I was reading Philippians today. My eyes landed on the first verse of chapter four.
"My brothers and sisters, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord’s strength."
My heart was sad because of the announcement of a close friend of mine that he was going to abandon his Christian faith in favor of a cult.
When I heard the news I was shocked because I had the privilege of leading him to the Lord and walking with him in much of his early spiritual formation. This dear friend has a mighty touch of God on his life--following his conversion, the Lord used him to reach people in some incredible ways. Hundreds of lives have been touched for Jesus through his unassuming presence. He has faithfully served in his local church for years. Truthfully, I admired him as someone who burned with a desire to see people know Christ.
Sin slipped in not so long ago. Confusion followed. Condemnation from the enemy soon clobbered him. Christians threw stones instead of love. This lead to a wound of toxicity in his soul producing bitterness and the lies of darkness in his heart. Unfortunately, he has decided to believe these lies of the enemy, at least for the time being. I'm fervently praying that Jesus would grip his heart again and draw him back.
As I read this verse this, I thought about the importance of standing firm. It is essential! What really shook me about my friend's announcement is that it seemed to come out of no where. I had previously thought that he was in a pretty stable place spiritually. I didn't realize what he was walking through as we have been disconnected for several months now. As I dialogued with him I realized that this wasn't some instantaneous development that came out of nowhere. Rather, this decision is the result of a gradual atrophy in several key areas. He has been teetering for a while; my interaction with him was just the moment that he decided to give up standing.
Paul's words shook me. He knew that believers often start well. This is often connected with lots of hype and emotion. No problem there. The challenge is finishing well too. All athletes start a race at the same place. What determines the winner is the rest of course. In other words, in between initiating and completing is a time gap full of the complexities of life. It is here that we win or lose the battles of our soul. I think this is the essence of what Paul is trying to communicate in this verse. Our relationship with Christ is won or lost on this question--are we standing firm in the Lord's strength? Paul knew this was essential so he wrote the newly founded church in Philippi with an action plan for standing firm in the faith.
I would like to share some thoughts on how to stand firm in the faith. It is not necessarily easy, but it is possible. And with God's help we can go the distance in our walk with Christ. Remember it's not how you start that matters, but how well you finish. My heart cries for people in my generation abandoning their faith at the first sign of trouble or a difficult time. They are spiritual casualties of the enemy's warfare in the 21st century. There is a different way. You don't have to falter in your faith half-way to the finish line. You can stand firm to the end no matter what hell throws your way--be it deception, condemnation, temptation, fear, oppression, rejection, infirmity, insecurity, lack, or doubt, etc..
Here's some ideas on how to remain firm in the Lord:
1) Phil 3:1 "Learn to rejoice": This seems to be a theme of the book. Paul is writing from a prison cell somewhere underneath Caesar's palace. His advice is learn to rejoice. I like to think of rejoicing as the ability to find joy in Jesus no matter what situation of life you are going through. We all know there are going to be tough times. This is part of the human experience. What distinguishes human beings who know Jesus and human beings who don't know Jesus is their joy. Don't confuse this with happiness. Happiness is base on current circumstances and situations. If things are good and going my way, then I can be happy; but when things are ugly and difficult then I'm not happy. True joy, rejoicing, is the freedom to move away from the shallowness of American culture and find joy in Jesus no matter what life is throwing at us. Yes, it is definitely easier said than done. The good news though is that Jesus delights in sharing His joy with us even when we feel like we are at the end of our personal capacity to experience joy. On multiple occasions I have been so discouraged and depressed that I wanted to give up on life.
As I made the mental shift to focus on Jesus instead of the situation my perspective changed. I saw things in a new light and found reasons to praise instead of complain. This caused my heart to thank God instead of accuse Him. Gratitude quickly produces hope that He has been faithful in the past and will be faithful in the future. Soon joy returned back to my heart because I knew God was bigger than my situation. The funny thing is that all of this took place without anything externally changing. This is the power of finding our joy in Him! Situations come and go, but He remains full of goodness and grace. Train your heart to focus on His character and nature. Discipline your mind not to "go there" as it relates to the negativity and "what ifs" of difficult situations. And finally, learn how to praise Him. For me this is most often with music and song. People say I like to sing a lot. My only response is because I can't afford not to. It is my way of focusing on Jesus and finding joy in the midst of trouble. Joy in Jesus will keep you standing firm. Always remember that in His Presence is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11)
2) Phil 3:2 "Find godly leaders and models": This is a key idea in learning to stand to firm. Paul warns the believers to stay away from people that sound really convincing spiritually, but are teaching false doctrine. A model is a pattern that a person chooses to follow. So a good model is someone who has been where you are and can help you get where you want to go. A few verses later in verse 17, Paul encourages these believers to follow his example as well as those who are implementing the model that he left behind. Good advice. People who stand firm in the Lord's strength are people who have surrounded themselves with godly role models. These are people who have a prove track record in the Lord. People who have a consistent walk with Jesus and base their lives on His Word. What makes someone a solid role model/leader? I believe it boils down to one word--obedience. They have learned to implement the truths of God's word in their daily life. This is so important as it is all too easy become fake in our spirituality. I know many people who know the right lingo, but have glaring issues in their lifestyle. The problem is that they haven't implemented the Word.
I will never forget a speaker in chapel while at university making this statement: "Show me your five closest friends and I will show you who you will be in five years." Look for life-giving, Jesus-based friendships. These are the kind where you want to invest time and energy. Monitor your spiritual intake closely. Where are you getting your spiritual nourishment? Is it based on the unchanging truth of God's Word? What is the caliber of this/these person/people's life? Are they practicing what they are preaching? Do they ever challenge or rebuke you? If not, it's doubtful that they are really preaching the truth at all. Remember this general rule of thumb: "Spiritually speaking you will become like the person you are allowing to speak into your life." If you want to stand firm, you are going to need people around you that inspire you, model authentic spirituality for you, challenge you to keep growing, and encourage you not to quit.
One final lesson I've learned on this point. If you are currently lacking in this department, ask God to bring the right people into your life. I will never forget praying along these lines while in university. I was desperately lonely and felt my need for godly models. Within 6 months God brought 7 young men into my life who are still some of my best friends today. Additionally, he connected me to several great pastors in the Tulsa area who nourished my soul. God is faithful. He wants you to stand firm. He wants you to have vibrant models and friendships in your life. Ask Him!
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