Spiritual Stability through Joyfulness

Spiritual Stability through Joyfulness

Philippians 4:4-5

God expects his children to be spiritually stable. Notice what verse one says, “Stand firm in the Lord.” That is a command for spiritual stability. The Greek word “stekete” is the word translated “stand firm.” It is a military term that means to “stand your ground” or “stand your post in battle.” It has the idea of being unwavering and uncompromising. God is commanding his people to have an unwavering commitment to the Lord.

Spiritual stability begins with commitment. When commitment is lacking, compromise abounds. Unfortunately, compromise characterizes many Christians. They have been allured by the lust of the flesh, world, and culture. Christians are committed, but committed to the wrong things. We need to be committed to the Lord.

Christians must achieve spiritual stability through joyfulness

In verse four Christians are commanded, “Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I will say rejoice!”

One of the themes that runs throughout this letter to the Philippians is joy, and it should be the theme that runs throughout the Christian experience.

Joy is a virtue that finds its source in the Spirit of God.

Joy is a necessity when it comes to spiritual stability. It is a necessity for Christian living.

I believe that is why Paul put the command to rejoice after the command to stand firm in the Lord.

It is also the reason that this is not the first time he commanded the church to rejoice. In verse one of chapter three he writes, “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.”

Paul amplifies the second command, “Rejoice in the Lord always.”

Joyfulness is something we strive for and can experience always.

Now, some might think that experiencing joyfulness always is a bit unrealistic. But is it? Let’s look at the life of Paul for a moment.

Notice the situations where Paul experiencing joy in this letter.

There are numerous other examples from the life of Paul of experiences, uncomfortable experiences, where he was able to rejoice in them.

So for the person who says, “Paul you are being unrealistic about this joy stuff.” Paul would say, “and again I will say rejoice!”

Paul faces so many unstable experiences in his life, and the only way he could stay spiritually stable in the midst of them was to learn this principle of joyfulness.

It is easy to rejoice on the mountaintops, but God also calls us to rejoice in the valleys. As one person has said, “Rejoice anyhow.”

The secret to rejoicing is not found in our circumstances. Our circumstances can be down right discouraging. Life is hard, and difficulties seem to lurk around every turn in our journey. So how one rejoice anyhow?

The secret is found in what comes after the command to rejoice. Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” The only way we can experience joyfulness continually is by being united to Christ through faith.

Believers can rejoice no matter what the circumstances because we are in Christ. In Christ we have been justified before God, and therefore, we have peace with God. We can rejoice because we are eternally forgiven and loved by God. We can rejoice because in Christ God is working all things for the good. We can rejoice in spite of our failures and faults. We can rejoice because God can use them for his glory.

There is another reason we can rejoice always in this passage. In found in the last part of verse five where Paul says, “The Lord is near” or “The Lord is at hand.”

It belongs with verses five and six, but I also believe it belongs with verse four.

We can rejoice no matter what the circumstances because the Lord is always with us, he will never leave us nor forsake us.

We can also rejoice know that the Lord’s return is near and one day all our suffering and tribulations will gone. Weeping may last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.

Ten years before Paul wrote this letter to the Philippian church, he was in a jail located in Philippi. Acts chapter sixteen tells us that Paul and Silas were both thrown into a Philippian jail because of their faith in Jesus. Instead of complaining about their situation, the book of Acts tells us that Paul and Silas were praying, rejoicing, and singing at midnight. Paul practiced what he preached.

I have counseled people before who have no joy in their lives. I always ask those seeking counsel about joylessness, “Are you saved?” If they say yes, then I ask “Do you know the Lord?” If they say yes, I ask, “Are you washed in the blood? If they say yes to that, I then ask “Are you glad for that? Child of God, if these things are true and they are for the believer, these truths are enough to make us rejoice. Christains can and should rejoice, but many don’t. Why? I believe that there are two hindrances to the experiences of joyfulness.

Two hindrances to experiencingjoyfulness

The first hindrance is the tension between activity and passivity.

The tension between activity and passivity

On one hand we are commanded to rejoice, yet on the other we are told that joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Some might see a contradiction is this. Paul dispels the contradiction in chapter two when he tells us to work out our salvation with fear and trembling because it is God working in us to will and act according to his good pleasure. We need to remember that the book of Galatians commands believers to walk in the Spirit.

Here is how it works. As we put the commands into practice, that is, as we obey the commands, the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested in our activity. It is not activity verses passivity, but both. Just start rejoicing and the fruit of joy will be manifested in your life.

A second hindrance to joyfulness is not being in right relationship with the Lord.

Not being in a right relationship with the Lord

Believers who are not in right relationship with the Lord are those who neglect have failed to maintain their relationship with Christ. When there is sin in your life you will not experience the joy of the Lord. Therefore, believers must maintain their relationship with the Lord through commitment, obedience, reading and meditating on the word of God, and prayer. Ironically, these are all mentioned in the fourth chapter.

Of course the issue for some is not maintaining a right relationship, but establishing a right relationship. You can’t have the joy of salvation until you have salvation. For some you can’t rejoice always because you are not in the Lord. The second precept to be obeyed is found in verse five.

Christians must achieve spiritual stability through gentleness.

Christians must achieve spiritual stability through gentleness

Philippians 4:5

This command is closely connected with the previous one for joyfulness. One cannot maintain a joyfulness is one does not express a gentle spirit towards others. You could say that gentleness is the action of joyfulness.

This command in verse five is much harder than the command to rejoice in verse four.

When it comes to rejoicing, all we have to do is look to the Lord and his beauty and experience joy.

It is much easier to contemplate the riches of God’s grace and rejoice than it is to be gently towards people who have wronged you are irritated you.

What exactly does Paul mean when he speaks of a gentle spirit? T

The word can also be translated “forbearance,” winsomeness,” or “sweet reasonableness.’

Paul is not talking about a temperament that can be found in the natural. He is not talking about a disposition that will compromise for the sake of peace.

When Paul speaks of a “gentle spirit” he is referring to one’s ability to have self-control, self-mastery, and self-control over our spirit and activity.

Let me help you understand it by giving you some examples of it in the realm of relationships inside and outside the church.

A gentle spirit is a spirit that does not wantits own way in every situation.

A gentle spirit is a spirit that knows what is important and what is not.

A gentle spirit is a spirit that is willing to take less than what is due for the sake of Christ and others.

It is a gentle spirit that enables you to deal with irritating and difficult people.

In fact, a gentle spirit will go as far as making excusses for those who are difficult and irritating. It may sound something like this, “Can you imagine what they would be like without Jesus.” Or “They are going through a difficult time right now.”

Paul qualifies this command by saying that our gentle spirit needs to be made to all men, not just those inside the church.

This is difficult when you know you are right.

This is hard when you have been wronged. But when we do let our gentle spirit be known to all men we are acting like Jesus.

Paul doesn’t leaving wondering how to fulfill this command. We are able to rejoice always because we are in the Lord. Likewise, we are able to let our gentle spirit be know to all men because we are in the Lord.

Furthermore, we are able to let our gentle spirit known to all men because the “Lord is near.” This means that wherever we are Jesus is with us, but it also means that Christ’s return is at hand.

As believers we live as pilgrims and aliens in this word with our sight on another kingdom, one that will be consummated at the return of Christ. When we live with Christ’s return our sights we don’t have to demand our own rights this side of heaven. What is seventy or eighty years compared to eternity?

We can let our gentle spirit known to all men because we know that the return of the righteous judge is near, and when he returns he will judge.

If Christ is the judge, then that means we are not. It also means that we will be judged as well. Therefore, God will bring about retribution. We can entrust ourselves to God even in the midst of trying and difficult times knowing that our current suffering does not compare to our future glory.

Jesus Christ is closer than our breath, and he is returning soon! Think of it and rejoice! Think of it and be gentle!

The key to experiencing this type of stability is found in these words, “in the Lord.” Spiritual stability begins with a relationship with the Lord. Will you trust Jesus?