” (Your concern for me has bloomed again.)

3- The next phrase indicates that Paul recognized that the delayed gift was not actually a result of a lack of concern on their part.

a- The text does not tell us the reasons behind the delayed gift to Paul, but does demonstrate that Paul was thankful for the gift and the concern behind it – he was not condemning them for the delay.

4- We must never take a seeming delay as failure on the part of God.

a- God is not on our timetable. He knows exactly what he is going to do and when he is going to do it.

In John 11, Jesus delayed his trip to Bethany. When he arrived at the home of Mary and Martha, some in attendance suggested that Jesus had failed in taking care of Lazarus. Jesus had not failed, he had arrived with a plan that was beyond all human understanding. His plan was not physical healing – it was resurrection from the dead!

5- Just as God moved to Philippians to give at the right time, we must trust him to work on our behalf when the time is right.

II- CONTENTMENT WITH THE BLESSINGS OF GOD. (Philippians 4:11 – 13)

Philippians 4:11–13 NLT

11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

A- Paul had learned the secret of contentment with varying levels of blessings from God.(Philippians 4:11 – 12)

Philippians 4:11–12 NLT

1- Two things helped Paul to keep his focus in all situations:

a- Paul recognized that he did not deserve any of God’s blessings.

b- God was in control of his circumstances.

2- Sometimes our affluence in America obstructs our ability to see God’s blessings in everyday life.

a- We become tempted to view our lives through lenses of entitlement.

b- We fail to understand that we do not deserve any of the blessings that we receive – our own sin and rebellion means that we should be crying for mercy, not for justice.

B- Paul had learned that his power and sufficiency for every task comes from Christ. (Philippians 4:13)

Philippians 4:13 NLT

13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

1- Through life’s circumstances, Paul had learned that whatever the task God directs, God will empower.

2- God enables the believer to do what ever he is called upon to do.

Paul had testified of Christ in synagogues.

Paula testified of Christ in marketplaces.

Paul had testified of Christ to philosophers.

Paula testified of Christ to kings and rulers.

Paul had testified of Christ to the Roman guards to which he was shackled.

Christ gave him the strength to meet every circumstance.

III- ENCOURAGEMENT FOR OTHERS IN FOLLOWING CHRIST. (Philippians 4:14 – 20)

A- Paul expressed encouraging words to the Philippian believers for their faithfulness. (Philippians 4:14 – 16)

Philippians 4:14–16 NLT

14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty. 15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once.

1- He expressed encouragement to them for their present faithfulness.

2- He expressed encouragement to them for their past faithfulness.

3- One of the best ways to encourage believers to continue walking with Christ is to remind them of his faithfulness in the past.

B- Paul encouraged the Philippian believers to continue in their faithfulness, knowing that God gave them shared credit for Paul’s work. (Philippians 4:17 – 18)

Philippians 4:17–18 NLT

17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. 18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.

1- Faithful support of God’s work (done in the right spirit) places the believer in the position of being a co-laborer with Christ and the one supported.

2- The faithful, sacrificial giving of God’s people that aids the advancement of Christ’s mission is a pleasing sacrifice to God.

3- It is necessary for the message of Christ to be preached – if they are to be saved. Without a messenger the message cannot be delivered. In some instances messengers must be sent to deliver the message. Part of that sending involves praying and giving. ( Romans 10:14 – 17)

Romans 10:14–17 NLT

14 But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” 16 But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.

C- Paul encouraged the Philippians to continue in faithfulness to the God who will supply all of their needs. (Philippians 4:19 – 20)

Philippians 4:19–20 NLT

19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. 20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

1- Paul testified that it was God who took care of all of his needs.

2- The same God who supplied Paul’s needs would take care of the Philippians.

3- God’s resources are inexhaustible!

CONCLUSION:

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