Philippians 1:12-30, All things work together for Good

Read Philippians 1.

Paul was writing Philippians from Prison, and could say that what he was experiencing was producing something good.

Does that mean that Paul enjoyed what he was suffering? No, it doesn’t, but it does mean that he could see a little of what God was doing through his suffering.

For those who love God, all things work together for Good.

Romans 8:28-29

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."

In Romans 8 as well, we see God showing us that in suffering, God is doing good in our life, and in the world around us.

This good that we experience in Christ, is not a physical good, like a nice house, car, marriage or anything of that sort. Although a life in submission to Christ can sometimes produce tangible good that we enjoy, many times, abiding in Christ results in tangible suffering.

One way that abiding in Christ produces suffering, is we mortify or put to death the deeds of our body. This means that we kill sin. To love God means to hate sin. God so loved us that he died to take the punishment we deserve for our sin. We must understand that this was due to the hatred God has for sin, and as we love God, we grow in our hatred of sin. This must result in our killing of it.

When we kill sin, our flesh yells in frustration. This means we will not experience sexual gratification we once took part in, or drugs that took us into another fantasy land. This means that the things we once stole, we return, causing us loss, or prison time. 

Another way this causes suffering as we abide in Christ, is old acquaintances will not enjoy our company any longer. Paul experienced this himself. When he was a Jew, persecuting the Church, he was exulted by his colleagues, and applauded in this sin. When Christ confronted him and changed him, suddenly his old so called friends turned their back on him, hating him, and throwing him in prison.

Abide in Jesus, as Paul

Paul knew he was actually suffering because he was abiding in Christ. This is our strength. We are abiding in the Creator of the universe. The one we were once enemies with, has called us his friend, and we are now within him. The tangible sufferings we experience as we kill sin, and cling to God, forsaking all others, is like nothing compared to the wonder of knowing deeply and intimately the One who saved our souls.

In verses 14-20, we read that what Paul experienced was producing fruit. This fruit was God was being preached! The news that Jesus had saved us was going out. Not perfectly, but in a way that showed that God is good, and we are not.

Loving Jesus means we start to yearn for Christ to be honored in our body. (Verse 20)

In verse 21-30, Paul says that Christ had caused in him the realization that living is in Christ, and dying is bliss. In our living, we live in the cross of Jesus, which entails great suffering, loneliness, and struggle. In death, it means the bliss of everlasting joy in the presence of our savior.

At the end of this chapter, the Holy Spirit through the words of the Apostle Paul is calling us to live your life worthy of the gospel. This means living in Jesus, dying in Jesus, all for the expectation of future glory, in Jesus.

Tonight brothers I urge you, Look and live in Jesus! He is worthy of our life. Our whole life.

If you have been living in sin or addiction, kill it! Do whatever it takes to cling to the one who gave his life for you! Submit to him, for in him all things are good.