Live in Full Courage
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Moses, the leader of Israel, has died.
His deputy, Joshua, is now talked to lead the people of God into the Promised Land.
God gives Joshua a word that will encourage him to stay the course and fulfil God’s plan.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Just like Joshua, God has called us to fulfill His plan to reach people for Jesus Christ.
There are several critical components to fulfilling God’s plan for you.
Know that God is with you!
Do not allow fear to prevent you from filling God’s plan for your life.
Embrace Christlikeness (life your life by following Jesus’ example.
Obey God.
How is it possible to do all this?
Philippians 1:18.
Text
18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
Transition
Point 1
Surround Yourself with Praying People.
Surround Yourself with Praying People.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.
9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.
10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
Prayer matters!
Prayer is the necessary and essential activity to serve God effectively.
Serving God biblically stretches us beyond our own abilities.
We need the power of God—the same power that raised Jesus from the dead.
Our help comes from God through the prayer of believers.
Difficulties and problems oftentimes drives us away from fellow Christians.
18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
19 And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.
For the person in need of prayer:
Let your requests be made known to others.
Take comfort in the prayers of others.
Pray for others.
For the person asked to intercede in prayer for someone else:
Pray in the Spirit:
Pray in your spiritual language.
Seek the leading of the Holy Spirit to direct your prayers.
Keep your promise to pray.
Encourage the one in need.
30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—
Point 2
Depend on God’s Spirit.
Depend on God’s Spirit.
25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Paul used the terms “help by the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” What did he mean by that statement?
Look to Jesus and his life: see how He was empowered and led by the Holy Spirit.
Follow the ministry of Jesus as He instructs us to depend on the Holy Spirit.
11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,
12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
How do you depend on the Holy Spirit
Pray
Read God’s Word (study and memorize)
Meditate on God’s Word (think about it)
Listen
Point 3
Courageously Live Life to Honor Christ.
Courageously Live Life to Honor Christ.
20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.
Live life courageously in obedience to God - and through that example may all who see (my life) exalt Christ.
For Paul, his focus on the future was not just that he would receive heavenly reward some day, but that through fearlessness (courage), even facing martyrdom, his desire was that the Gospel of Christ would be demonstrated.
Conclusion
Like Joshua in the Old Testament, we face a daunting task of fulfilling the mission of God (reach people for Christ).
In this message of Philippians 1:18-20, we identified three critical action steps to accomplish:
First, surround yourself with people who will pray for you.
Second, depend on God’s Spirit to lead and empower you to fulfill His divine purpose for you.
Third, live life that causes others to honor Christ.
Courage is almost a contradiction in terms. It means a strong desire to live taking the form of a readiness to die.
G. K. Chesterton
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.